Rolexopedia

Rolex 116619LB Submariner

This is a checked version, approved on 28 September 2026. New changes may have been made.


Submariner › 116619LB

Rolex 116619LB Submariner
Rolex 116619LB Submariner

The 116619LB is the first serially produced white-gold Submariner cited in the reference literature, and it launched at Baselworld 2008 alongside the yellow-gold 116618. Both introduced Cerachrom bezels to the precious-metal Submariner line before the steel 116610LN followed in 2010. Collectors call the blue-dial, blue-bezel watch the “Smurf.” The case and bracelet are 18k white gold, although photographs can make them resemble steel.

Published examples use the blue dial and blue bezel combination. The cited sources do not document a black-dial 116619LB.


Core facts

detail value
reference 116619LB
family Submariner Date
production about 2008 to 2020
movement caliber 3135 (date, quick-set, 28800 bph, ~48hr power reserve)
case 40mm, full 18k white gold, Super Case
crystal sapphire with Cyclops
water resistance 300m
bezel 18k white gold with blue Cerachrom ceramic insert, platinum-filled numerals
lume Chromalight (blue glow)
bracelet 18k white gold Oyster ref.97209 with Glidelock
dial blue lacquer, maxi format, white gold markers
rehaut engraved ROLEX ROLEX
nickname Smurf
predecessor none (first white gold Submariner)
successor 126619LB

Where it sits in the line

The 116619LB belongs to the ceramic-era Submariner generation with the yellow-gold 116618, Rolesor 116613 and steel 116610. Monochrome’s published chronology places the precious-metal ceramic models before the steel model. Earlier Submariners existed in yellow gold and Rolesor; the 116619LB adds white gold to that lineage.

Production outline

The cited references date the 116619LB from 2008 to about 2020. Christie’s and Phillips records provide early examples, while the successor 126619LB establishes the later catalogue transition. Rolex does not publish a production total, and the public record does not prove that every case, clasp, dial or service component was unchanged throughout the run.

Movement notes

The 116619LB is described with caliber 3135, quick-set date, 28,800 vph and approximately 48 hours of reserve. The same movement family appears in the 116610, 116613 and 116618. The 126619LB successor uses caliber 3235 with a longer stated power reserve. Service history and replaced components should be recorded separately.

Dial map

Blue lacquer (the only dial)

 
Rolex Submariner Ref. 116619LB

Published examples use a blue lacquer dial with Maxi-format markers and Chromalight descriptions. The 116618LB and 116613LB are catalogued with different blue-dial treatments in some sources, but color, finish and lume should be checked against the individual watch and period documentation. White-gold markers and hands are consistent with the white-gold case.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown

 
Detail view

Case

40mm 18k white gold in Super Case proportions, with broader lugs than the five-digit era, full crown guards, and a Triplock crown sealing to 300m. The case back is solid 18k white gold. From across a room the blue dial and bezel do the identifying; the case reads as steel.

Bezel

Blue Cerachrom ceramic insert matched to the dial. Numerals and graduation marks are platinum-filled, where the 116618 uses gold filling to match its yellow-gold case; the platinum gives a silver-grey tone that sits with white gold. Rolex describes Cerachrom as highly resistant to scratching and UV-related fading; the condition of an individual insert still needs inspection.

Crystal

Sapphire with Cyclops at 3 o'clock and anti-reflective coating on the inner surface.

Hallmarks

Hallmarks should be checked against Swiss precious-metal requirements and the individual case and bracelet. A 750 mark denotes 18k gold; other assay and maker marks may appear on the case or bracelet. Their location and legibility are evidence for the component in hand, not proof of the whole watch’s originality.

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes

Bracelet

The 116619LB is paired with the 18k white-gold Oyster bracelet commonly identified as ref. 97209 and a Glidelock clasp. Finishing and clasp parts should be checked on the individual bracelet; the public record does not establish that every bracelet remained unchanged across the full run.

Special branches

The cited catalogue and auction record centers on one blue-dial, blue-Cerachrom configuration. No factory military or retailer branch is established in the sources reviewed. Reports of service or replacement parts should be tied to the individual watch rather than treated as a new reference.

Weight

Owners posting on Rolex Forums report about 226.8g with 12 bracelet links fitted. Auction-catalogued examples read lighter: Antiquorum listed a 2008-2009 case at approximately 219g and a 2008 case at 213.8g, both weighed on their full bracelets as sold. The gap between the forum figure and the two catalogued figures is more likely bracelet length and link count than a real spec difference; nobody has published a link-by-link breakdown to settle it.

Historical market and auction record

The auction record includes full-set Bonhams and Antiquorum lots with different dates, currencies and estimates. Results vary with condition, papers, bracelet completeness, venue and timing; the cited sample does not establish a reference-wide price ranking or a stable premium against the yellow-gold 116618.


Related references

See also the Submariner family index, movement reference, bracelet & clasp guide, and serial numbers by year.

Gallery

  •  
    White-gold 116619LB with blue dial and bezel
  •  
    116619LB dial and case view
  •  
    Case and bezel detail

Sources

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