Rolex Submariner White Gold with Ceramic Blue Bezel 116619

A pre-eminent creator of custom rubber watch straps, Rubber B has spent the last several years crafting watch straps for watches for some of the most highly respected watchmakers in both Europe and North America, including Rolex, Tudor, and Apple. Rubber B has a wide selection of colors, styles, and materials to choose from for these timepieces, and all of these straps are made exclusively from 100% vulcanized rubber. For this piece, we are going to take a closer look at a timepiece from the first company listed here – specifically, the Rolex Submariner 116619, or as it’s affectionately known among collectors, the Rolex Submariner “Smurf.”

The Rolex Submariner 116619 was one of the more popular Rolex Submariner models in recent memory, so it was something of a surprise when the company formally discontinued the model in 2020. However, likely in response to what collectors were saying about this decision, they decided to release a new, updated version of the watch instead of just entirely ceasing to produce it all together.

Because of this watch’s continued popularity, it seemed like a great time to more closely examine this watch’s history, technical specifications, and design style, as well as what we think the future portends for this particular timepiece.

What is the History of the Rolex Submariner 116619?

Originally released in 2008, the Rolex Submariner 116619 is considered something of an oddity in the overall Submariner lineup. This likely has something to do with why the watch has steadily gained popularity over the last decade – generally speaking, if a watch is unusual in some shape or fashion, it may not immediately become popular with collectors, but it has a much greater chance of finding an audience over time.

Despite the fact that this watch was not produced to commemorate any special occasion, it is currently the only Rolex Submariner that is available in white gold, as well as the only one to feature the color combination of white gold and the blue dial. Because of these unique features, and the fact that the watch has now been officially discontinued, it has become something of a collector’s item, with its price having increased steadily, as well as becoming much harder to procure than it was before the discontinuation announcement.

What Are The Technical Specifications of the Rolex Submariner 116619?

From a technical standpoint, the Rolex Submariner 116619 very much continues on with the high standards and proud traditions that Rolex had already long-established for the Submariner line of watches. It has a diameter of 41 mm, which is industry standard for this type of watch, and a lug width of 21 mm.

The watch is powered by the 3235 Caliber, which is COSC certified. As always, the caliber is produced in-house by Rolex themselves. It has a power reserve of 70 hours and a water resistance of 1,000 feet, which is in keeping with other dive watches that are currently available on the market. The power reserve, at the time, was a noted upgrade, as other dive watches had a power reserve of between 40 and 48 hours.

How Does the Rolex Submariner 116619 Fare in Terms of Its Aesthetics?

While this watch was, in many ways, a direct descendant of the watches before it in terms of its technical capabilities, its design style is a completely different situation in several regards. Rolex was clearly trying to do something different with the color combination and precious metals that they chose to use for this timepiece, and those choices have largely contributed to the watch’s enduring popularity today.

In addition to the use of white gold, the use of the unique, lacquered blue dial that is seen here is what led to this watch being called the “Smurf,” which is a reference to the color of the famous cartoon characters from the 1980’s. The result is a watch that is still elegant and durable, yet manages to have a personality of its own.

What is the Future of the Rolex Submariner 116619?

While the Rolex Submariner 116619 was always going to be a somewhat important watch because of its uniqueness within the greater Submariner catalog, it is likely going to be a collector’s item for the next several years to come, which means procuring one will likely be something of a challenge.

The watch initially retailed at $38,000 upon its release, but is now selling for closer to $50,000 on the secondary market, a fact no doubt motivated by news of the discontinuation. For those collectors who are looking to add one of the pieces to their collection, they will need a diligent eye and a reliable dealer to aid them in their quest.

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Reference No. 116619