Rolex 116613 Submariner
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 and more distinctive than the steel 116610LN, and it carries the Rolesor bracelet of 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 Maxi-format markers under Chromalight lume made the dial read larger and glow brighter. Super Case lugs changed the wrist proportions. The two-tone identity carries forward; in the hand the watch is a different object.
The blue-dial variant, 116613LB, is the "Bluesy," a nickname inherited from the 16613LB. Blue dial, blue Cerachrom bezel, and polished gold center links read as one piece, and that combination is what brings most buyers to the reference.
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.97203 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, places the 116613 above the steel 116610LN in price and prestige and 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 through the ceramic generation on a 40mm case. The 2020 refresh moved the line to Oystersteel branding, a 41mm case, a new bracelet width, and caliber 3235.
What changed 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 removes the fading, and with it the patina premium.
Production outline
The 116613 ran for roughly eleven years with both the LB (blue) and LN (black) variants available throughout. No mid-run mechanical changes are documented, and caliber 3135 stayed across the whole production. The one documented cosmetic change sits on the LB dial, a flat-to-sunburst switch around 2013.
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 has more movement in it. The flat dial sits quieter against the gold.
Movement notes
Caliber 3135 throughout, with a Parachrom blue hairspring and Microstella regulation. It is the last two-tone Submariner built on the 3135; the 126613 that replaced it moved to caliber 3235 and 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. Collector discussion places the end of the Serti option around 2013, alongside 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, flat until about 2013 and sunburst after.
Black dial (LN)
Black dial with gold applied markers and hands. It reads more conservatively against the gold than the blue does, and it typically trades below the LB on the secondary market.
Case, bezel, crystal, and crown
Rolesor construction: a 904L Oystersteel case with 18k yellow-gold bezel, crown guards, and a Triplock crown. The Cerachrom insert carries platinum-filled numerals, and the crystal is sapphire with a 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. 97203, a two-tone Oyster with solid gold center links and a Glidelock clasp giving roughly 20mm of tool-free micro-adjustment. It did not change across the production run. Earlier 16613 bracelets had used hollow gold centers on some examples.
Production volume estimates
Estimates circulating in the early 2010s put two-tone Submariner production at roughly 12,000 units a year. Held steady across the reference's run, that puts total LB and LN production somewhere near 130,000. Treat the figure as an envelope: Rolex publishes no production numbers, and this one comes from the trade, not the factory.
Market and collector context
Discontinued in 2020, 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. That left the 116613's blockier Super Case profile with a following of its own.
Related references
- Submariner 116610LV — "Hulk", Green Dial (2010–2020)
- Submariner 116610LN — 2010–2020
- Submariner 116618 — Yellow Gold (2008–2020)
- Submariner 116619LB — "Smurf", White Gold (2008–2020)
- Submariner 114060 — 2012–2020
- Submariner 16610LV — "Kermit", Green Bezel (2003–2010)
See also the Submariner family index, movement reference, bracelet & clasp guide, and serial numbers by year.
Sources
- History of the Rolex Submariner - Part 2, The 55XX References and 1680 Date — Tom Mulraney, Monochrome
- Bob's Watches two-tone Submariner history — Bob's Watches editorial staff, Bob's Watches
- The Rolex Submariner: A Complete Collector's Guide — Stephen Pulvirent, Sotheby's
- Gray & Sons Submariner Date history — Gray & Sons editorial, Gray & Sons
- Rolex Submariner Reference Guide — Professional Watches editorial, Professional Watches
- The Vintage Rolex Field Manual — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
- Hands-On: Rolex Submariner Date 41mm Kermit 126610LV and 126610LN — Brice Goulard, Monochrome
- The Rolex Submariner In 2020 What Actually Changed — Josh Shanks, Watchonista
- For the First Time Rolex Hints at Production Numbers in New Book — Coronet
- Exploring Evergreens: The Current Rolex Submariner Date 126610LN — Thomas Van Straaten, Fratello Watches