Rolex Submariner Date · Reference 116610LN
Rolex Submariner Date 116610LN
Known as No-date's cousin, but the collector shorthand is just "the ceramic Sub" or the "Maxi case" Submariner. LN stands for lunette noire, French for black bezel.
The 116610LN is the reference that carried the steel Submariner Date into the ceramic era. Rolex launched it in 2010 to replace the aluminum-bezel 16610, and it ran until 2020, when the 41mm 126610LN took over. Two things define it on the wrist. First, the Cerachrom black ceramic bezel insert, which does not fade in sunlight or scratch the way the old anodized aluminum did. Second, the reworked case Rolex quietly built underneath it: fatter lugs, a wider bezel, and a beefier crown guard that collectors call the Maxi case. It keeps the classic 40mm diameter, but it wears broader and more modern than the 16610 it replaced. Ten years of production, a fixed and now-closed supply, and the single most recognized dive-watch silhouette on earth make this one of the most traded steel Rolexes we handle on 47th Street.
Produced: 2010 to 2020
In stock at Ultimate Diamond
3 pieces on the counter right now.
Specifications
- Reference
- 116610LN
- Model
- Submariner Date
- Case Material
- Oystersteel (Rolex's 904L-grade stainless steel)
- Case Diameter
- 40mm (Maxi case)
- Lug Width
- 20mm
- Bezel
- Unidirectional rotating, 60-minute graduated, black Cerachrom ceramic insert with platinum-coated numerals
- Dial
- Black Maxi dial, larger applied hour markers and broader hands, Chromalight blue luminescence
- Crystal
- Scratch-resistant sapphire with Cyclops date magnifier at 3 o'clock
- Movement
- Automatic, self-winding
- Caliber
- Rolex Caliber 3135, in-house
- Power Reserve
- Approximately 48 hours
- Chronometer
- COSC-certified Swiss chronometer
- Water Resistance
- 300 meters / 1,000 feet
- Crown
- Triplock triple-waterproofness screw-down crown with crown guards
- Bracelet
- Oyster bracelet in Oystersteel with Oysterlock safety clasp and Glidelock extension system, up to 20mm of tool-free adjustment
- Year Introduced
- 2010
- Year Discontinued
- 2020
Market & Value
We buy and sell 116610LN examples nearly every week, so here is the pricing from the check-writing side, not off a chart. Clean pre-owned pieces trade in roughly the $11,000 to $14,000 band as of 2026. Watch-only or well-worn examples sit at the low end; full sets with the original box, papers, and card push toward the top, and late-production 2019 and 2020 pieces carry a small premium because they are the closest thing to the final run before the 41mm 126610LN arrived. Because the reference was discontinued in 2020, the supply is fixed and will only shrink, which is why the 116610LN stays one of the most liquid steel Rolexes in the market. It moves fast in either direction, so spreads are tight. What actually swings our offer: presence of box and papers, condition of the ceramic bezel and bracelet stretch, whether it has been polished (an unpolished case with sharp lug bevels is worth more), and service history. A recent Rolex service or a documented movement service adds real dollars because the next buyer is not staring down an $800-plus service bill.
What to Know Before You Buy
A few things a collector should have in front of them before buying or selling this reference. The Cerachrom bezel is the headline upgrade over the 16610: it is effectively scratch-proof and UV-stable, so a 2010 example still shows a jet-black bezel with no fade. The Maxi case is polarizing; some collectors prefer the slimmer, more vintage lines of the older 16610, so if you want the classic look, know that this is the chunkier one. The Glidelock clasp is a genuine daily-wear improvement, letting you dial the bracelet in or out over a wet or cold wrist without tools. The Caliber 3135 is one of Rolex's most proven workhorses, produced for decades and easy to service anywhere in the world, which is part of why this reference holds value so predictably. Verify the reference number engraved between the lugs at 12 o'clock and the serial at 6, confirm the movement is a genuine 3135, and inspect the ceramic bezel for chips at the edges, which is the one place ceramic can fail on impact. Full set with card commands the premium; a naked watch is still very sellable but expect the market to price it accordingly.
Buying or selling a 116610LN?
Ultimate Watch buys and sells the Submariner 116610LN on 47th Street. We are Ultimate Diamond, family-owned at 19 W 47th Street in New York City since 1959, and this is one of the references we transact on constantly, so we can price it and close it the same day. If you are selling, bring it in with whatever box and papers you have and we will make a firm cash offer on the spot; the more complete the set, the stronger the number. If you are buying, tell us the condition and set completeness you want and we will source a vetted, authenticated example. Come by the counter at 19 W 47th, call us, or request an offer online to get a real number on your 116610LN.