Rolex "Starbucks" Submariner 126610LV Review: The Green Submariner After 22 Years

The Rolex Submariner Ref. 126610LV (or, the Rolex Starbucks, as it has come to be known) was released alongside an entirely updated Submariner collection during the peak pandemic days of late summer 2020. I’ll get into that broader collection update later, but the Starbucks was one of the more attention-grabbing Submariners, given how it went back to the original colorway of the first “Green Sub.” A little context for those not wholly ensconced in the minutae of niche watch references: the first of these was the Rolex Submariner Ref. 16610LV, which dates all the way back to 2003 when it was released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Submariner. You may better know the 16610LV from its “Kermit” nickname due to its then-novel use of a vibrant green aluminum bezel. This watch was produced until 2010 and is beloved by collectors. One of my favorite instances of celebrity watch spotting was when I noticed Martin Scorsese wearing a Kermit during the filming of Killers of the Flower Moon back in 2023.

Following the discontinuation of the Kermit, Rolex released the Submariner Ref. 116610LV in 2010. This model, of course, would go on to be dubbed the “Hulk,” courtesy of its green ceramic bezel and matching green dial. The Rolex Hulk debuted to hot demand alongside the Submariner Ref. 116610LN due to these being the first updated Submariners, with Rolex’s proprietary Cerachrom ceramic bezel and Maxi case, to be made available in steel (the white-gold Submariner Ref. 116619LB, aka the Smurf, debuted the updated Submariner case in 2008). The Hulk was produced for 10 years and was one of the most coveted and expensive Submariners on the secondary market for much of its production life.

The previous Rolex Submariner "Hulk"

The third and most recent of these green Submariners arrived in 2020 with the Ref. 126610LV, aka the Rolex Starbucks. The Starbucks heralded in the new generation of the Submariner with its 41mm case, sleeker lugs, and updated movement. Rolex quietly updated the Starbucks in 2023 with a new bezel shade that, to some, is more reminiscent of the original Kermit. The fact that this happened to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the Submariner certainly gave this theory some gas. As with many of its subtle reiterations and updates, Rolex didn’t change the reference number or even publicize the change.

Rolex Kermit vs Starbucks

The decision to go back to the green bezel with black dial also gave rise to the “Cermit” nickname — a play on “Ceramic Kermit” — but "Starbucks" seems to be the one that stuck. And that makes sense considering how easy it would be to miscommunicate between “Cermit” and “Kermit.”

Rolex Starbucks Case and Bracelet

The Starbucks shares the same case as the other members of this current Submariner generation. The case, in a proprietary alloy of 904L stainless steel (which Rolex has long referred to as "Oystersteel"), measures 41mm wide and 12mm thick with a 47.6mm lug-to-lug measurement. Given that the Submariner is is the world’s most iconic dive watch, the water resistance is 300 meters. The 120-click Cerachrom ceramic bezel is done in that magnificent green color and has engraved numerals and graduations that are coated in a PVD platinum for that very nice matte finish.

And, of course, we have the classic Rolex Oyster bracelet, with its three links and which tapers down from 21mm to 18mm at the clasp. The bracelet features the world-class Rolex Glidelock extension, which allows for an additional 20mm in 2mm increments. This is one of the most celebrated micro-adjust clasps out there and is found on Rolex’s professional dive watches.

Rolex Starbucks Dial and Design

Beneath the flat sapphire crystal, with that recognizable Cyclops aperture above the date window, is the glossy black dial that, in tandem with the green bezel, helped earn the Starbucks nickname. It’s funny that while the Starbucks logos from 1982  through 2011 were green and black, the current Starbucks logo doesn’t actually have black in it at all. But coffee is black, so who cares, right?

The dial has the classic Submariner design, with Mercedes hour hand, baton minutes hand, lollipop seconds hand, and hour markers in circle, rectangle, and triangle shapes. These are all done in white gold and coated in Rolex’s proprietary Chromalight lume, making for one of the most instantly recognizable and legible dials ever. Somewhat divisive design choices here are the aforementioned date window which is magnified with the Cyclops lens, and the stack of four lines of text at 6 o’clock.

Caliber 3235 Movement

I like that Rolex, unlike a lot of contemporary luxury watchmakers, uses enclosed steel rather than exhibition casebacks. Now, that has changed recently with the 1908 collection and the platinum Daytona, but the Submariner collection still sticks with this tradition. The Rolex Starbucks is outfitted with the Caliber 3235 which replaced the older Caliber 3135 in 2015 and stands as one of Rolex’s most modern movements. The Superlative Chronometer movement exceeds COSC certification with its -2/+2 seconds daily accuracy, and is outfitted with a blue Parachrom hairspring, Paraflex anti-shock system, and Chronergy escapement. This makes for a very accurate and anti-magnetic movement that operates at 4Hz and has a 70-hour power reserve.

Final Thoughts

Rolex and renowned writer Nicholas Foulkes published the book Oyster Perpetual Submariner: The Watch That Unlocked The Deep and there are some interesting new tidbits in there from the otherwise tight-lipped watchmaker. Among other stats, Rolex divulged the production numbers of older Submariner references. According to this book, there were 128,835 pieces of the Kermit Submariner Ref. 16610LV produced and 228,710 pieces of the Hulk Submariner Ref. 116610LV produced. These are fairly limited numbers when you consider these watches were produced for 7 and 10 years, respectively. Indeed, these green Subs are highly collectible with the Kermit reselling for around $14-30k depending on condition and the Hulk trading between $20-35k but they are certainly not “hard to find” by any means. And I think we can write off that unworn Hulk that was auctioned for $94,000 in 2021 as a one-off sale.

And where does the Starbucks fall in terms of current market availability and collectability? Well, the retail price is $11,200, with resale prices landing between $14 - $20k and the newer-bezel models trading on the higher end. Whether that premium is worth it or not is obviously up to the buyer, and we’ll have to see where the Starbucks lands in the future. You can learn more at rolex.com.