It seems that the rumours of the 116610LV “Hulk” being discontinued proved true… but fear not! For we have its successor: the new Submariner Date 41 ref. 126610LV to replace it.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into this release and analyse every little detail that we can about this watch, and discuss the biggest changes and talking points. For a quick overview on all of Rolex’s 2020 releases, look no further: here’s our article on them (as well as the other 41mm Submariners).
Without further ado, let’s begin!
What’s new?
1) Case Size
The previous Submariner Date measured in at 40mm. This new case is slightly larger at 41. Although this change in size was very small, it caused a huge debate and discussion. Why? Every single Submariner to feature a date function, starting with the ref. 1680, has always had a 40mm case – regarded by many as the “perfect proportion” (part of the reason why it’s been so successful).
It seems that Rolex has taken both a step forward (by reducing the lugs) and a step back by increasing the case size.
2) The Lugs
Speaking of a step in the right direction: for years now, collectors and Rolex enthusiasts worldwide have been hoping for slimmer lugs on the Submariner, something that the cases of the beloved 5-digit references (e.g.: 16610, 16610LV…) had. Truth being told, the modern MAXI cases never really got much love, which is perhaps why this new Submariner’s lugs are slightly reduced.
NB: by extension, the bracelet has also been adapted so it can fit nicely with these new lugs.
3) The Dial
Historically, the dials of the Submariners have been black – this is because it’s the ideal hue to guarantee legibility in the darkness of profound depths. Even though this age of “tool watches” seems to be behind us (what with the advent of ultra sophisticated GPS digital dive watches and all), Rolex still holds these old-school values in high regard. It can be argued that the Hulk’s green (116610LV) would be too bright and reflective and could cause problems..
The hour markers have been enlarged to further increase legibility and luminosity, and the text on the dial has also been updated proportionately: for example, the name of the model is now in bold.
4) The Shade of Green used for the Bezel
This watch has already been nicknamed Cermit… and no, that’s not a typo. Its name comes from the fact that it sports a Ceramic bezel and uses the Kermit colour scheme (the one used for the 50th Anniversary Submariner).
Of all Submariners, the Kermit was rather peculiar, in that during its lifetime it was subject to one of the highest number of bezel insert changes out of all the Submariners: in fact, there were 5-6 different shades of the Kermit bezel throughout its years in production.
It seems that the new bezel is of a different shade altogether compared to its ceramic predecessor. The green used on this 126610LV appears to be more intense and darker, whereas the 116610LV’s is definitely much brighter, perhaps even classified as “metallic” when placed side by side.
5) The Movement
The new caliber 3235 of this Submariner replaces the infallible workhorse that powered date Subs since 1998: the cal.3135. This new movement (used for all of the new Submariner Date 41s, which you can read about here) boasts a power reserve of 70 hours.
This year’s releases are still in line with our expectations. If we consider what a strange, uncertain and not to mention difficult time these past 9 months have been, I myself am very content with 7 new Submariner configurations and updates.
If you’ve made it this far, and are interested in what more Rolex had to offer in their release this week, click here for an overview article.
And if you’ve made it this far, what do you think of Rolex’s 2020 releases? Let us know in the comments or shoot us a DM on Instagram!
-Translated by Patrick R.
