The model presented today is from the latest, current Submariner series, introduced by the brand in 2020, which sparked considerable controversy among the brand's enthusiasts, mainly due to the change in case size.
I am sure that most of the colleagues reading this forum are aware that Rolex calls its water-resistant cases Oyster. I.e., if this name is present in the watch's designation, it means that it is water-resistant. And of course, the Submariner meets this qualification 100% - developed as a diver's watch in the 50s, today the Submariner offers a water resistance of 300m, and despite the fact that 60 years have passed since the model's launch, the differences in the modern model's appearance compared to the original are not very significant. But as you might guess, all of this is only at first glance.
The model presented today is part of what is perhaps the brand's most recognizable line, the Submariner, and is certainly one of the models from the cult brand that has helped it continue to hold a leading position in the watchmaking industry. The Submariner was first introduced in 1953 and almost immediately gained a reputation as a robust and reliable diver's instrument. 50 years after its launch, Rolex released an anniversary edition that was destined to become one of the most desired and sought-after modern Submariners, and which very quickly received its nickname "Kermit". And years later, thanks to the launch of the new, i.e., ceramic version of the Sub, its successor was introduced, which immediately received the nickname "Hulk". In 2020, with the launch of the new 41mm version, the anniversary version also received its successor – fan folklore immediately began searching for the new name, and in the end, the nickname "Starbucks" seems to have prevailed. The differences from the standard Submariner are not many, but they are significant – first, of course, is the bezel; here it is in green, which, being the "brand color," is used by Rolex for all anniversary editions of all their models. The second is the dial; unlike the previous "Hulk," in this version, Rolex has once again given it a black color, and in combination with the "maxi dial" with enlarged hour markers and hands, the end result is phenomenal! The model received the reference 126610LV (Lunette Verde), and the fact that very few examples were delivered to dealerships further contributes to the rapid increase in its price, as we know that is where the brand's largest market is, and collectors acquire the desired "Starbucks" from the secondary market.
The watch's dial is very clean and easily legible, and the luminescence of the hands and indices facilitates its use at night. The luminescence is blue (which has been proven to be much more pleasant and harmless to the human eye) – and the so-called Chromalight used by Rolex allows the indices to appear milky white during the day. Here, Rolex also uses the so-called "Maxi dial" style, which was launched at the beginning of the century and with which the manufacturer increased the size of the hands and markers – one of the reasons I like this model much more than the previous ones.
The first thing that makes an impression is the sapphire crystal – Rolex applies the anti-reflective coating to the inner side of the crystal, but not the outer, and this allows the external part of the crystal to be more brilliant and shiny to behold.
For the case back of the watch, Rolex uses a simple solid case back (as, by the way, in all of its models) – in the case of the Submariner, it is devoid of any markings, inscriptions, or other "decorations". As we all know, for its watches Rolex uses noble 904L steel – the difference with the usual 316L for other brands is its greater resistance (especially against salt water). It is a widely known fact that Rolex can be called fanatics when it comes to the steel they use – a large part of the metallurgical processes are done in-house to guarantee a uniform quality of the raw material – many watches have passed through my hands, but I can say with absolute certainty that no other brand devotes so much attention and effort to the quality of the final product in terms of case finishing – and as a result, a unique quality and presence is inevitably achieved.
The overall impression is complemented by the watch's diver's bezel – its purpose is clear, to time how long you are underwater – trivial, isn't it. In the first Sub models, the bezel insert was made of aluminum with minute markers printed on it, but this model uses the ceramic bezel introduced in the previous version. Here again, the material is a special creation and is different from commonly used materials, which is why Rolex calls it - "Cerachrom." The traditional "pip" at 12 o'clock, and behold the final product – unlike the aluminum one, the ceramic one is glossier, stronger, and more scratch-resistant. Modest, isn't it? First, it was their own luminescence material, now their own bezel material – what could possibly be next.
The important question, in fact, is what are the differences between the new version of the Submariner presented today and the previous one – 116610. The first significant difference is the movement – the new Sub has the honor of carrying the new caliber 3235 within it, which has an increased power reserve of 70 hours, a seriously improved automatic winding system where the rotor is now on a ball bearing, and efficiency has been increased by 15%. As for lubrication, the reverser wheels, as one of the problematic areas in terms of friction, are Teflon-coated! The new 3235 has 14 integrated patents and more than 90% new components, and furthermore, it is twice as accurate as the requirements for an official COSC chronometer.
The most visible difference is the wider bracelet with its larger folding clasp – as a result of this change, the proportions have a more harmonious feel, as the "protrusion" of the lugs relative to the bracelet is gone. The end links of the bracelet no longer extend beyond the lugs (personally, it was incomprehensible to me how Rolex allowed this in the previous version). Overall, the bracelet has been redesigned to be more flexible and comfortable, and the total number of links has been reduced by one compared to the previous model.
And of course, the biggest difference is in the size of the case – for the first time, Rolex has allowed itself to abandon the classic size of the Submariner and increase the case to the new 41 mm – some will say the differences are minimal, but believe me – when placing the two models side by side, the differences are obvious.
For many years, the Submariner has been offered with a three-piece steel bracelet with a profile that tapers towards the clasp – in this model, the tradition is maintained, and from this perspective, the bracelet is just as comfortable. Where is the difference from previous generations? It is mainly in the clasp – the new Submariner is equipped with a clasp with a micro-adjustment system – called Glidelock. The idea is that you can adjust the size of the bracelet within a few millimeters on the fly. We all know that our wrists change size depending on the weather, humidity, temperature, etc. – well, the guys at Rolex offer a perfect solution for such cases.
Indeed, in the 50s, Rolex created a fantastic product and invested the next 60 years to improve and perfect it. If in the beginning it was valued by customers as a not very expensive everyday watch, today it is to a greater extent a fashion accessory, which however has all the qualities to become a long-term partner to its owner, one that will not only never let you down, but will also not lose much of its value, because it is no secret to anyone here that this brand, besides not being available with large discounts when new, also has the reputation of a brand with the best value-retaining watches, and this particular model can boldly rank among the forefront of Rolex in terms of popularity and is consequently one of the most sought-after and desired. Certainly, one of the reasons for this is the fact that this watch looks equally good on your wrist whether you are in a formal suit or dressed in worn jeans and a white t-shirt – in both cases, the Submariner will help attract approving glances to your appearance.
