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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 116610LN Submariner}}
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{{#seo:
|title=Rolex Submariner Date 116610LN — BezelBase
|title=Rolex Submariner 116610LN (2010–2020) — Production & Dial Guide | Rolexopedia
|description=In 2010, the 116610LN became the first steel Submariner Date with a Cerachrom ceramic bezel insert, replacing the aluminum that had served every steel…
|description=In 2010, the 116610LN became the first steel Submariner Date with a Cerachrom ceramic bezel insert, replacing the aluminum that had served every steel…
|keywords=Rolex, 116610LN, Submariner, specifications, reference guide
|keywords=Rolex, 116610LN, Submariner, specifications, reference guide
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|image=Ref 116610LN hero.jpg
|image_alt=Rolex Submariner Ref. 116610LN
|type=Article
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|published_time=2026-04-14T16:12:51Z
|modified_time=2026-08-04T00:07:28Z
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<small>[[Reference:submariner|Submariner]] › '''116610LN'''</small>


<small>[[Reference:submariner|Submariner]] → '''116610LN'''</small>
<div class="rp-lead">
[[File:Ref 116610LN hero 2.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=Rolex 116610LN Submariner|Rolex 116610LN Submariner]]
</div>


[[File:Ref 116610LN hero.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
Introduced in 2010, the 116610LN is the black-bezel steel Submariner Date from Rolex's first six-digit ceramic-bezel generation. It replaced the aluminium insert used on the 16610. Rolex had already used a Cerachrom insert on the white-gold 116619LB; the 116610LN brought the material to the steel model.
[[File:Ref 116610LN hero 2.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
[[File:Ref 116610LN detail 2.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]


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.
The change covered more than the bezel. The reference uses the wider Maxi Case, a Glidelock clasp, larger white-gold dial markers, and blue Chromalight lume. It is the 40mm steel Submariner Date that sits between the five-digit 16610 and the 41mm 126610LN.


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.
<span id="core-facts"></span>


<span id="core-facts"></span>
== Core facts ==
== Core facts ==


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable rp-facts"
|-
|-
! detail
! detail
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== Where it sits in the line ==
== 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 116610LN replaced the 16610 after that reference's long production run. Both use caliber 3135 and a 40mm steel case with sapphire crystal, but the 116610LN introduced the six-digit case, bracelet, and bezel treatment to the steel Submariner Date. The parallel green-bezel model is the [[Reference:116610LV|116610LV]]. Same-generation siblings include the Rolesor 116613, yellow-gold 116618, and white-gold 116619LB; their materials and dial or bezel colours differ even where the movement and clasp architecture overlap.
 
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.


<span id="what-changed-from-the-16610"></span>
<span id="what-changed-from-the-16610"></span>
== What changed from the 16610 ==
== 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.
The 116610LN is the biggest external redesign of the steel Submariner Date since the 16610 introduced sapphire crystal and the quick-set date two generations earlier.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
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| bezel insert
| bezel insert
| aluminum, fades over time
| aluminum, fades over time
| Cerachrom ceramic, fade-proof
| Cerachrom ceramic, more resistant to fading and scratching; it can still be damaged
|-
|-
| lug width
| lug width
| slimmer
| slimmer
| wider (“Super Case” / “Maxi Case”)
| wider ("Super Case" / "Maxi Case")
|-
|-
| lug holes
| lug holes
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|}
|}


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.
The diameter held at 40mm, but the wrist presence shifted. The Maxi lugs and the heavier bracelet make the 116610LN read as a larger watch than the 16610 it replaced.


<span id="production-outline"></span>
<span id="production-outline"></span>
== Production outline ==
== 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.
The main specification remained stable through the ten-year run: caliber 3135, a black Cerachrom insert, the Maxi Case, and the 97200 Oyster bracelet. Collector comparisons show changes in dial fonts and lume on some examples, but Rolex did not publish factory cutover dates for those details. They should be assessed against the individual watch and its documentation rather than treated as a complete chronology.


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.
Rolex introduced the 116610LN at Baselworld 2010 alongside the green 116610LV, and production ended in 2020 when the 126610LN replaced it.


<span id="movement-notes"></span>
<span id="movement-notes"></span>
== Movement notes ==
== 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.
Caliber 3135 is a COSC-certified automatic with a date function, running at 28,800 vph with roughly 48 hours of power reserve. Rolex had used the movement since the late 1980s in the 16610, and it carried through unchanged into the 116610LN. The oscillator uses Rolex's blue Parachrom hairspring. Rolex describes the alloy as providing greater resistance to magnetic fields and temperature variation than the earlier spring material. The movement also has a rapid date-setting function and stop-seconds for time setting.
 
The Parachrom hairspring — antimagnetic and more shock-resistant than the older Elinvar-type springs — was introduced across the sport lines during this period.


<span id="dial-map"></span>
<span id="dial-map"></span>
== Dial map ==
== 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.
The black gloss dial has applied white-gold Maxi markers: a triangle at 12, rectangles at 3, 6 and 9, and round markers elsewhere. The markers are larger than those on the 16610. Chromalight normally appears blue in the dark, while late 16610 examples using Super-LumiNova normally appear green; lume colour alone does not establish a production year.


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.
The dial shifted across the run. The clearest documented change is the capital "A" in "SUBMARINER": early watches show a flat-top A, later watches a pointed A. Smaller shifts in font weight, numeral shape, and spacing across the decade have been tracked in collector forums. None of these has a clean factory cutoff, but they are real enough to matter to collectors who compare late examples side by side.


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.
The lume itself is also less uniform than the published references suggest. Most reviews list Chromalight from launch, but early-production examples have been documented carrying Super-LumiNova, and Rolex never published a cutover date. A 2010 or early-2011 watch that glows bright green under a torch rather than the longer blue of Chromalight is not automatically wrong. The transition is real; the precise date is not.


<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown-notes"></span>
<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown-notes"></span>
== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown notes ==
== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown ==
[[File:Ref_116610LN_detail_2.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Detail view|Detail view]]


<span id="case"></span>
<span id="case"></span>
=== Case ===
=== 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 case is 40mm in Oystersteel in the Maxi Case (or "Super Case") format. Lugs are wider and heavier than on the 16610, the case sits about 12.5mm thick and roughly 48mm lug-to-lug, lug holes are gone, and the screw-down caseback is solid and fluted. The wider lugs change the visual proportions enough that collectors who prefer the slimmer five-digit aesthetic do not automatically migrate to the 116610LN.
 
The wider lugs change the visual proportions enough that collectors who prefer the slimmer five-digit aesthetic do not automatically migrate to the 116610LN.


<span id="bezel"></span>
<span id="bezel"></span>
=== Bezel ===
=== 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.
Cerachrom ceramic, unidirectional 60-click. The numerals and graduations are filled with platinum by PVD deposition, giving them a silver-grey appearance against the black ceramic. The aluminium inserts used on earlier steel Submariners can fade, scratch, and develop patina. Cerachrom is more resistant to those changes, although a ceramic insert can still chip or be damaged by a hard impact. The difference matters when comparing an original 116610LN with an older 16610, but it does not make the bezel indestructible.


<span id="crystal"></span>
<span id="crystal"></span>
=== Crystal ===
=== 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.
Sapphire crystal with a Cyclops magnifier at 3 o'clock over the date window. The inner surface carries an anti-reflective coating that gives the crystal a slight blue or purple tint when viewed at an angle. The 16610 had no such coating, and this is one of the less obvious generational differences between the two references.


<span id="crown"></span>
<span id="crown"></span>
=== Crown ===
=== Crown ===


Triplock screw-down crown with crown guards, rated to 300m / 1000ft.
Triplock screw-down with crown guards, rated to 300m / 1000ft.
 
<span id="rehaut"></span>
=== Rehaut ===
 
The inner rehaut ring is engraved with repeating "ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX" text around the circumference and the individual serial number at the 6 o'clock position. The feature had been introduced on the late 16610 and carried over to the 116610LN from the start of production.


<span id="bracelets-end-links-clasps-and-packaging-notes"></span>
<span id="bracelets-end-links-clasps-and-packaging-notes"></span>
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=== Bracelet ===
=== 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 Oyster bracelet runs solid links throughout, fitted with the Oysterlock clasp and the Glidelock extension system. Oysterlock is the locking safety clasp Rolex uses across the modern Professional line. Glidelock is the in-clasp micro-adjustment that allows roughly 20mm of length change in 2mm increments without tools. The system was new to the Submariner with the 116610 generation and replaced the older Fliplock. The clasp lets the wearer change the fit without tools, including over a wetsuit.


The bracelet reference is likely 93250, consistent with six-digit Submariner fitment. Bracelet width is 20mm at the lugs. Solid end links are fitted.
The bracelet reference is 97200, 20mm at the lugs with solid end links, consistent with six-digit Submariner fitment.


<span id="packaging"></span>
<span id="packaging"></span>
=== Packaging ===
=== 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.
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 to the newer credit-card-style warranty card.
 
<span id="rehaut"></span>
== 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.
<span id="special-editions"></span>
== Special editions ==


<span id="production-volume-estimates"></span>
A small number of documented examples carry institutional or retailer-related markings. They should be described as individually documented watches, not as changes to the standard 116610LN specification.
== 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.
Sotheby's has catalogued an example delivered to the British Army's Special Reconnaissance Regiment with an SRR-engraved caseback and certificate, a United States Secret Service example with an engraved caseback, and a GIGN anniversary example with unit markings. Other auction records show retailer-signed dials, including a Schlumberger example. The provenance and engraving belong to those watches; they do not establish a general factory variant or a production-wide feature.


<span id="market-and-collector-context"></span>
<span id="market-and-collector-context"></span>
== Market and collector context ==
== 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.
The 116610LN is modern production rather than a vintage piece, and it does not draw the lot-level attention that vintage Submariners get at Phillips or Sotheby's. Market activity runs primarily dealer-to-dealer and secondary retail.
 
The 116610LN is now a discontinued modern reference. Auction and dealer records describe ordinary examples alongside watches with documented institutional or retailer provenance; those records are individual results and do not establish a fixed market premium. The green-bezel 116610LV is a separate collector market, so its prices should not be used as a direct measure of the black-bezel model.
 
The reference is the last 40mm steel Submariner Date with a ceramic bezel before the 41mm 126610LN. That makes case size and the caliber 3135 the main reasons collectors compare it with the successor; condition, originality, and dated documentation still matter more than a general label.
 


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.
== Related references ==


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.
* [[Reference:116610LV|Submariner 116610LV]]: "Hulk", green dial (2010–2020)
* [[Reference:116613|Submariner 116613]]: 2009–2020
* [[Reference:114060|Submariner 114060]]: 2012–2020
* [[Reference:116618|Submariner 116618]]: yellow gold (2008–2020)
* [[Reference:116619LB|Submariner 116619LB]]: "Smurf", white gold (2008–2020)
* [[Reference:16610LV|Submariner 16610LV]]: "Kermit", green bezel (2003–2010)


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.
See also the [[Reference:submariner|Submariner family index]], [[Reference:Movements|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers|serial numbers by year]].


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/rolex-submariner-history-part-2-the-55xx-1680references/ History of the Rolex Submariner - Part 2, The 55XX References and 1680 Date] — Tom Mulraney, Monochrome
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/rolex-submariner-history-part-2-the-55xx-1680references/ History of the Rolex Submariner - Part 2, The 55XX References and 1680 Date] — Tom Mulraney, Monochrome
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/rolex-submariner-history-part-4-modern-references/ History of the Rolex Submariner - Part 4, Modern Ceramic References] — Monochrome
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/rolex-submariner-116610ln-vs-omega-seamaster-diver-300m-comparative-review/ Rolex Submariner 116610LN vs Omega Seamaster Diver 300m] — Frank Geelen, Monochrome
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/how-to-start-collecting-the-rolex-submariner The Rolex Submariner: A Complete Collector's Guide] — Stephen Pulvirent, Sotheby's
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/how-to-start-collecting-the-rolex-submariner The Rolex Submariner: A Complete Collector's Guide] — Stephen Pulvirent, Sotheby's
* The Vintage Rolex Field Manual, Chevalier Edition — Morning Tundra (James Dowling & Jeffrey Hess)
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/important-watches-part-ii-2/srr-submariner-ref-116610ln-limited-edition SRR Submariner Ref. 116610LN Limited Edition] — Sotheby's
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/rolex-info/rolex-submariner-history.html Bob's Watches Submariner history] — Bob's Watches editorial staff, Bob's Watches
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/fine-watches-4/reference-116610ln-submariner-united-states-secret Reference 116610LN Submariner United States Secret Service] — Sotheby's
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/fine-watches-2/submariner-40-ans-du-gign-reference-116610ln Submariner 40 ans du GIGN Reference 116610LN] — Sotheby's
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2019/watches-online-8/rolex-submariner-schlumberger-reference-116610ln Rolex Submariner Schlumberger Reference 116610LN] — Sotheby's
* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
* [https://www.ablogtowatch.com/rolex-submariner-114060-116610-watch-review/ Rolex Submariner 114060 and 116610 Watch Review] — aBlogtoWatch
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/rolex-submariner-116610-ln-52mondayz-week-50-2019/ Rolex Submariner 116610LN 52Mondayz Week 50 2019] — Fratello
* [https://millenarywatches.com/submariner-ceramic-dial-variations/ Submariner Ceramic Dial Variations] — Millenary Watches
* [https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=617852 Dial Variations on the Submariner Date 116610LN] — RolexForums
* [https://www.rolexforums.com/archive/index.php/t-519893.html Change in 116610LN dial?] — RolexForums
* [https://www.rolexforums.com/archive/index.php/t-588458.html New font on Submariner dial] — RolexForums
* [https://www.everestbands.com/blogs/bezel-barrel/breaking-down-rolex-s-submariner-production-what-collectors-need-to-know Breaking Down Rolex's Submariner Production] — Everest Bands
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/rolex-info/rolex-submariner-history.html Bob's Watches Submariner history] — Bob's Watches
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/watch-review/glows-rolex-chromalight-vs-superluminova.html Rolex Chromalight vs SuperLuminova] — Bob's Watches


[[Category:Submariner]]
[[Category:Submariner]]
[[Category:Working Draft]]
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