Short answer

The Rolex Submariner 116610LV is a 40 mm steel dive watch. Rolex made it from 2010 to 2020. It has a green ceramic bezel and a green dial. Collectors call it the "Hulk." A "replica 116610LV" is a counterfeit. It carries Rolex trademarks without a license. US law bars importing it and selling it. One watch bought for personal use can still be seized at the border.

Genuine 116610LV: specs

Rolex introduced the reference at Baselworld in 2010. It replaced the 16610LV.

  • Case: 40 mm, Oystersteel (904L alloy).
  • Bezel: green Cerachrom ceramic insert, numerals coated with platinum.
  • Dial: green, larger hour markers, Chromalight lume.
  • Movement: Caliber 3135, automatic, 28,800 vph, 48-hour power reserve.
  • Water resistance: 300 m.
  • End of run: 2020. The 126610LV replaced it. That reference has a black dial.

Resale prices for genuine examples ran above the original retail price for most of the production run.

What sellers mean by "replica"

The word covers a counterfeit watch built to look like the 116610LV. Movement names that appear in listings include SA3135, SH3135 and VR3135. These are clones of the Rolex 3135. Rolex does not make them. Most replica cases use 316L stainless steel, not 904L. The green insert is ceramic or coated metal. It is not Cerachrom. Bezel color and dial texture change from batch to batch.

Legal status in the United States

18 U.S.C. § 2320 makes trafficking in counterfeit goods a federal crime. Penalties reach 10 years in prison for a first offense and 20 years for a repeat offense. 19 U.S.C. § 1526 lets Customs and Border Protection seize and destroy imported goods that carry a counterfeit mark. CBP applies that rule to shipments of one item, not only to bulk cargo.

Risks that come with the watch

  • No Rolex service center will touch a counterfeit. There is no parts supply and no warranty.
  • Water resistance claims are not backed by pressure testing from an independent lab.
  • Resale value is close to zero. Major marketplaces and auction houses reject counterfeit listings.
  • Payment disputes are hard to win. Sellers operate under changing names.

How to verify a 116610LV

  • Check the rehaut engraving at 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock. The serial and model number sit there on this reference.
  • Look for Rolex service records with a matching serial.
  • Confirm the caseback is solid. The 116610LV has no display back.
  • Inspect the movement under a loupe. The 3135 beats at 28,800 vph. Finishing and balance design separate it from clones.

Open questions

Replica makers do not publish production totals or movement sources. Batch quality changes without notice. No independent lab publishes pressure-test results for replica cases.