Rolex Submariner “Starbucks” ref. 126610LV

The Origins

Debuting in 1953 and released to the public the following year, the Rolex Submariner has undoubtedly become one of the most iconic timepieces of all time. Used extensively by the armies like the British Royal Navy and professional diving companies like COMEX, the Submariner set the bar for nearly every dive watch that followed due to its incredibly robust and timeless design. Today, its popularity knows no bounds as it continues to reign supreme as one of the most iconic watches on the planet, and perhaps one of the most sought-after and in-demand stainless steel sports watches you can get your hands on. Of course, with over 70 years under its belt, the Submariner has undergone a long and storied evolution, but the references that we have today epitomises the model’s modern evolution into one of the most hyped watches in the industry. 

Released in September of 2020, the new Rolex Submariner collection included three new stainless steel references, two of the most classical; the Submariner Date ref. 126610LN with a black bezel, the Submariner ref. 126610LN with a black bezel and no date function and the Submariner Date ref. 126610LV with a green ceramic bezel, which is the model we are diving into today. 

While the model retained the same subtle design changes as the other two models, the “Starbucks” quickly became the most sought-after of the three references thanks to the injection of color that its bezel represented. A descendent of the all-green discontinued “Hulk,” the “Starbucks’” sleek new shape gave it a more refined profile that was reminiscent of the five-digit Submariners of old, marking a return to form for the Submariner that resonated with collectors and drove its popularity to new heights. 

The Case and Dial

Boasting the same Maxi-dial as always, the ref. 126610LV retains the Submariner’s iconic display with its circular 18k white gold applied indices and 18k white gold hands. One larger difference from its predecessor, the “Hulk” ref. 116610LV, however, was the change from a green dial to a black one, like the earlier “Kermit” ref. 16610LV and like the other two Submariner references that it was launched alongside. Additionally, another change that the “Starbucks” introduced to the collection alongside its sibling references was a new hour hand with a broader base, thus enlarging its presence and giving Rolex more room to apply their signature Chromalight lume. 

This broadened hour hand subtly suggests the range of changes that the new Submariner collection ushered in when compared to the old references. Beginning with the case, the new collection features a 41mm diameter case, 1mm larger than the outgoing references’ 40mm case. In addition, the bracelet has been widened so the lug distance is 21mm instead of 20mm, giving the watch a more balance stance on the wrist. However, Rolex understood the importance of refining the Submariner’s shape, and so the new collection features more elegant and shapely lugs that ditch the previous collection’s boxier design and are more reminiscent of the five-digit Submariner’s lugs. As a result, the new 41mm Submariner collection wears with a more balanced presence on the wrist that is rather sleek and elegant.

The Movement

As with any ref. 12xxxx model from Rolex, the new Submariner collection features the latest generation of movement that Rolex has to offer, the automatic cal. 3230 in the ref. 124060 and the cal. 3235 in the dated models like the ref. 126610LV. Boasting an impressive power reserve of 70 hours, these two movements also include Rolex’s Parachrom Hairspring, Paraflex Shock Absorbers and a Chronergy Escapement with Optimized Energy Efficiency, all of which makes them both truly robust and capable movements that are equipped for just about everything you can throw at it.

Celeb Love

Launched on the back of the “Hulk”’s incredible popularity, which is the model whose place the “Starbucks” took in Rolex’s catalog, the writing was on the wall that the ref. 126610LV would be an immediate hit. With its flashy green bezel combining with the Submariner’s iconic design and the new references’ updates, it was always going to be a hot watch, and a hot watch it was, and still is. Immediately spotted shortly after its debut on the wrists of celebrities like LeBron James, Alexandre Lacazette, Will Ferrell, Shane Lowry, Andy Cole, and many others, it was one of social media’s darlings in late 2020 and throughout the watch market’s peak. 

Market Performance

Given its status as one of the hottest watches on the market when it first came out, it surprised nobody that the ref. 126610LV roared to life with a market value of $20500; immediately double its MSRP. While the watch did cool off a bit and plateau in the high $18-19000 range through 2020 and into 2021, the market’s peak brought it up to an all-time high value of almost $26000. Since then, the market has cooled off, and the ‘Starbucks” now sits at a market value of around $16000. 

While this might be a long way from the $26000 peak it once had, it speaks to the potential held within the “Starbucks” thanks to its bezel sharing the same color as Rolex itself. Nonetheless, this $16000 current market value still represents a price premium of just over 47% on its MSRP of $10800, which is still incredibly impressive, especially in today’s market where these intensely profitable models are harder to find than they once were. 

Check out the live performance of Rolex Submariner “Starbucks” ref. 126610LV on The Wristcheck Index