Submariner 16610LV – Dial Picture Request – Part II

[shou.biao.kuang]

Hi All,

Since the thread: Sub 16610LV: Dial Picture Request was closed sometime back, I have been collating all the pictures from that thread and have them printed out in colours to do detailed analysis into the dial variance of the 16610LV. I would like to share some of the findings and thoughts here. Feel free to add in your thoughts and experience of this model too. I expect to have disagreements since this is Rolex we are talking about.

In addition, please continue to post your 16610LV dial picture here so that we can study and analyse them further. Kindly move the hands away from the dial face and watermark the pictures as your own if possible. Information needed are as follows:

1. The serial

2. The first 3 digits of the case no.

3. Date on papers / date of purchase

4. Country of purchase

Thanks lots 

When I first read JBP’s review on the 16610LV on VRF more than 18months ago, my interest for this model grew. Since then, I have been reading a lot of threads and posts on the 16610LV from reputable sites and was personally looking out for one beginning of this year. I have missed a few sets for sales on the net and even a BNIB Y-set whilst in HK (more on that later). I finally found and bought an early ‘Y’ set (Y965xxx) one week ago from a really nice and knowledgeable collector in Singapore. All thanks to him for being willing to part with his collection and hence ended my frantic search over the last 12 months.

Here is my ‘Y’ serial 16610LV to share with everyone...


Dial Variance of 16610LV:

The basis of comparison that I have used was based on Mondani’s book. All thanks to Puffy for posting a page from Mondani’s research (rolexforums, thread: Sub 16610LV: Dial Picture Request, post 5). I didn’t use JBP’s report in VRF because his review included the bezel variance together with the dial variance. Hence to simplify marking the dial, Mondani’s was used instead.

The serial and date range here is the “widest” I can find from the countless posts I have gathered, and they do not correlate to each other. For example, MK I dial seems to be produced starting Y945xxx to F89xxxx, and from Sep 2003 (Y966xxx) till Jun 2005 (F339xxx). There are many exceptions that I have seen and will put them in for discussion sake.

Mark: From serial: To serial: Date from: Date to:

I Y945xxx F89xxxx Sep 2003 Jun 2005

II Y962xxx M722xxx Jan 2004 May 2008

III F313xxx ? Jul 2004 ?

IV F757xxx Z410xxx Dec 2006 Jun 2008

V M08xxxx V468 / RS Apr 2008 Feb 2010

VI RS RS ? ?

*RS: Random Serial


There seems to be a lack of MK III dial to determine till which serial and what date were they produced. It would be good if more MK III owners can post their information so that we can study them in details.

[LA_LEC]

You might be over-thinking this...just saying.

[shou.biao.kuang]

Originally Posted by LA_LEC

You might be over-thinking this...just saying.

Hi LA_LEC,

What do you mean by that? What makes you said that? :)

[padi56]

Originally Posted by LA_LEC

You might be over-thinking this...just saying.

Have to agree about over-thinking and getting a small proportion of what seen on the internet forums bares no reality to all the LVs sold in the world over the years.

[shou.biao.kuang]

Originally Posted by padi56

Have to agree about over-thinking and getting a small proportion of what seen on the internet forums bares no reality to all the LVs sold in the world over the years.

Hi Padi,

Good to have you here in this thread.

Since you mentioned that as serious collector or Rolex buff, we should not be too concern about the nitty gritty details of the dial and as such, should not try to distinguish the dials according to its period. But what about other models whereby there are many Rolex gurus who did such detailed analysis too?

Take Daytona’s 16520 as an example. Didn’t we have the dial variance of ‘floating cosmograph’, the ‘4-liners’, the ‘inverted 6’, ‘Patrizzi dial’ etc… These were done after years of researches and contributions from countless Rolex enthusiastic like you and I? What’s more the 16610LV Sub is a discontinued model and shouldn’t this make the exercise worth the while?

[louie]

Originally Posted by LA_LEC

You might be over-thinking this...just saying.

well, i used to think it was collectible too after much research about it and not been really the true 50th anniversary set i eventually sold it..

Originally Posted by padi56

Have to agree about over-thinking and getting a small proportion of what seen on the internet forums bares no reality to all the LVs sold in the world over the years.

i remembered your words Padi, which i agreed upon. Just too many of this kermits. After seeing some had faded bezels makes me regretted selling mine some years ago...

[shou.biao.kuang]

Originally Posted by louie

well, i used to think it was collectible too after much research about it and not been really the true 50th anniversary set i eventually sold it..

i remembered your words Padi, which i agreed upon. Just too many of this kermits. After seeing some had faded bezels makes me regretted selling mine some years ago...

To each his own, pal...

And only time will tell if the Kermit will be one of the ultimate collector's watches... In the meantime, I guess all who have one piece will hope them to be collectible in the future

[Johny]

some of the later g and random serials had the a/r Cyclops crystal fitted as standard.

[A.Sharp]

It might just be because it's super late here, but I'm lost

Anyone care to spark notes this for me?

[gpfps]

Man just enjoy your LV all those nit picking details are not worth being concerned with. My head hurts!

[bigrustypig]

Originally Posted by gpfps

Man just enjoy your LV all those nit picking details are not worth being concerned with. My head hurts!

+1. Don't lose sleep on it. Enjoy the watch and the hobby.

[shou.biao.kuang]

Originally Posted by gpfps

Man just enjoy your LV all those nit picking details are not worth being concerned with. My head hurts!

Originally Posted by bigrustypig

+1. Don't lose sleep on it. Enjoy the watch and the hobby.

Hi Pals,

I do enjoy the watch very much on its own. But you can be sure that I derive enjoyment from analyzing, researching and comparing the variance between the dials too. To me, it is an additional step that I took to understand this model, which I have grown to love over the past 18 months, better and deeper.

Analyzing dial variance should not be a headache but instead an enjoyment as new discovery is made every time something different comes up, like the "suspected" existence of the MK VI dial which seems to appear only in the random serial and in replacement dials. This is different from being obsessed with comparing which MK is more superior than the other. Rather, tabulating them will give us a more complete picture of "life-cycle" of the 16610LV.

I do hope collectors and owners of this green sub can contribute to this thread so that everyone can enjoy the benefit of the knowledge.

thanks in advance

[shou.biao.kuang]

Hi All,

I have managed to convert the table to JPG and post it as image here, finally!! :)

[Brit78]

Hey Sam. Here's a few more pics for your research:










Watch on left is a Y966XXX with a lime green flat 4 insert and a Mk 2 Dial.



Watch in middle is a Y946XXX with a non lime green flat 4 insert and a Mk 1 Dial.



Watch on right is a V61XXXX.

[shou.biao.kuang]

Hi Tim,

Thanks much for your contribution. Much appreciated as there are limited number of 'Y' serial's pictures available for study.

This 'Y' set seems to have the lightest green insert (aka lime green) compared to the many insets I have seen thus far. It has a lighter shade of green than the 'Y' set I own. Congrats man, it is a truely unique piece! Love the lime green bezel look! There ain't that many of these in the market

Originally Posted by Brit78

Hey Sam. Here's a few more pics for your research:

Watch on left is a Y966XXX with a lime green flat 4 insert and a Mk 2 Dial.

[MP5]

which series has the AR on the cyclop?

[shou.biao.kuang]

Originally Posted by MP5

which series has the AR on the cyclop?

Hi MP5,

Based on the numerous posts that I have gathered, this was mentioned by one of our forumers, Zed82 (thread: BNIB 16610LV in Guangzhou AD, post #15). He mentioned that this was seen in the RS (AN) serial.

The AR cyclop could have appeared in earlier serial than that. Anyone has any knowledge on this?

thanks in advance.

[HL65]

Y946XXX Nov 03' US AD....Cheers,

[shou.biao.kuang]

Hi Connor,

Nice lime green bezel too

[HL65]

Originally Posted by shou.biao.kuang

Hi Connor,

Nice lime green bezel too

[Puffy]

Originally Posted by SteelerFan65

Y946XXX Nov 03' US AD....Cheers,

lush ken

[shou.biao.kuang]

I love the different green tone on the bezels. Would love to do a thread on the differing "green-ness" of the 16610LV bezel if there are enough pictures here
;-)

[Smartyjones18]

Originally Posted by shou.biao.kuang

I love the different green tone on the bezels. Would love to do a thread on the differing "green-ness" of the 16610LV bezel if there are enough pictures here
;-)

Well done fellow Singaporean.

George

[shou.biao.kuang]

Originally Posted by Smartyjones18

Well done fellow Singaporean.

George

Hi George,

Good to see a fellow comrade here

I was thinking of posting these info on the local Rolex forums too but they are fast becoming a place for trading of watches and kopitiam talk rather than discussing serious threads & posts on watches, especially Rolex. Kinda disappointed... This forum is one of the better ones around I may wanna post them on VRF and Watch Prosite too.. they are excellent resources for luxe watches too

[MP5]

Great info on the RS to possibly having the AR on the cyclop. I wonder if the service replacements will be offered for all series from RSC or if only RS will get the AR treatment. IMO I cant believe this difference isnt brought up more and more sought as it makes a huge visual impact over the others, much more so than a long O or 3 tick vs 5 tick

[MP5]

Any additional info or work done to see which serials had the AR Cyclop?

[Puffy]

As for a MK2 dial in a Y - you can't have something appearing in the very first serial and call it a MK2 part.

Then other serials with the very same dial will by default have a MK1 dial.

Someone should unlock the thread i started ages ago.

[shou.biao.kuang]

Originally Posted by Puffy

As for a MK2 dial in a Y - you can't have something appearing in the very first serial and call it a MK2 part.

Then other serials with the very same dial will by default have a MK1 dial.

Someone should unlock the thread i started ages ago.

Hi Puffy,

Just to understand better what you were trying to convey here. You meant a "Y" series should never have a MK II dial? Instead, the marking of the dial should follow the series of a watch? Love to hear your comments on this.

Yes, they should reignite that thread :)

[tfduff723]

Here are few pics of my LV. They are not the best - taken with my iPhone.

To be honest I am not entirely sure what to look for but mine is a 2008 M956xxx serial with an untouched dial and bezel.

Hope this helps or at least adds to the mystery!

[shou.biao.kuang]

Originally Posted by tfduff723

Here are few pics of my LV. They are not the best - taken with my iPhone.

To be honest I am not entirely sure what to look for but mine is a 2008 M956xxx serial with an untouched dial and bezel.

Hope this helps or at least adds to the mystery!

From the picture, it does seem like a MK IV dial.