Reference:126613LB
Submariner → 126613LB
The 126613LB — universally known as the “Bluesy” — pairs a blue dial with a blue Cerachrom bezel, yellow gold accents, and a two-tone Rolesor bracelet. It is the most photographed Submariner in the current lineup, and not by accident.
Rolex introduced the 126613LB in 2020, replacing the 116613LB. The LB suffix stands for Lunette Bleue (blue bezel). But nobody calls it by its reference number. It has been “the Bluesy” for decades now, across three generations — a nickname that stuck because the watch has a personality that a five-digit reference number cannot capture.
The evolution of blue Submariners
The blue Submariner did not begin with two-tone. But two-tone is where it found its identity.
16803 (1984–1988)
The first two-tone Submariner with a sapphire crystal offered both black and blue dial/bezel combinations. The blue version planted the seed: gold and blue, together, on a dive watch. The 16803 blue was produced in small numbers relative to later references and is now a quietly expensive collector piece.
16613LB (1988–2009)
This is where the Bluesy story really begins. Twenty-one years of production established blue-and-gold two-tone as a permanent Submariner fixture. The blue dial was a rich, saturated shade that shifted between deep navy and electric blue depending on the light. The aluminum bezel insert faded over time, developing the kind of patina that gives vintage pieces their charm. The 16613 blue is the watch that made “Bluesy” a proper noun.
116613LB (2009–2020)
The ceramic era. The blue Cerachrom bezel replaced the fading aluminum. The dial gained a sunburst finish that amplified the blue-and-gold contrast. The “Super Case” Maxi proportions gave the watch more wrist presence. Bolder than its predecessor — more overtly luxurious, more unapologetically blue. Also the first Bluesy that looked exactly as blue in ten years as it did on day one, because ceramic does not fade.
126613LB (2020–present)
The current generation refines the formula: 41mm case with slimmer proportions, cal. 3235 with 70-hour reserve. Whether the blue shade differs from the 116613LB is not conclusively documented, but the overall aesthetic continuity is clear. The Bluesy is the Bluesy.
Core specifications
| Detail | Spec |
|---|---|
| Reference | 126613LB |
| Introduced | 2020 |
| Status | In production |
| Case | 41mm, Oystersteel + 18ct yellow gold (Yellow Rolesor), 21mm lug width |
| Bezel | Blue Cerachrom, gold-filled numerals |
| Crystal | Sapphire with Cyclops lens |
| Dial | Royal blue sunburst, applied 18ct gold markers |
| Movement | Cal. 3235, 70hr power reserve |
| Escapement | Chronergy, nickel-phosphorus |
| Hairspring | Parachrom (paramagnetic) |
| Rate standard | -2/+2 sec/day (Superlative Chronometer) |
| Bracelet | Ref. 97203, Oyster, Yellow Rolesor |
| Clasp | Oysterlock with Glidelock (20mm extension, 2mm increments) |
| Lume | Chromalight (blue glow) |
| Crown | Triplock, 18ct yellow gold |
| Water resistance | 300m / 1000ft |
| Rehaut | Engraved ROLEX + serial at 6 o’clock |
The dial
The royal blue sunburst finish is the reason this watch exists as a distinct cultural object rather than a configuration variant. Under different lighting the dial shifts from near-black to vivid cobalt — direct sunlight explodes the sunburst into radiating lines, while indoor light pulls it toward a deeper navy. That chameleon quality means it looks different in every photograph, which keeps it visually fresh in a feed full of black dials.
Applied 18ct yellow gold hour markers and hands sit against the blue, creating a warm-on-cool complementary contrast that reads clearly even to people who know nothing about watches.
Movement: Cal. 3235
Same 3235 as every current date Submariner. Chronergy escapement, Parachrom hairspring, 70-hour power reserve, quick-set date, -2/+2 sec/day Superlative Chronometer. No variation by case material or dial color.
Case, bezel, crystal, and crown
Yellow Rolesor construction: Oystersteel case middle and case back, 18ct yellow gold bezel surround, crown, and crown guards. 41mm, 21mm lug width. Blue Cerachrom bezel insert with gold-filled numerals — the gold fill matches the warmth of the case and bracelet gold components. Sapphire crystal with Cyclops. Triplock gold crown. Laser-engraved rehaut with serial at 6 o’clock.
Bracelet and clasp
Oyster bracelet (ref. 97203) in Yellow Rolesor. Polished 18ct yellow gold center links, brushed Oystersteel outer links. 21mm lug width. Oysterlock clasp with Glidelock.
The polished gold center links are load-bearing for the Bluesy’s aesthetic. They amplify the gold presence on the wrist and, combined with the gold crown guards and bezel surround, create a watch that reads as substantially more gold-forward than the 50/50 steel-gold material split might suggest.
The Bluesy versus the full-gold blue Sub
The 126613LB offers a similar visual proposition to the full 18ct yellow gold 126618LB at roughly a third of the price. Two-tone construction means less gold overall, and the bracelet has steel-and-gold striping rather than a solid gold presence. For many buyers, the Bluesy delivers most of the look at a fraction of the cost.
Market context
The 126613LB has consistently traded at or slightly above retail on the secondary market, outperforming the black-dial 126613LN. It occupies the sweet spot in the Submariner range where precious metal meets relative accessibility.
Forum coverage note
The 126613LB receives minimal dedicated technical discussion on RolexForums. Threads tend to treat it as an evolutionary update from the 116613LB rather than a reference demanding its own taxonomy. That is consistent with the watch itself: platform changes matter, but the Bluesy identity carries forward almost untouched.
Sources
- Rolex current Submariner product pages — Rolex
- History of the Rolex Submariner - Part 4, Modern References Ceramic — Tom Mulraney, Monochrome
- RolexForums 6-digit Submariner research bundle — RolexForums community, RolexForums