Rolex Kermit vs. Hulk: The green Rolex face-off. Get insights into their histories and key features from Bezel.
If you are interested in Rolex watches and your favorite color is green, you likely already know that Rolex has released a number of models in various green hues over the past couple of decades. There’s the light moss green of the Oyster Perpetual ref. 124300, the dark olive green of the Rolex Day-Date 40 ref. 228236, and the bright green of the Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 126720VTNR.
However, few Rolex lines carry as much prestige as the iconic Submariner. The original commercial dive watch, the Rolex Submariner, graced the wrist of oceanographer Jacques Cousteau in the film Le Monde du Silence and the wrist of Sean Connery, playing James Bond in the films From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, and Thunderball. Staying at the cutting edge of diving performance and functionality, the Submariner has undergone a series of technical improvements over the years, including an increase in underwater capacity from 100 to 300 meters of resistance.
Beyond its cultural significance and technical specifications, the Submariner is well-known as a classic fashion touchstone, a bastion of archetypal elegance, and a subject of trending fashion. Although the traditional Submariner color combination consists of a black dial with white hour markers surrounded by a black bezel, Rolex deviated from this monochrome approach in many of its later releases.
Two of the most significant deviations from the classic black and white Submariner colorway are the dazzling greens of the Rolex “Kermit” (Submariner Date ref. 16610LV) and the Rolex “Hulk” (Submariner Date Ref. 116610LV). These two timepieces represent the first two significant Rolex releases in the bold and unorthodox color of green. Today, both watches remain highly venerated and valued among casual wearers and serious collectors alike.
Although equally celebrated, the Rolex Kermit and the Rolex Hulk each have their own particular pros and cons, which might change according to the unique wants and needs of the consumer. If you are looking for a green colorway Rolex with varying degrees of focus on classic elegance and daring impact, you owe it to yourself to take a close look at both the Kermit and the Hulk. But the right choice for you will be a matter of personal taste and preferences.
Before the release of the Rolex Kermit in 2003, no Rolex had ever sported a component in green. The bright green bezel on this watch created a sensation among Rolex aficionados and general wristwatch consumers alike. Seven years later, the Rolex Hulk took things to a whole new level aesthetically speaking, retaining the green bezel of the Kermit and matching it with a full watch face in the same color. However, the sunburst dial of the Hulk catches various angles of light to change color in a glittering array of deep dark to light green hues.
Read on to get a more detailed idea of what, exactly, the Kermit and the Hulk have to offer.
In production from 2003 to 2010, the Rolex Submariner Kermit brought a new splash of color into the Rolex collection with a prominent green bezel. Nicknamed after Kermit the Frog, the Rolex Kermit shares a similar colorway with this beloved Muppet. In fact, this watch is so defined by its bezel color that the “LV” in its reference number “16610LV” is an acronym for “lunette verte,” which translates from French as “green bezel.”
It is important to note that Rolex Kermits come in both “flat 4” and “sharp 4” designs. These terms refer to small differences in the shape of the number "4" of the 40-minute mark in the watch’s bezel. This might seem like a minor design detail, but a flat 4 Kermit is significantly more valuable than a sharp 4 Kermit because it is rare and more sought-after.
Before it was known by its colorful nickname, the Rolex Kermit was simply the Rolex Submariner ref. 6200. Rolex introduced this watch in 2003 to mark the 50th anniversary of its Submariner ref. 6200 – the very first model in the now venerable Submariner line. After a number of months in production, the 16610LV finally hit store shelves in early 2004.
Because of its highly unusual, bright green bezel, the Rolex 16610LV caused a bit of sensation upon its initial release. While some found it a vivacious breath of fresh air, others considered it a shocking eyesore. However, it garnered enough sales to warrant active production for a number of years.
Rolex ultimately ceased to produce the Submariner Kermit in 2010. Time, however, has been exceptionally kind to the Rolex Kermit, as it is now one of the most popular vintage models in the Rolex catalog. Furthermore, Rolex continues to make several different wristwatches with green colorways that are quite similar to the groundbreaking Kermit.
The caliber 3135 self-winding movement of the Rolex Kermit has been a standard-bearer for reliability and durability for roughly half a century. In addition to its unorthodox and eye-catching green bezel, this watch is the first modern Submariner to sport a “Maxi dial” with oversized hour markers and Mercedes hands.
Although it is extraordinarily readable, the Kermit features a highly compact case, which measures just 40 millimeters in diameter and 13 millimeters in thickness. This practical dive watch will meet the demands of most modern divers, remaining water-resistant up to 300 meters and highlighting its hands and indices with high-grade lumen for easy legibility in near total darkness.
Characteristics of the Rolex Kermit
If you want even more of the distinctive green that made the Kermit such a sensation, you will want to take a close look at the Rolex Submariner Hulk. The next design iteration the discontinued Kermit, the Hulk (Submariner Date ref. 116610LV), takes the green colorway from the bezel and extends it across the dial in its entirety.
While this much green certainly isn’t for everyone, if you want to make a big statement with your watch, this might just be the Rolex Submariner for you. The unique finish on the Hulk’s iridescent dial produces a dazzling array of shifting green tones. Although it won’t match with every piece of clothing in your closet, pairing this watch with a dark suit or a white t-shirt is certainly a winning combination.
The Rolex “Hulk” was introduced as the next evolution of the discontinued Kermit at the international wristwatch convention Baselworld in 2010, the Submariner Date ref. 116610LV was celebrated by some and condemned by others. But, like the Kermit, this watch has garnered more and more popularity over the years to emerge as the strong cult favorite that it is today.
Like its namesake, Incredible Hulk, the Submariner Date ref. 116610LV presents a whole lot of green! Although Rolex ceased to manufacture the Hulk in 2020, it remains in wide circulation on the pre-owned watch market.
Measuring one green powerhouse against the other, the Kermit and the Hulk share many performance standards in common. Both have 40-millimeter cases of steel and automatic calibre 3135 movement with a power reserve of 48 hours. And both have the same green unidirectional bezel.
Beyond its sunburst green dial, the primary feature that separates the Hulk from the Kermit is its bezel material. Unlike the Kermit’s bezel of lightweight aluminum, the Hulk’s ceramic bezel is extremely resistant to dents, scratches, and fading.
Characteristics of the Rolex Hulk
Although they rank among the most popular and hardest to find Rolex models, Bezel's massive online catalog contains a large number of both Kermit and Hulk wristwatches.
Whether you are looking to compare other Rolex watches like the Rolex Kermit vs. Starbucks or seeking products from any other luxury wristwatch brand, you need look no further than Bezel.
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