When one thinks of Rolex, it is hard for the Submariner not to come to mind. There have been numerous versions of the Submariner over the years, and up for review today is my newly acquired 116610LN.

The 116610LN was introduced in 2010, and was only recently discontinued and replaced by the newer, 41mm 126610LN in 2021. One key change from its predecessor is the new ceramic bezel with platinum inserts (which Rolex labels as “Cerachrom”). Other changes include a new “Maxi dial” with larger hands and hour markers, and larger and more rugged lugs and crown guards – which some consider controversial changes – and the use of Rolex’s Chromalight lume, which shines blue when in the dark.

Another key upgrade is the bracelet – it’s built with 904L Oystersteel and equipped with Rolex’s Glidelock extension system that allows for up to 20mm of tool-free resizing in 2mm increments. This was a design intended to allow for tool-free sizing if one were to decide to go diving with this piece, and is extremely helpful (even if you do not intend to dive with this piece) for quick and easy resizing, especially in the heat of Singapore where minor adjustments would make this piece all the more comfortable to wear. As with all Rolex-made pieces, the build quality of this piece is amazing, and the bracelet snaps into place with confidence, while the micro-adjustment mechanism is extremely easy to use.

On to the technicals. The 116610LN is powered by the Rolex 3135 movement, with a 48 hour power reserve, and a date function (paired with Rolex’s ubiquitous cyclops lens). The 3135 is also COSC Chronometer certified, so for those that are extremely particular about accuracy, you don’t have to worry about that for the 116610LN. Being a diver’s watch, it is water resistant to 300 meters/1,000 feet, which would be more than sufficient for a leisurely dive, if you so desire – I know I won’t be doing any diving with this piece, but to each their own.

The Rolex Submariner 116610LN is a quintessential piece that every collector should have in his/her collection, as this piece would go well with a suit for boardroom meetings, and would also not look out of place with a casual outfit over the weekend. In fact, given how distinguishable this piece is, you might find yourself being caught in the situation where strangers strike up a conversation with you after noticing this piece on your wrists – a happy problem to have as long as you don’t mind the attention!

As alluded to earlier, the Rolex Submariner 116610LN has already been discontinued and replaced by the 126610LN in 2021, which means that it will be quite difficult to obtain this directly from an AD. That said, it’s an amazing piece that had a 10 year production period, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to pick up one of these pieces on the secondary market. I’ve had the amazing fortune of picking this up directly from an AD after it’s been discontinued, but that’s another story for another time.