Rolex Submariner Reference 116619 “Smurf”

The year 2008 marked both the 55th anniversary of the Rolex Submariner collection and also the 100th anniversary of the “Rolex” name itself. While the now-legendary company was originally founded in London in 1905, it would not be until three years later in 1908 that it would actually register “Rolex” as the brand name of its watches.

To celebrate the occasion, the iconic Swiss watch manufacturer made some fairly significant announcements and released several new watch designs. Among the new releases, Rolex unexpectedly debuted three all-gold Submariner Date models. What made these new Submariner watches unique and exciting was the fact that they were not just variants of existing Submariner models. Rather, they were completely re-designed watches.

Rolex Submariner Reference 116619LB – “Smurf”

A New Anniversary Submariner

The reference 116619LB followed another colorful anniversary Submariner – the ref. 16610LV. Dubbed the “Kermit” and released in 2003 to celebrate the Submariner’s 50th anniversary, it features a striking green aluminum bezel and black maxi dial. It could be argued that it was the ref. 16610LV that paved the way for Rolex to release another colorful iteration of the Submariner in the form of the ref. 116619 to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the collection and 100th anniversary of the ‘Rolex’ name?

The new all-gold Submariner watches, including the white gold model (reference 116619LB), exhibited many of the same enhancements and upgrades as the highly anticipated 50th anniversary GMT-Master II models. The lugs and the crown guards on the 116619 share the same expanded “Super Case” design as the 50th anniversary GMT watches. Because the lugs and guards are larger, the Submariner appears overall larger on the wrist, though the case itself remained the same 40mm measurement as the previous generation of Submariner models.

Other features helped the ref. 116619 remain immediately identifiable as a Rolex Submariner. For example, the bezel was now made from an extremely hard and highly scratch-resistant ceramic material known as Cerachrom, yet it strikingly resembles the classic Submariner bezel style. The 18k white gold case of the Submariner 116619 was not increased in size to offer higher water resistance. Rather, the Submariner 116619 remained at the same 300-meter depth rating as the previous model.

A New Bright Blue Dial

The Submariner 116619’s dial raised many eyebrows when first revealed. Its striking bright blue color was a surprising choice for the watch. However, the color compliments the white-gold beautifully and sets it apart from all other Submariner models. The “Maxi” dial also features larger markers and hands, like those first seen on the Rolex Yacht-Master and that were fitted to the “Kermit” Submariner from the previous generation.

The hands and hour markers glow a striking blue color in the dark that compliments the watch’s bright blue dial and bezel. Rolex’s proprietary blue-glowing luminous material is patented as “Chromalight” and was developed for better visibility while in the water compared to its predecessor Super-LumiNova, which glows green. Chromalight is also widely celebrated for its longer-lasting glow, which allows it to emit light for up to 8 continuous hours. Chromalight may glow bright blue in the dark but during the day, the upgraded material remains crisp white against the watch’s bright blue dial.

The bracelet and clasp of the 116619 Submariner were also upgraded. Matching the 18k white gold of the case, the Submariner 116619’s white gold Oyster bracelet features a completely solid link design with high-polish center links. A new Glidelock clasp was introduced on this watch, which offers users instantaneous tool-free adjustment of the bracelet in 2mm increments up to a total of about 20mm, making it far more functional than previous models and a welcome feature for both divers and non-divers alike.

Despite the numerous external updates, Inside, the ref. 116619LB uses the same 31-jewel Rolex Caliber 3135 movement found in the previous generation. This legendary in-house movement oscillates at 28,800 beats per hour and is a COSC-certified chronometer. Like later iterations of the Caliber 3135, the movement inside the ref. 116619 is fitted with the brand’s blue Parachrom hairspring that is highly antimagnetic and both shock and temperature resistant. This greatly aids in maintaining the precision of the timepiece, giving it the reputation as one of the most reliable mechanical watch movements ever created.