Dec 28, 2022

Rolex Submariner Nicknames

by Jamie Morton

Rolex has never officially recognized any of the nicknames given to their watches, but that doesn’t stop the Rolex fandom from using them or assigning new nicknames to the most notable releases each year. Nearly every timepiece in the Rolex professional series has a charming nickname that reflects the watch’s most unique and distinguishing design elements. The green Submariner 116610LV is known as the “Hulk,” the red and blue bezel GMT Master is called the “Pepsi,” and the blue and black GMT Master II is often referred to as the “Batman.” The list goes on and on.

Rolex rarely releases new models. Instead, the brand makes small changes to its existing lineup from time to time. With that in mind, Rolex nicknames are more than just cute monikers. They can tell you a lot about the watch if you know what to look for. Here are a few of the most charming nicknames assigned to the Submariner collection.

What is the nickname for the Submariner?

The Submariner has picked up quite a few nicknames since coming to market in the 1950s. Sometimes, nicknames signify small changes in the font within the same model or even the colorway of the dial and bezel. Below is a list of the most popular Submariner nicknames.

Submariner Nicknames

Ref. 5513: Bart Simpson
Ref. 6538: James Bond
Ref. 1680: Red Submariner, White Submariner
Ref. 16613LB, 116613LB, 126613LB: Bluesy
Ref. 16610LV: Kermit
Ref. 116610LV: Hulk
Ref. 126610LV: Cermit, Kermit, Starbucks
Ref. 116619LB: Smurf
Ref. 126619LB: Cookie Monster

Green Submariners: Hulk, Kermit, Cermit, Starbucks

Green is a fixture of the Submariner catalog, gracing the three most recent generations of the stainless steel Submariner. First was reference 16610LV, which Rolex furnished with a green aluminum bezel to celebrate the collection’s 50th anniversary in 2003. It also featured the first instance of a Maxi dial with larger hour markers and hands within the modern Submariner collection and is the only time we’ve seen an aluminum bezel paired with a modern Maxi dial. Today, this dial type is more commonly paired with a ceramic, aka Cerachrom, bezel. The black dial and green bezel combination earned the ref. 16610LV the nickname “Kermit.”

Rolex Kermit ref. 16610LV. Photo Credit: Bob's Watches.

The Kermit was upgraded to ref. 116610LV around the time that Rolex transitioned from aluminum bezels to Cerachrom. The Cerachrom bezel was still presented in Rolex’s signature green hue, only now the black dial was swapped for green to match the bezel. The 6-digit generation also sports broader lugs and a larger crown guard, giving it a slightly bigger appearance on the wrist than the ref. 16610LV, despite featuring the same 40mm diameter. Collectors nicknamed the Submariner 116610LV the “Hulk” after its robust proportions and all-green colorway.

Rolex Hulk ref. 116610LV. Photo Credit: Bob's Watches.

Rolex discontinued the Hulk in 2020, replacing the original 6-digit Sub with ref. 126610. In addition to featuring a larger 41mm case, Rolex upgraded the collection to the next-generation caliber 3235 Perpetual movement. Rolex seemed to revive the original Kermit with ref. 126610LV, featuring a black dial and green Cerachrom bezel. Die-hard collectors were quick to assign the new Submariner the nicknames “Cermit” as a play on the words Kermit and Cerachrom, “Starbucks,” and, simply, “Kermit.”

Rolex Starbucks ref. 126610LV. Photo Credit: Bob's Watches.

What is the Blue Submariner Called?

Blue is another familiar Submariner colorway, which makes sense because the Submariner was developed for diving and other underwater adventures. One of the most common is the steel and gold Submariner outfitted with a blue dial and bezel called the “Bluesy.” Unlike many Rolex nicknames that refer to a specific model, “Bluesy” defines all the two-tone Subs outfitted with blue dials and bezels. That includes references 16803, 16613, 116613, and 126613.

Rolex Bluesy ref. 126613LB. Photo Credit: Rolex.

Another example of the Blue Submariner is the ref. 116619LB, which pairs the remarkable 18k white gold finish with a blue ceramic bezel and matching blue dial. Keen-eyed collectors assert that the blue on ref. 116619LB is brighter than the two-tone Submariner “Bluesy.” Coupled with the crisp white numerals on the bezel and Chromalight hour markers on the dial, ref. 116619LB is now known as the “Smurf” in many watch-collecting circles.

Rolex Smurf ref. 116619LB. Photo Credit: Bob's Watches.

As the Hulk was discontinued in 2020, so was the Smurf. Reference 126619LB took its place, featuring the larger 41mm Oyster case and new caliber 3235 Perpetual movement added to the 1266XX Submariner generation. It still features a blue Cerachrom bezel, only now the dial is black. While some collectors still refer to reference 126619LB as the “Smurf,” The watch has also picked up the arguably more appropriate nickname “Cookie Monster.”