The History Of The Rolex Hulk

The 2003 release of the Rolex Submariner 16610LV (Kermit) celebrated 50 years of the Rolex Submariner watch. It was the same as the 16610 (black-bezel Rolex Submariner) that had been around for years, and was a classic, but for its green bezel, hence the name 'Kermit'.
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It gave the Submariner a fresh look. Green, being synonymous with Rolex since the mid 20th Century, had become the Rolex colour. Initially, people weren't sure but soon came around to the idea, seeing the historical connection between the company and the colour. In between 2003 and 2010 there were tiny changes and additions, like changes in the font for the number 4, prompting a slight rename for those particular watches (Kermit "Flat 4") and in 2007 Rolex added an engraved rehaut reading "RolexRolexRolexRolex".

Then, in 2010 'The Kermit' was discontinued and out of its ashes evolved 'The Hulk'.
Living up to its name, 'The Hulk' was greener - with the colour more prominent and featuring on the bezel and the dial. The material used was Cerachrom (ceramic), making it more scratch and corrosion resistant and the case was given a makeover with wider lugs and crown guards, giving 'The Hulk' a more substantial and distinctive look.

The Rolex Submariner Hulk had a heavy act to follow because vintage Rolex watches are renowned for their striking design features and robust construction. Every inch of a Rolex watch has been carefully thought through, from its look, right down to its features, which include a water-resistant casing, screw-down crown, and a top-notch self-winding movement.
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The conception of the Submariner Hulk began back in 1953. René-Paul Jeanneret, who was an experienced diver, was seeking a watch that could not only function underwater but still looked sophisticated and very desirable. He wanted a timepiece that could mimic a true diver’s watch, one that was robust enough to undertake the challenges of pressure while deep-sea diving. He approached Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf, who instantly fell in love with the idea. What helped forge the idea into reality was that, at the time, Panerai, a maker of divers' watches, was a subsidiary of Rolex. This certainly gave Rolex a head start in the construction of this superb timepiece. Rolex even consulted the famous Jacques-Yves Cousteau and the build and extensive testing began.

We arrive at 1954 and behold, the emergence of an exquisite wristwatch with luminous hands, a rotating bezel, and a matte black dial. It was water-resistant up to 100 metres and had a superb automatic movement and top-notch Twinlock engineering. Later on that year, Rolex launched three Submariner models. Top of the pile was the Reference 6200, which boasted a self-winding movement and water resistance up to 200 metres. The whole collection was met with admiration and became very sought after. In the years that followed, further features and embellishments were applied. Unidirectional bezels made an appearance, the movement was upgraded, new materials were introduced and the name “Submariner” was placed on the dial.
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As if the creation of this collection was not enough, in 2010, a further model was launched called Reference 116610LV. Its knock-out design featured a magnificent green Cerachrom bezel, rugged case lugs, and a heftier bracelet. The watch became known as the Rolex Submariner Hulk.