Rolex
Submariner Hulk Full-Set - Stainless Steel

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner Date reference 116610LV, known as the “Hulk”, 2015 Full Set example, 40 mm Oyster “Maxi Case” in 904L Oystersteel, green sunburst dial with large applied white-gold-surrounded hour markers and Chromalight display, Mercedes hands, central seconds, date at 3 o’clock beneath the Cyclops magnifier, unidirectional rotating bezel with green Cerachrom 60-minute insert and platinum-coated numerals and graduations, sapphire crystal, screw-down Triplock crown protected by crown guards, screw-down Oyster caseback, water resistance rated to 300 metres, three-link stainless-steel Oyster bracelet with Oysterlock safety clasp and Glidelock adjustment system, Rolex calibre 3135 automatic mechanical movement, Superlative Chronometer certification, frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, 31 jewels, approximately 48-hour power reserve after full winding, blue Parachrom hairspring, hacking seconds and quick-set date, reference produced from 2010 to 2020, 2015 watch supplied with its original Rolex box, papers and accessories, inspected and authenticated by the Mostra workshop, accompanied by a Mostra Certificate of Authenticity and covered by Mostra’s 3-year warranty.

“Some Submariners tell the story of the evolution of a diving watch. The Hulk also tells the moment when Rolex accepted that a Submariner could become instantly recognisable through colour without losing its legitimacy as an instrument. Green had first celebrated the anniversary of the model on the Kermit; with the 116610LV, it spread across both bezel and dial. For ten years, Rolex produced one of the most distinctive Submariners in its modern history. Then it disappeared. And it is precisely when production ends that one realises this combination will not return unchanged.”

The 2015 Rolex Submariner Date 116610LV, nicknamed the “Hulk” by collectors, occupies a position apart within a family already rich in legendary references. When it appeared in 2010, Rolex substantially renewed the Submariner Date: a more substantial case, broader lugs, ceramic bezel, considerably reinforced bracelet and clasp, new luminous display and a much more contemporary overall presence. Yet the 116610LV went further still. Where the 116610LN preserved the historical restraint of black, the LV adopted a green sunburst dial together with a green Cerachrom bezel, a combination never previously offered on the Submariner and not repeated when the following generation arrived in 2020. It is this singularity, far more than the nickname itself, that explains its special position within the collection today.

The Hulk nevertheless belongs to a story that began much earlier. In 2003, for the fiftieth anniversary of the Submariner, Rolex introduced the 16610LV, quickly nicknamed the “Kermit”: black dial, green bezel and enlarged hour markers. Green then entered the Submariner vocabulary permanently. In 2010, the 116610LV transformed that idea into a far more radical proposition by giving the dial itself the same colour. Ten years later, its successor, the 126610LV, returned to a black dial combined with a green bezel. Within this lineage, the 116610LV therefore remains the Submariner Date that pushed the green concept to its fullest expression. It was never a limited edition and Rolex does not publish production figures by reference; its rarity should therefore not be invented from unknown numbers. Its interest comes from its discontinued production, unique configuration and strong visual identity within several generations of green Submariners.

This place within the model’s history is explored in the major Mostra Magazine feature devoted to the Rolex Submariner, tracing the evolution of the watch from the earliest references of the 1950s to contemporary generations, through the 5513, 1680, 16800, 16610, Kermit, 116610 and current references. The Hulk becomes particularly meaningful when positioned between the 16610LV and 126610LV: three green watches, three eras, but only one with both dial and bezel entirely green. To continue the history of this watch: https://www.mostra-store.com/en/magazine/rolex-submariner

The green sunburst dial is naturally the element that most profoundly transforms the watch. It never appears exactly the same colour under different lighting: dark and almost forest green in subdued light, far brighter in sunshine and sometimes almost metallic as the wrist turns. This variability paradoxically prevents the green from becoming monotonous. Large applied hour markers and Mercedes hands use Chromalight, whose blue luminous display improves readability in darkness. The date remains at 3 o’clock beneath the famous Cyclops magnifier, preserving the function that distinguishes the Submariner Date from its no-date counterpart. Despite its spectacular colour, the organisation of the dial therefore remains completely traditional: Rolex changes the expression, not the function.

Around the dial, the green Cerachrom bezel represents a major evolution from the aluminium inserts of earlier generations. Ceramic offers excellent resistance to scratches and ultraviolet light, allowing its colour to remain considerably more stable over time. Numerals and graduations are produced through platinum coating, creating sharp contrast while preserving the precious appearance of the whole. Unidirectional rotation continues to follow the fundamental principle of a diving watch: measuring immersion time while ensuring that accidental movement cannot artificially reduce the elapsed time shown. The Hulk has become a collecting icon, yet its architecture remains first and foremost that of a genuine Submariner designed to be used.

The 40 mm Oyster case, often described as the “Maxi Case” on this generation, gives the 116610LV noticeably greater presence than earlier 16610 Submariners despite sharing the same nominal diameter. The lugs are broader, the crown guards more substantial and the dial uses enlarged hour markers. The Triplock crown, screw-down Oyster caseback and sapphire crystal contribute to a water-resistance rating of 300 metres. The Oyster bracelet is also a major evolution, with its Oysterlock clasp and especially the Glidelock system, allowing the bracelet length to be adjusted in small increments without tools. Originally intended for wear over a diving suit, the system becomes particularly practical in daily life as the wrist changes with temperature or activity.

Inside is the Rolex calibre 3135, one of the most important automatic movements in the recent history of the manufacture. It operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour, contains 31 jewels and offers approximately 48 hours of power reserve after full winding. It combines automatic winding, hacking seconds and quick-set date. Its blue Parachrom hairspring improves resistance notably to magnetic fields and temperature variations. On this 2019 example, the watch belongs to the period when Rolex supplemented COSC movement certification with its own Superlative Chronometer certification, testing the completed watch according to the manufacture’s standards. The 116610LV therefore combines a highly distinctive appearance with mechanics designed above all to remain precise, robust and suitable for everyday use.

The year 2015 gives this example particular interest by placing it in the final part of production, one year before the reference was discontinued in 2020. By then, the Hulk had already established its reputation, yet no one officially knew what form its successor would take. When Rolex finally introduced the 41 mm generation and returned to a black dial for the green-bezel Submariner, the 116610LV immediately became identifiable as a closed period within the history of the collection. It is not rare because it was numbered or officially announced as limited; it is sought after because it represents a specific decade and an aesthetic combination Rolex did not repeat on its successor.

Its 2015 Full Set status naturally strengthens the appeal of this example. Original box, documents and Rolex accessories preserve the connection with its first sale and allow the watch to be positioned precisely within its period. On a modern Submariner that has become collectible, this documentary continuity matters: it complements the analysis of the case, dial, bezel, bracelet and movement. A Hulk should nevertheless never be valued solely by its nickname or by price movements; its interest depends upon the coherence of the individual example, its condition, original environment and the quality of the work it has received.

In actual use, the Hulk possesses a quality sometimes hidden by its status as a sought-after watch: it remains an extremely easy Submariner to wear. Its 40 mm dimensions are familiar, the Glidelock bracelet is comfortable, the date is genuinely useful, sapphire and ceramic cope well with regular use and calibre 3135 was built to work every day. Green naturally gives it considerably more presence than a black 116610LN, yet the colour changes so much with the light that the watch can appear surprisingly restrained in certain conditions. With denim or sportswear, it fully embraces its personality; with a shirt or jacket, it becomes a deliberately stronger detail. The Hulk is not a discreet Submariner, but it remains a Submariner, and its intelligence lies in never sacrificing usability to character.

Choosing this 2015 Rolex Submariner Date 116610LV Hulk Full Set from Mostra means benefiting from more than forty years of experience in collectible watches, our highly regarded integrated watchmaking workshop in Aix-en-Provence and one of the largest selections of high-end pre-owned watches in the South of France. On a Submariner that has become this desirable, our expertise covers case and lug geometry, surface condition, the Cerachrom bezel and its operation, green dial, markers and hands, Triplock crown, sapphire crystal and Cyclops, Oyster bracelet, Glidelock clasp, coherence of the documents and the watch as a whole. Our workshop also checks the calibre 3135, its rate, amplitude, automatic winding, power reserve and date operation.

Mostra’s verified customer reviews carry a 5-star rating, reflecting a relationship based upon expertise, transparency and long-term after-sales support. This Hulk is supplied Full Set with its original Rolex box and documents, accompanied by a Mostra Certificate of Authenticity and covered by our 3-year warranty, with future support available through our workshop in Aix-en-Provence. The 2015 116610LV ultimately occupies a place achieved by very few colour variations: it is no longer simply a green Submariner, but a chapter of the model’s history in its own right. Between the Kermit that introduced the green bezel and the current generation that returned to a black dial, the Hulk remains the decade during which Rolex decided that its most famous diving watch could be green all the way to the dial — and become precisely because of that one of the most immediately recognisable Submariners of its era.