Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex Starbucks Submariner 126610LV Review
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 Submarin...
