Reference:116610LN
Submariner → 116610LN
In 2010, the 116610LN became the first steel Submariner Date with a Cerachrom ceramic bezel insert, replacing the aluminum that had served every steel Submariner since the 1950s. The precious-metal 116619LB had introduced Cerachrom two years earlier, but the 116610LN was the mass-market rollout — and for most buyers, their first encounter with a ceramic-bezel Submariner.
Ceramic bezel, Glidelock clasp, wider “Maxi Case” lugs, Chromalight lume — the 116610LN was not a minor refresh. It was a comprehensive modernization of the steel Submariner Date, and collectors treat it as a generational break.
Core facts
| detail | value |
|---|---|
| reference | 116610LN |
| family | Submariner Date |
| production | 2010 to 2020 |
| movement | caliber 3135 (COSC, ~48hr power reserve) |
| case | 40mm 904L Oystersteel, Maxi Case / Super Case, ~12.5mm thick, ~48mm lug-to-lug |
| crystal | sapphire with Cyclops, anti-reflective inner coating |
| water resistance | 300m / 1000ft |
| bezel | Cerachrom ceramic, unidirectional 60-click, platinum PVD numerals |
| bracelet | Oyster with Oysterlock clasp and Glidelock |
| lume | Chromalight (blue) |
| dial | black, white gold Maxi markers |
| crown | Triplock screw-down with guards |
| predecessor | 16610 |
| successor | 126610LN (41mm, caliber 3235) |
Where it sits in the line
The 116610LN directly succeeded the 16610, which had run for approximately 23 years. Both use caliber 3135 and a 40mm steel case with sapphire crystal, but the 116610LN marks the generational break between the five-digit and six-digit eras.
The parallel green-bezel version is the 116610LV (“Hulk”), discussed in its own article. Precious-metal siblings include the 116613 (Rolesor two-tone), the 116618 (full yellow gold), and the 116619LB (full white gold). All share caliber 3135, Super Case architecture, Glidelock bracelet, and Cerachrom bezel. The 116610LN is the entry point of that family.
What changed from the 16610
The 116610LN represents the single biggest external redesign of the steel Submariner Date since the introduction of sapphire crystal and quickset date in the 16610 itself.
| feature | 16610 | 116610LN |
|---|---|---|
| bezel insert | aluminum, fades over time | Cerachrom ceramic, fade-proof |
| lug width | slimmer | wider (“Super Case” / “Maxi Case”) |
| lug holes | present | absent |
| lume | SuperLuminova (green glow) | Chromalight (blue glow) |
| markers | standard size | Maxi (larger) |
| bracelet clasp | Fliplock with divers extension | Glidelock (20mm micro-adjust) |
| crystal coating | none | anti-reflective inner coating |
| rehaut | plain (early) / engraved (late) | engraved throughout |
The wrist presence is different despite the same 40mm diameter. Wider lugs and a heavier bracelet make the 116610LN feel like a larger watch than the 16610.
Production outline
The 116610LN does not have the layered internal variation that defines vintage references. Caliber 3135 and the ceramic bezel remain constant for the full ten years. Forum-documented evidence of a dial font change (see Dial map) suggests the reference is not entirely invariant, but it remains a one-era reference in practical terms.
Rolex introduced the 116610LN at Baselworld 2010 alongside the green 116610LV. Production ended in 2020 when the 126610LN replaced it. The transition was clean: one reference out, one reference in.
Movement notes
Caliber 3135 is a COSC-certified automatic with a date function, running at 28,800 bph with approximately 48 hours of power reserve. Rolex had been using this movement since the late 1980s in the 16610, and it continued unchanged into the 116610LN.
The Parachrom hairspring — antimagnetic and more shock-resistant than the older Elinvar-type springs — was introduced across the sport lines during this period.
Dial map
Black dial with white gold applied Maxi markers. “Maxi” means the markers are physically larger than the markers on the outgoing 16610. Triangle at 12, rectangles at 3/6/9, round hour dots — all bigger.
Chromalight lume glows blue in the dark instead of the green glow from SuperLuminova on the late 16610. Rolex claims Chromalight lasts longer than conventional lume, and it is visually distinctive. In a dark room, a 116610LN glows blue while a 16610 glows green — the quickest way to distinguish the generations in low light.
Published reference guides have treated the 116610LN dial as consistent from 2010 to 2020 with no mid-run variants. But Rolex Forum members have documented at least one typographic change: the capital “A” in “SUBMARINER” exists in two forms. Earlier production examples carry an “A” with a flat top, while examples from approximately November 2016 onward show a pointed “A.” The change is subtle and requires side-by-side comparison, but multiple forum threads with photographic evidence support the distinction. If confirmed across a larger sample, the 116610LN is slightly less uniform than previously assumed — though it remains far simpler than the variant-rich vintage references.
Case, bezel, crystal, and crown notes
Case
The case is 40mm in 904L Oystersteel — the “Maxi Case” or “Super Case,” with wider, more substantial lugs than the 16610. Approximately 12.5mm thick, ~48mm lug-to-lug. No lug holes. Solid, fluted screw-down caseback.
The wider lugs change the visual proportions enough that collectors who prefer the slimmer five-digit aesthetic do not automatically migrate to the 116610LN.
Bezel
Cerachrom ceramic, unidirectional with 60 clicks. Numerals and graduation marks filled with platinum via PVD deposition, giving them a silver-grey appearance against the black ceramic. Unlike the aluminum inserts used from the 6200 through the 16610, ceramic does not fade, scratch easily, or develop patina. A practical improvement and a collector trade-off: condition anxiety about the bezel disappeared, but so did the aged-insert character that collectors prize on vintage references.
Crystal
Sapphire with a Cyclops magnifier at 3 o’clock over the date window. The inner surface has an anti-reflective coating that gives the crystal a slight blue or purple tint when viewed at an angle. This coating was not present on the 16610 and is one of the less obvious generational differences.
Crown
Triplock screw-down crown with crown guards, rated to 300m / 1000ft.
Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes
Bracelet
Solid links throughout on the Oyster bracelet. The clasp is the Oysterlock with Glidelock extension system — approximately 20mm of on-the-fly length adjustment in 2mm increments without tools. New for the Submariner with the 116610 generation, replacing the older Fliplock system. Fine-tuning bracelet length on the wrist — in the pool, in warm weather, over a wetsuit — is the single most praised functional upgrade in this generation.
The bracelet reference is likely 93250, consistent with six-digit Submariner fitment. Bracelet width is 20mm at the lugs. Solid end links are fitted.
Packaging
The 116610LN shipped in the standard Rolex green box of the 2010s era with warranty card, COSC tag, booklets, and hang tags. During the production run, Rolex transitioned from the older green warranty card format to the newer credit-card-style warranty card.
Rehaut
The inner rehaut ring is engraved with repeating “ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX” text around the circumference and the individual serial number engraved at the 6 o’clock position. Introduced on the late 16610 and carried over to the 116610LN from production start.
Production volume estimates
Industry estimates from the ~2010 era suggest Rolex produced approximately 35,000 steel Submariner Date watches per year. If those figures held roughly steady across the 116610LN’s ten-year run, cumulative production could be substantial — though Rolex does not publish production numbers and these figures are approximations circulated among dealers and collectors.
Market and collector context
The 116610LN is a modern production reference, not a vintage piece. It does not attract the lot-level auction attention that vintage Submariners receive at Phillips or Sotheby’s. Market activity is primarily dealer-to-dealer and secondary retail.
To anchor the market position: the successor 126610LN retails new at $11,350 USD. The no-date steel Submariner 114060 trades on the secondary market around $12,400. The 116610LN (date version) typically trades above the no-date, reflecting collector preference for the date complication within this generation.
Since discontinuation in 2020, the 116610LN has traded above its original retail price on the secondary market, though premiums have moved with the broader Rolex market cycle. It sits below its green sibling, the 116610LV “Hulk,” in secondary market pricing — the Hulk commands a substantial premium that the 116610LN does not approach.
The market position is straightforward: the last 40mm ceramic Submariner Date in steel, sitting between the 16610 era and the current 41mm 126610LN. The successor’s 41mm case and caliber 3235 (70-hour power reserve, Chronergy escapement) are meaningful upgrades, but close enough that many buyers are satisfied with current production — which keeps the 116610LN premium moderate compared to the Hulk. Collectors who specifically want the 40mm case size or consider caliber 3135 proven and sufficient have a fixed supply to draw from.
Sources
- History of the Rolex Submariner - Part 2, The 55XX References and 1680 Date — Tom Mulraney, Monochrome
- The Rolex Submariner: A Complete Collector's Guide — Stephen Pulvirent, Sotheby's
- The Vintage Rolex Field Manual, Chevalier Edition — Morning Tundra, unknown
- Bob's Watches Submariner history — unknown, Bob's Watches