Watch reference library

Rolex Submariner Date 16610LV “Kermit”

Produced 2003 to 2010. Discontinued.

The Rolex Submariner Date 16610LV, known as the Kermit, is a 40mm stainless steel watch with the calibre 3135, water resistant to 300 meters, made 2003 to 2010.

Specifications

Nickname
Kermit what the name means
Case size
40mm, 12.8mm thick
Case material
Stainless steel
Bezel
Unidirectional with 120 clicks, green anodized aluminum insert; the earliest inserts carry the Flat 4
Dial
Black Maxi dial with enlarged markers and hands, green-glowing Super-LumiNova
Movement
Rolex calibre 3135, automatic
Power reserve
About 48 hours
Water resistance
300 meters
Crystal
Flat sapphire, with Cyclops lens over the date
Bracelet
Oyster bracelet, reference 93250, with solid end links, hollow center links and a stamped clasp with a wetsuit extension Part number, lug width and links
Bracelet part
93250, per Rolex's 2008 price list
Lug width
20mm

The story

Rolex introduced the 16610LV at Baselworld in 2003 to mark fifty years of the Submariner, the first time green had been used in the collection. It was a special model, not a limited or numbered edition, and Monochrome Watches and Fratello both describe it as normal production that ran until 2010. Underneath it is the same watch as the black 16610: a 40mm steel Oyster case rated to 300 meters, a flat sapphire crystal with a Cyclops over the date, a Triplock crown and the calibre 3135, a chronometer-certified automatic beating at 4Hz with about 48 hours of power reserve and a quickset date.

Two things set it apart. The bezel insert is anodized aluminum in metallic green rather than black, and the dial is the one collectors came to call the Maxi dial, with enlarged applied markers and broader hands, a layout Rolex later carried onto the ceramic generation. Collectors have since catalogued the small changes across the run: Monochrome counts two cases and five bezel inserts, and Fratello describes several dial marks, with the earliest Mark I dial showing shorter minute markers between 28 and 32.

The insert everyone asks about is the Flat 4, where the top of the 4 in the 40 marker is flat instead of pointed. Fratello states that only the 2003 Y-serial and 2004 F-serial watches carry it, and later inserts have a pointier 4. The green also varies, from the olive of the first B1 insert through shamrock and emerald tones, and some inserts have faded to an olive that collectors call a Bertolli. In 2010 the 116610LV, the Hulk, replaced it with a green dial and a green ceramic bezel.

What to check before you buy

Because the green insert lifts out in minutes, a Flat 4 insert on a later watch is possible and worth checking against the serial letter: Fratello ties the Flat 4 to the 2003 Y and 2004 F serials only. Expect the green to have shifted, since Fratello notes that this insert fades more readily than the black one, and judge the tone against the dial mark and the case rather than assuming a mismatch means a swap.

The bracelet feels light because the center links are hollow, and the clasp is stamped steel with four adjustment holes and a wetsuit extension, with no tool-free micro-adjustment; all of that is correct for the reference, not a sign of replacement parts. Monochrome notes that the crown and bezel on a used Kermit can feel less firm than on a new ceramic Submariner, so some play is age rather than a fault, but a bezel that slips or skips clicks needs a watchmaker. As with any 16610, compare the lug bevels against photos of an unpolished case before paying for a sharp one.

Buying or selling a 16610LV?

Selling one? Text photos to (605) 521-2821 for an offer within hours, or ask for one below. Moda pays by wire or Zelle within 24 hours of receiving the watch, on its own insured label. Rather sell it yourself? Post it in the Moda watch groups and run the listing through the Post Checker first. Buying one from someone you don't know? Moda's middleman service inspects the watch at Moda HQ and the buyer pays the seller only after approving the condition report. When it ships, it goes fully insured through ShipIFS, the shipping vendor Moda uses for its own watches.

A Serial Check tells you whether this 16610LV has been reported stolen and whether its dial and bracelet are the factory originals.

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Moda Watch Club is the Moda group for luxury watches, and Moda Watch Club: 10K & Under covers watches below that line. Both are free to join with a join code.

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Common questions

Why is the 16610LV called the Kermit?

For its green aluminum bezel insert, a first for the Submariner when it arrived in 2003. The green-dial 116610LV that followed in 2010 picked up the name Hulk.

Was the Kermit a limited edition?

No. Rolex released it in 2003 to mark the Submariner's fiftieth anniversary, but Monochrome Watches and Fratello both describe it as a regular production model with no limited run or numbering, made until 2010.

What is a Flat 4 bezel?

An early insert on which the top of the 4 in the 40 marker is flat rather than pointed. Fratello states that only the 2003 Y-serial and 2004 F-serial watches have it, and it is the most sought-after version.

How does the Kermit differ from the black 16610?

Only in the green bezel insert and the Maxi dial with enlarged markers and hands. The 40mm case, 300-meter rating, sapphire crystal with Cyclops and calibre 3135 are shared.

How is the 16610LV different from the 116610LV Hulk?

The Hulk of 2010 has a green dial, a green ceramic Cerachrom bezel, a broader case with thicker lugs and a Glidelock clasp. The Kermit has a black dial, an aluminum insert and a slimmer case with a stamped clasp.

Related references

Sources

The facts on this page come from the brand and from established watch publications.

Specifications summarized from the manufacturer's published information and the watch press. Spot an error? Tell us through the contact form and we will fix it.