Hulk Submariner – Witnessing the birth of an Icon

Watch & Bullion

18 July 2016 | 2 min read

Every time period has its ambassador. A person, song, or an object that reminds us of the sweet air of the past. Something that takes us back down memory lane and lets us smell the scent of something long gone.

Watches have their own ambassadors, making it one of the most entertaining games among watch lovers to figure out which of the contemporary models will avoid the pit of forgotten serial numbers. Everyone has their own opinion on which timepiece will resist time best and be path defining for the future of this industry.

And If I had to make a bet on which current watch will be an ambassador of the early 21st century, I wouldn’t hesitate to put the Rolex Submariner 116610LV, or the Hulk Submariner as called by collectors, at number 1.

After noting the strong demand for the 2004 50th anniversary Submariner with a green bezel insert, Rolex decided to go all in during the Baselworld of 2010 with the ref. 116610LV. Here for the first time Rolex used a green ceramic bezel insert and matched it with an enchanting multi-layered green sunburst dial.

This is not only significant due to the scarcity with which Rolex usually approaches colours, but also because green is the colour of Rolex. Therefore it grants an inside into the mind of the company and how it sees its own identify when a watchmaker decides to paint his product in the colour of the company.

And there could not have been a better choice for this honour than the Rolex Submariner. Built to last, this watch speaks of the incredibly high standard to which Rolex operates. It is this standard which allows them to set in stone their position in the industry, still setting the standard for what a good watch should be.

Despite being currently still in production the scarcity is already tangible, with prices climbing as the demand for a Rolex with a little extra keeps growing. It will be interesting to see where exactly the 116610LV will position itself, one thing is sure though, it will not be forgotten.