Reference:126610LV
Submariner → 126610LV
The 126610LV is the current green-bezel Submariner Date — known to collectors as the “Starbucks” or “Cermit.” LV stands for Lunette Verte, French for green bezel.
Launched in September 2020 alongside the rest of the current Submariner generation, this reference is the third chapter in a lineage that began with a 50th-anniversary special edition and became one of the most followed color stories in modern watchmaking.
The green lineage: Kermit, Hulk, Starbucks
Chapter 1: The Kermit — 16610LV (2003–2010)
In 2003, Rolex celebrated the Submariner’s 50th anniversary by releasing the 16610LV, the first Submariner with a green bezel. The dial stayed black. The bezel insert was aluminum — the same material used across the Submariner range at the time — in a vivid green that collectors immediately nicknamed “Kermit” after the Muppets frog.
The Kermit was notable for what happened to its bezel over time. Aluminum fades. Early examples developed a teal or grey-green patina that varied from watch to watch, giving each piece unique character. Some collectors prize heavily faded Kermit bezels above all other Submariner variants. The Kermit also became the first “color” Sub to demonstrate that limited visual differentiation could generate outsized demand.
Chapter 2: The Hulk — 116610LV (2010–2020)
When Rolex updated the Submariner in 2010, the green-bezel model got a radical change: the dial went green too. An entirely green watch. The Cerachrom ceramic bezel replaced the fading aluminum insert, and the sunburst green dial was unlike anything Rolex had offered before. Collectors called it the “Hulk.”
Polarizing on arrival. Some found the all-green look too aggressive. But over its decade of production, the Hulk developed a devoted following and became one of the most sought-after steel sports Rolex references. Its discontinuation in September 2020 — the same day the 126610LV launched — sent 116610LV prices into a sharp spike. Discontinued Hulks traded at enormous premiums, and many collectors who missed the Hulk’s production run still consider it the definitive green Sub.
Chapter 3: The Starbucks/Cermit — 126610LV (2020–present)
The 126610LV went back to the Kermit formula: green bezel, black dial. But in ceramic, not aluminum. The “Starbucks” nickname comes from the green-and-black color scheme; “Cermit” blends “ceramic” with “Kermit.”
The return to a black dial was one of the most discussed decisions in the 2020 Submariner refresh. Hulk loyalists mourned the loss of the green dial. Kermit purists celebrated the return to the original concept.
Core specifications
| Detail | Spec |
|---|---|
| Reference | 126610LV |
| Introduced | September 2020 |
| Status | In production |
| Case | 41mm Oystersteel, 21mm lug width |
| Bezel | Green Cerachrom, platinum PVD numerals |
| Crystal | Sapphire with Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock |
| Dial | Black, date at 3, SUBMARINER DATE / 300m 1000ft |
| Movement | Cal. 3235, 70hr power reserve |
| Escapement | Chronergy, nickel-phosphorus |
| Hairspring | Parachrom (paramagnetic) |
| Rate standard | -2/+2 sec/day (Superlative Chronometer) |
| Bracelet | Ref. 97200, Oyster, Oystersteel |
| Clasp | Oysterlock with Glidelock (20mm extension, 2mm increments) |
| Lume | Chromalight (blue glow) |
| Crown | Triplock, screw-down |
| Water resistance | 300m / 1000ft |
| Rehaut | Engraved ROLEX + serial at 6 o’clock |
What separates it from the 126610LN
Exactly one thing: the bezel. The dial, case, bracelet, movement, crystal, and crown are all shared with the 126610LN. Every difference in price, allocation, and collector demand comes down to a ceramic ring.
The green Cerachrom insert uses the same platinum PVD-filled numerals as the black version. Whether the green shade differs subtly from the Hulk’s 116610LV ceramic insert is not well documented, though early comparisons suggest a similar tone.
MK1 vs MK2 bezel color variation
Rolex Forum members have documented a bezel color change within the 126610LV production run, designating earlier examples as “MK1” (darker, richer green) and later examples as “MK2” (lighter green). Multiple dedicated threads with photographic comparisons support this distinction. Community consensus holds that the change is deliberate rather than accidental — the reasoning being that ceramic bezel color requires extremely consistent parameters, and such changes do not occur by accident. The exact transition point by serial range or production date has not yet been established. This remains an evolving area of collector documentation.
Movement: Cal. 3235
Chronergy escapement, Parachrom hairspring, 70-hour power reserve at 28,800 bph, quick-set date, -2/+2 sec/day Superlative Chronometer rating. Shared with the 126610LN.
Case, crystal, and crown
41mm Oystersteel, Oyster construction, screw-down case back, crown guards, Triplock crown. Sapphire crystal with Cyclops at 3 o’clock. Laser-engraved rehaut with repeating ROLEX and serial at 6.
Unlike the aluminum Kermit insert, the green Cerachrom bezel will not scratch or fade — it will look the same in 2040 as it does today. Whether that counts as a feature or a loss depends on whether the priority is permanence or patina.
Bracelet and clasp
Oystersteel Oyster bracelet (ref. 97200), 21mm lug width, polished center links, Oysterlock clasp with Glidelock.
Market reality
The green-bezel Submariner has been supply-constrained across all three generations — Kermit, Hulk, and now Starbucks. The 126610LV consistently trades at the highest secondary-market premium of any steel Submariner. During the 2020-2022 peak, examples sold near double retail; premiums have since moderated but remain meaningful. AD allocation is tighter than for the 126610LN, and first-time buyers are unlikely to be offered one.
Sources
- Rolex current Submariner product pages — Rolex
- Rolex Submariner Date 126610LV review — unknown, Monochrome
- Rolex unveils the new Submariner and Submariner Date 2020 — unknown, Time and Watches
- Rolex 2020 Submariner launch coverage — unknown, Perpetual Passion
- Rolex 2020 Submariner guide — unknown, Crown & Caliber
- The Rolex Submariner: A Complete Collector's Guide — Stephen Pulvirent, Sotheby's