Reference:116613: Difference between revisions

From BezelBase
[unchecked revision][checked revision]
← Older edit
VisualWikitext
Import reference 116613 article
Resize hero: 340px -> 250px
 
(23 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[File:Ref_116613_hero.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Photo: bobswatches.com]]
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex 116613 Submariner — Production, Dial Variants, Serial Ranges | BezelBase
|description=The 116613 is the ceramic-bezel Rolesor Submariner Date. It replaced the aluminum-insert 16613 around 2009 and ran until the 41mm 126613 with caliber 3235…
|keywords=Rolex, 116613, Submariner, specifications, reference guide
|image=Ref 116613 hero.jpg
|image_alt=Rolex Submariner Ref. 116613
|type=article
|og_type=article
|published_time=2026-04-14T16:12:59Z
|modified_time=2026-04-29T02:46:09Z
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
}}


The 116613 is the ceramic-bezel Rolesor Submariner Date. It replaced the aluminum-insert 16613 around 2009 and ran until the 41mm 126613 with caliber 3235 took over in 2020. Within the ceramic-era Submariner generation, it occupies the middle position: more accessible than the full gold 116618, more distinctive than the steel 116610LN, carrying the visual language of the Rolesor bracelet — polished yellow gold center links against brushed steel outer links — into the Cerachrom age.
<small>[[Reference:submariner|Submariner]] -> '''116613'''</small>


The step up from the 16613 is not incremental. Cerachrom does not fade. Glidelock replaced the older Fliplock. The maxi-format dial with Chromalight lume is physically larger and brighter. Wider Super Case lugs changed the proportions. The two-tone identity carries forward, but the watch is a different object.
The 116613 is the Cerachrom-bezel Rolesor Submariner Date, in production from around 2009 until the 41mm 126613 with caliber 3235 took over in 2020. It sits in the middle of the ceramic-era Submariner generation — more accessible than the full-gold 116618, more distinctive than the steel 116610LN — and it carries the Rolesor bracelet (polished yellow-gold center links against brushed steel outers) forward into the Cerachrom age.


The blue dial variant, 116613LB, carries on the "Bluesy" identity that started with the 16613LB. It is the defining configuration of the two-tone Submariner — the pairing of sunburst blue dial, blue Cerachrom bezel, and polished gold center links has a specific visual coherence that the black-dial LN variant cannot replicate. The Bluesy is the reason most buyers come to this reference.
The step up from the 16613 is substantial. Cerachrom replaced the aluminum bezel insert, Glidelock replaced the Fliplock clasp, and the wider Maxi-format markers under Chromalight lume made the dial both larger and brighter. The Super Case lugs changed the wrist proportions. The two-tone identity carries forward, but in handling the watch is a different object.


==Core facts==
The blue-dial variant, 116613LB, is known universally as the "Bluesy," a nickname inherited from the 16613LB. Blue sunburst dial, blue Cerachrom bezel, and polished gold center links produce a visual coherence that makes this the defining two-tone Submariner configuration, and the reason most buyers come to the reference.
 
<span id="core-facts"></span>
 
[[File:Ref 116613 hero.jpg|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex Submariner Ref. 116613|Rolex Submariner Ref. 116613]]
 
== Core facts ==


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 21: Line 38:
|-
|-
| production
| production
| approximately 2009 to 2020
| about 2009 to 2020
|-
|-
| movement
| movement
Line 54: Line 71:
|}
|}


==Where it sits in the line==
<span id="where-it-sits-in-the-line"></span>
== Where it sits in the line ==


The 116613 is the two-tone member of the ceramic-era Submariner generation:
The 116613 is the Rolesor member of the ceramic-era Submariner generation. Alongside it sit the steel 116610, the full yellow-gold [[Reference:116618|116618]], and the full white-gold [[Reference:116619LB|116619LB]]. All four share caliber 3135 and the Super Case architecture. Rolesor — Rolex's term for its steel-and-gold construction — puts the 116613 above the steel 116610LN in price and prestige, below the full-gold 116618.


* <code>116610</code>: steel
<span id="two-tone-submariner-lineage"></span>
* <code>116613</code>: Rolesor (two-tone steel/gold)
== Two-tone Submariner lineage ==
* <code>116618</code>: full 18k yellow gold
* <code>116619LB</code>: full 18k white gold
 
All four shared caliber 3135 and the Super Case architecture. The 116613 uses a steel case with 18k gold bezel, crown, crown guards, and bracelet center links. Two-tone construction places it above the steel 116610LN in price and prestige, below the full-gold 116618.
 
==Two-tone Submariner lineage==


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 94: Line 106:
|}
|}


The 116613 succeeded the 16613 after a 21-year run. The 2020 refresh moved to Oystersteel branding, a 41mm case, new bracelet width, and caliber 3235. The 116613 retained the 40mm case and 3135 throughout.
The 116613 succeeded the 16613 after a 21-year run on aluminum and carried the two-tone Sub across the ceramic generation for roughly eleven years. The 2020 refresh moved the line to Oystersteel branding, a 41mm case, new bracelet width, and caliber 3235. Through its own run the 116613 stayed on the 40mm case and the 3135 throughout.


==What changed from the 16613==
<span id="what-changed-from-the-16613"></span>
== What changed from the 16613 ==


The 116613 inherited the Bluesy and black-dial identities from the 16613, but the execution is substantially different:
The execution is substantially different from the 16613.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 139: Line 152:
|}
|}


On the 16613, the aluminum bezel was known for fading — on blue examples, the bezel would age from vivid blue to a softer, lighter shade that collectors call "ghost" bezels. Cerachrom eliminates both the patina appeal and the fading problem. Collectors assessing a 16613LB always evaluated bezel condition as a primary factor. That evaluation does not apply to the 116613.
On the 16613LB, the aluminum bezel faded from vivid blue to the softer shade collectors call a "ghost" bezel, and bezel condition was a primary market factor. Cerachrom eliminates both the patina appeal and the fading problem entirely.
 
==Production outline==
 
The 116613 ran for roughly eleven years. Both the LB (blue) and LN (black) variants were available throughout. No major mid-run mechanical changes are documented. Caliber 3135 stays for the full production run.
 
==The blue dial evolution: flat to sunburst==
 
The most significant mid-run refinement collectors track on the 116613LB is a dial change around 2013. Early examples (approximately 2009–2012) carried a flatter, more uniform blue finish — a consistent blue across the dial surface that reads evenly at most angles. From approximately 2013, Rolex transitioned to a more pronounced '''sunburst''' (sun-ray) finishing. The sunburst dial reacts dramatically to natural light: shifting from a deep midnight blue in shadow to a brighter, more saturated blue in direct sun, catching a lighter, almost sky-blue quality at certain angles.
 
This matters to collectors for two reasons. First, the later sunburst dials are visually more complex and arguably more interesting — the dial interacts with ambient light in a way the earlier flat dial does not. Second, some purists and early-adopter collectors prefer the flat dial precisely because it is the original configuration and because its quieter character suits the two-tone aesthetic without competing with the gold center links for attention.
 
The transition was not abrupt. No sharp serial-number cutoff exists between flat and sunburst. Collectors identify the dial type by visual inspection rather than production date. Both are correct configurations for the reference; the preference comes down to whether the buyer wants a more restrained or more dynamic blue dial.
 
==Movement notes==
 
Caliber 3135 throughout — the same proven movement used in the 16613 before it and in the steel 116610. Quick-set date, 28800 bph, Microstella regulation, Parachrom hairspring. The 116613 was the last ceramic-era two-tone Submariner to use the 3135 before the 126613 moved to caliber 3235 with its 70-hour power reserve.
 
==Dial map==


===Diamond and serti dials===
<span id="production-outline"></span>
== Production outline ==


Early 116613 production included factory diamond-set (serti) dials as an option. According to Rolex Forum discussions, the diamond/serti dials were discontinued around 2013 when the sunburst dial finish appeared. Serti-dial examples are the rarer factory configuration and a distinct collector target within the reference.
The 116613 ran for roughly eleven years with both the LB (blue) and LN (black) variants available throughout. No major mid-run mechanical changes are documented. Caliber 3135 stayed across the full production run. The one documented cosmetic evolution sits on the LB dial — a flat-to-sunburst change around 2013 — treated separately below.


===Blue dial (LB / Bluesy)===
<span id="the-blue-dial-evolution-flat-to-sunburst"></span>
== The blue dial evolution: flat to sunburst ==


Blue dial with maxi-format luminous markers and Chromalight lume (blue glow). Gold applied markers and gold hands. Early dials (around 2009–2012) had a flatter blue finish. Later dials (from around 2013) shifted to a more saturated sunburst blue that plays in natural light — from deep midnight blue in shadow to a brighter, sky-inflected blue in direct sun.
Around 2013 Rolex changed the 116613LB dial from a flat, uniform blue to a pronounced sunburst finish that shifts from midnight blue in shadow to a brighter, sky-inflected blue in direct sun. No sharp serial-number cutoff exists; collectors identify the type by visual inspection. Both are correct factory configurations. The sunburst is more visually dynamic, but some collectors prefer the earlier flat dial for its quieter character against the gold accents.


Paired with the gold markers and polished gold center links, the blue dial creates the Bluesy look that is the 116613's primary market identity. The ceramic blue bezel does not fade, so the bezel-to-dial color relationship stays consistent over time — unlike the 16613LB, where bezel fading could shift the visual balance.
<span id="movement-notes"></span>
== Movement notes ==


===Black dial (LN)===
Caliber 3135 throughout — Parachrom blue hairspring, Microstella regulation. The 116613 is the last ceramic-era two-tone Submariner on the 3135 before the 126613 moved to caliber 3235 with a 70-hour reserve.


Black dial with gold maxi markers and Chromalight lume. The 116613LN is the quieter configuration. Black reads more conservatively against the gold accents than blue, and it typically trades below the blue LB variant in the secondary market. For collectors who find the all-blue Bluesy too forward, the black dial tones down the two-tone character while keeping the Rolesor visual identity.
<span id="dial-map"></span>
== Dial map ==


==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown notes==
<span id="diamond-and-serti-dials"></span>
=== Diamond and serti dials ===


The case is the 40mm Super Case with broader lugs than the earlier 16613. Rolesor construction: 904L Oystersteel with 18k yellow gold bezel, crown guards, and Triplock crown. Water resistance is 300m.
Early 116613 production included factory diamond-set Serti dials as a catalog option. Serti — from the French ''sertissage'', gem-setting — is the factory diamond-indices dial Rolex also offered on earlier Rolesor references. Rolex Forum discussions place the discontinuation of the Serti option around 2013, coinciding with the sunburst dial change on the standard LB. Serti examples are the rarer factory configuration and a distinct collector target within the reference.


The Cerachrom ceramic insert is the defining upgrade from the 16613 — virtually scratch-proof, no fading. Numerals and graduation marks on the ceramic insert are filled with platinum.
<span id="blue-dial-lb"></span>
=== Blue dial (LB) ===


Sapphire crystal with Cyclops. The inner rehaut is engraved with repeating ROLEX ROLEX text and the serial number at 6 o'clock. Solid case back with Rolex engravings.
Blue dial with gold applied markers and hands. The flat-to-sunburst evolution around 2013 is covered above.


==Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes==
<span id="black-dial-ln"></span>
=== Black dial (LN) ===


The bracelet is the 93253 two-tone Oyster with polished solid gold center links and a Glidelock extension clasp. Glidelock allows approximately 20mm of micro-adjustment without tools, a major improvement over the older Fliplock system used on the 16613.
Black dial with gold applied markers and hands — the quieter configuration. Black reads more conservatively against the gold accents and typically trades below the LB on the secondary market.


Gold center links on the 116613 are solid throughout the production run — an upgrade from earlier two-tone Submariner bracelet construction where some center links were hollow. Polished gold links against brushed steel outer links create the visual contrast that defines the Rolesor Submariner identity.
<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown-notes"></span>
== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown ==
[[File:Ref 116613 detail 2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|alt=Detail view|Detail view]]
[[File:Ref 116613 detail.jpg|thumb|right|250px|alt=Detail view|Detail view]]


The bracelet does not change during the run. All 116613 examples carry the same Glidelock-equipped 93253.
Rolesor construction — 904L Oystersteel case with 18k yellow-gold bezel, crown guards, and a Triplock crown. The Cerachrom insert carries platinum-filled numerals. Sapphire crystal with Cyclops. The inner rehaut is engraved with repeating ROLEX and the serial number at 6 o'clock. The case back is solid.


==Production volume estimates==
<span id="bracelets-end-links-clasps-and-packaging-notes"></span>
== Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes ==


Industry estimates from the ~2010 era suggest Rolex produced approximately 12,000 two-tone Submariners per year. If those figures held roughly steady across the 116613's run, total production across both LB and LN variants could be in the range of 130,000 units — though Rolex does not publish production numbers and these figures are approximations circulated among dealers and collectors.
Bracelet ref. 93253 — a two-tone Oyster with solid gold center links throughout the run (earlier 16613 bracelets had used hollow gold centers on some examples). The Glidelock clasp provides roughly 20mm of tool-free micro-adjustment. The bracelet is unchanged across the full production run.


==Market and collector context==
<span id="production-volume-estimates"></span>
== Production volume estimates ==


The 116613 is a recently discontinued reference with good secondary market liquidity. The ceramic-bezel 116613 typically commands a premium over the aluminum-insert 16613, reflecting the Cerachrom and Glidelock upgrades.
Industry estimates from the early 2010s put two-tone Submariner production at roughly 12,000 units per year. If those numbers held steady across the 116613's run, total production across both LB and LN would land somewhere around 130,000 units — a rough envelope, since Rolex does not publish production figures and the number circulates among dealers and collectors rather than from the factory.


The blue LB variant is the more desirable and higher-priced configuration. The Bluesy identity has consistently driven demand for the blue two-tone Submariner across generations. The successor 126613LB retails new at $18,900 USD; the 116613 trades at a discount to that figure on the secondary market, reflecting that buyers seeking current warranty and caliber 3235 will pay more for new production.
<span id="market-and-collector-context"></span>
== Market and collector context ==


The 2020 transition from 40mm to 41mm also introduced Oystersteel alloy branding, a wider bracelet, and thinner lugs on the successor. The 116613's broader-lug Maxi Case profile is meaningfully different from the 126613's updated geometry — collectors who prefer the heavier, blockier Maxi Case aesthetic have a reason to seek out 116613 examples specifically.
Recently discontinued, with good secondary-market liquidity. The LB trades above the LN. The successor 126613LB retails at $18,900 USD, and the 116613 trades below that figure on the secondary market.


==Sources==
The 126613 moved to a 41mm case, thinner lugs, and caliber 3235, which gives the 116613's blockier Super Case profile a distinct following among buyers who prefer the older geometry.


* [https://monochrome-watches.com/rolex-submariner-history-part-2-the-55xx-1680references/ Tom Mulraney, "History of the Rolex Submariner - Part 2, The 55XX References and 1680 Date", Monochrome, 2020-08-19]
== Sources ==
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/rolex-info/rolex-two-tone-submariner.html unknown, "Bob's Watches two-tone Submariner history", Bob's Watches]
[[File:Ref 116613 hero 2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex Submariner Ref. 116613|Rolex Submariner Ref. 116613]]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/how-to-start-collecting-the-rolex-submariner Stephen Pulvirent, "The Rolex Submariner: A Complete Collector's Guide", Sotheby's, 2025-03-07]
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/rolex-submariner-history-part-2-the-55xx-1680references/ History of the Rolex Submariner - Part 2, The 55XX References and 1680 Date] — Tom Mulraney, Monochrome
* [https://www.grayandsons.com/blog/rolex-submariner-date-history/ unknown, "Gray & Sons Submariner Date history", Gray & Sons]
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/rolex-info/rolex-two-tone-submariner.html Bob's Watches two-tone Submariner history] — Bob's Watches editorial staff, Bob's Watches
* [https://professionalwatches.com/rolex-submariner-reference-guide/ unknown, "Rolex Submariner Reference Guide", Professional Watches]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/how-to-start-collecting-the-rolex-submariner The Rolex Submariner: A Complete Collector's Guide] — Stephen Pulvirent, Sotheby's
* [https://www.grayandsons.com/blog/rolex-submariner-date-history/ Gray & Sons Submariner Date history] — Gray & Sons editorial, Gray & Sons
* [https://professionalwatches.com/rolex-submariner-reference-guide/ Rolex Submariner Reference Guide] — Professional Watches editorial, Professional Watches


[[Category:Submariner]]
[[Category:Submariner]]
[[Category:working-draft]]
[[Category:Working Draft]]
[[Category:References]]

Latest revision as of 04:20, 30 April 2026


Submariner -> 116613

The 116613 is the Cerachrom-bezel Rolesor Submariner Date, in production from around 2009 until the 41mm 126613 with caliber 3235 took over in 2020. It sits in the middle of the ceramic-era Submariner generation — more accessible than the full-gold 116618, more distinctive than the steel 116610LN — and it carries the Rolesor bracelet (polished yellow-gold center links against brushed steel outers) forward into the Cerachrom age.

The step up from the 16613 is substantial. Cerachrom replaced the aluminum bezel insert, Glidelock replaced the Fliplock clasp, and the wider Maxi-format markers under Chromalight lume made the dial both larger and brighter. The Super Case lugs changed the wrist proportions. The two-tone identity carries forward, but in handling the watch is a different object.

The blue-dial variant, 116613LB, is known universally as the "Bluesy," a nickname inherited from the 16613LB. Blue sunburst dial, blue Cerachrom bezel, and polished gold center links produce a visual coherence that makes this the defining two-tone Submariner configuration, and the reason most buyers come to the reference.

Rolex Submariner Ref. 116613
Rolex Submariner Ref. 116613

Core facts

detail value
reference 116613 (LN = black, LB = blue)
family Submariner Date
production about 2009 to 2020
movement caliber 3135 (date, quick-set, 28800 bph, ~48hr power reserve)
case 40mm Super Case, Rolesor (904L steel + 18k yellow gold)
crystal sapphire with Cyclops
water resistance 300m
bezel Cerachrom ceramic (blue or black), platinum-filled numerals
lume Chromalight (blue glow)
bracelet Oyster ref.93253 with Glidelock, solid gold center links
rehaut engraved ROLEX ROLEX
predecessor 16613
successor 126613

Where it sits in the line

The 116613 is the Rolesor member of the ceramic-era Submariner generation. Alongside it sit the steel 116610, the full yellow-gold 116618, and the full white-gold 116619LB. All four share caliber 3135 and the Super Case architecture. Rolesor — Rolex's term for its steel-and-gold construction — puts the 116613 above the steel 116610LN in price and prestige, below the full-gold 116618.

Two-tone Submariner lineage

reference years case material bezel material successor retail
16613 1988–2009 Rolesor (steel/gold) aluminum (fades) —
116613 2009–2020 Rolesor (steel/gold) Cerachrom ceramic —
126613LB 2020–present Rolesor (Oystersteel/gold) Cerachrom ceramic $18,900 USD

The 116613 succeeded the 16613 after a 21-year run on aluminum and carried the two-tone Sub across the ceramic generation for roughly eleven years. The 2020 refresh moved the line to Oystersteel branding, a 41mm case, new bracelet width, and caliber 3235. Through its own run the 116613 stayed on the 40mm case and the 3135 throughout.

What changed from the 16613

The execution is substantially different from the 16613.

feature 16613 116613
bezel insert aluminum, fades and scratches Cerachrom ceramic, fade-proof
bracelet clasp Fliplock with divers extension Glidelock (20mm micro-adjust)
lug width slimmer wider (Super Case)
lug holes present absent
lume SuperLuminova or Luminova (green glow) Chromalight (blue glow)
markers standard Maxi (larger)
gold center links hollow on some, solid on late solid throughout
rehaut plain (early) / engraved (late) engraved throughout

On the 16613LB, the aluminum bezel faded from vivid blue to the softer shade collectors call a "ghost" bezel, and bezel condition was a primary market factor. Cerachrom eliminates both the patina appeal and the fading problem entirely.

Production outline

The 116613 ran for roughly eleven years with both the LB (blue) and LN (black) variants available throughout. No major mid-run mechanical changes are documented. Caliber 3135 stayed across the full production run. The one documented cosmetic evolution sits on the LB dial — a flat-to-sunburst change around 2013 — treated separately below.

The blue dial evolution: flat to sunburst

Around 2013 Rolex changed the 116613LB dial from a flat, uniform blue to a pronounced sunburst finish that shifts from midnight blue in shadow to a brighter, sky-inflected blue in direct sun. No sharp serial-number cutoff exists; collectors identify the type by visual inspection. Both are correct factory configurations. The sunburst is more visually dynamic, but some collectors prefer the earlier flat dial for its quieter character against the gold accents.

Movement notes

Caliber 3135 throughout — Parachrom blue hairspring, Microstella regulation. The 116613 is the last ceramic-era two-tone Submariner on the 3135 before the 126613 moved to caliber 3235 with a 70-hour reserve.

Dial map

Diamond and serti dials

Early 116613 production included factory diamond-set Serti dials as a catalog option. Serti — from the French sertissage, gem-setting — is the factory diamond-indices dial Rolex also offered on earlier Rolesor references. Rolex Forum discussions place the discontinuation of the Serti option around 2013, coinciding with the sunburst dial change on the standard LB. Serti examples are the rarer factory configuration and a distinct collector target within the reference.

Blue dial (LB)

Blue dial with gold applied markers and hands. The flat-to-sunburst evolution around 2013 is covered above.

Black dial (LN)

Black dial with gold applied markers and hands — the quieter configuration. Black reads more conservatively against the gold accents and typically trades below the LB on the secondary market.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown

Detail view
Detail view
Detail view
Detail view

Rolesor construction — 904L Oystersteel case with 18k yellow-gold bezel, crown guards, and a Triplock crown. The Cerachrom insert carries platinum-filled numerals. Sapphire crystal with Cyclops. The inner rehaut is engraved with repeating ROLEX and the serial number at 6 o'clock. The case back is solid.

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes

Bracelet ref. 93253 — a two-tone Oyster with solid gold center links throughout the run (earlier 16613 bracelets had used hollow gold centers on some examples). The Glidelock clasp provides roughly 20mm of tool-free micro-adjustment. The bracelet is unchanged across the full production run.

Production volume estimates

Industry estimates from the early 2010s put two-tone Submariner production at roughly 12,000 units per year. If those numbers held steady across the 116613's run, total production across both LB and LN would land somewhere around 130,000 units — a rough envelope, since Rolex does not publish production figures and the number circulates among dealers and collectors rather than from the factory.

Market and collector context

Recently discontinued, with good secondary-market liquidity. The LB trades above the LN. The successor 126613LB retails at $18,900 USD, and the 116613 trades below that figure on the secondary market.

The 126613 moved to a 41mm case, thinner lugs, and caliber 3235, which gives the 116613's blockier Super Case profile a distinct following among buyers who prefer the older geometry.

Sources

Rolex Submariner Ref. 116613
Rolex Submariner Ref. 116613
Retrieved from "https://bezelbase.org/index.php?title=Reference:116613&oldid=4414"