...70-Year Anniversary...
THE NEW 2023
SUBMARINER LV
BRIGHTENS UP
By DANNY CRIVELLO
Captain Danny originally published this article back on June 6, 2023, and we were just talking about how we both noticed how remarkably popular it still is so I decided to share it again. —Jake
Ceramic bezels respond to light in a playful way, and sometimes it's hard to tell if the color of the ceramic itself has a brighter tone or whether it is the environment. Rolex hasn't mentioned any changes in the Submariner LV's bezel color on its website since the start of Watches & Wonders and the launch of the 2023 collection.
But a representative at Rolex in Geneva confirmed to Jake's Rolex World our suspicions: The 2023 Submariner 126610LV, known also as the Kermit or Starbucks, has a slightly brighter bezel. The change in color was first reported by Adrian Barker.
"Starting this year, it is another green that equips the green bezel of the Submariner," the Rolex rep told me. "A more yellow green in fact which is closer to the color we had on this model when it was introduced in 2003. The change will be effective in May."
Rolex is bringing back the green of the original Kermit, the one released for the 50-year anniversary of the Submariner. The new ceramic bezel will mimic better the color of the aluminum bezel that was on the Kermit in 2003.
In 2010, Rolex unveiled the Hulk, a Submariner with a green ceramic bezel and starburst green dial. The tone of the green on the bezel was different than the OG Kermit of 2003. In 2020, when Rolex released the Submariner 41 mm with the updated movement, it kept the Hulk's bezel for its 126610LV, or Starbucks.
Starting in May 2023, the Starbucks will sport a brighter green, a more "yellow-green" as the Rolex rep told me. The reference number will stay the same. The green will be different from the LHD GMT.
As the world got distracted by bubble OPs and emoji Day-Dates, I love when Rolex makes a subtle change without fanfare. The anniversary editions are so overdone, so trumpeted in the watch industry, it's a breath of fresh air to see Rolex make a change — albeit small — while remaining discreet about it.
