Rolex Submariner 116618

Rolex 116618LN and 116618LB

Rolex made the 116618 in two colors. The case, movement and bracelet are the same on both, and the letters after the number tell you which one a watch is: LN stands for lunette noire, French for black bezel, and LB for lunette bleue, blue bezel.

Reference	Dial	Bezel insert
116618LN	Black	Black Cerachrom ceramic, gold-coated numerals
116618LB	Blue: flat blue on early watches, sunburst blue from around 2013	Blue Cerachrom ceramic, gold-coated numerals

The black 116618LN is the quieter of the two: the gold hands and hour markers stand out against the black dial, and it is easy to wear every day. The 116618LB is the bolder watch, and its blue changed during production. Early 116618LB watches, made until around 2012, have a flat blue dial chosen to match the ceramic bezel. From around 2013, Rolex fitted a sunburst blue dial, with fine lines radiating from the center that make it shift from bright to deep blue as it catches the light. Many buyers prefer the sunburst dial, so it is worth knowing which one a watch has before you compare prices. For the other blue Submariners, see our blue-on-blue Submariner collection.

Rolex 116618 Price

At Watch My Diamonds, the Rolex Submariner 116618 is available at $34,558.

Rolex stopped making the 116618 in 2020, so every example on the market today is pre-owned or old stock. Its successor, the 41 mm 126618, retails for $50,900 in both the black 126618LN and the blue 126618LB (rolex.com, United States, before tax, as of September 2026), which makes the 116618 the less expensive way into a solid gold Submariner. For an individual watch, the price comes down to the dial (on the LB, the early flat blue or the later sunburst), the condition of the case and bracelet, whether the box and papers are present, and the service history. Watches marked “Price on request” are in stock: contact us for a current figure. The price chart at the bottom of this page tracks the average listing price for this reference on our site over the last twelve months, including pieces that have since sold.

Rolex 116618 Specifications

Reference	116618LN (black), 116618LB (blue)
Production	2008 to 2020
Case	Oyster, 40 mm, 18 kt yellow gold; screw-down case back
Lug width	20 mm
Bezel	Unidirectional rotatable 60-minute bezel; Cerachrom insert in black or blue ceramic, numerals and graduations coated in gold
Crown	Screw-down, Triplock triple waterproofness system
Crystal	Scratch-resistant sapphire, Cyclops lens over the date
Water resistance	300 m / 1,000 ft
Movement	Calibre 3135, Manufacture Rolex, self-winding mechanical
Power reserve	Approximately 48 hours
Certification	Superlative Chronometer, officially certified (COSC)
Functions	Center hour, minute and seconds hands; instantaneous date with rapid setting; stop-seconds
Dial	Black or blue, Chromalight display with blue luminescence
Bracelet	Oyster, solid 18 kt yellow gold links
Clasp	Folding Oysterlock safety clasp with Rolex Glidelock extension system

The Glidelock system in the clasp lets you lengthen or shorten the bracelet in 2 mm steps, up to about 20 mm, without tools. It was designed so the watch could be worn over a wetsuit, but it is just as useful on a hot day.

16618 vs 116618 vs 126618

The 116618 sits between two generations of the yellow gold Submariner. It replaced the 16618, which Rolex made from the late 1980s until 2008, and in 2020 it was replaced by the 126618.

	16618	116618	126618
Made	Late 1980s to 2008	2008 to 2020	2020 to today
Case	40 mm	40 mm, broader lugs and crown guards	41 mm, slimmer lugs
Bezel insert	Aluminum	Cerachrom ceramic	Cerachrom ceramic
Movement	Calibre 3135	Calibre 3135	Calibre 3235
Power reserve	About 48 hours	About 48 hours	About 70 hours
Clasp	Oysterlock with Fliplock extension	Oysterlock with Glidelock	Oysterlock with Glidelock
Lug width	20 mm	20 mm	21 mm

The jump from the 16618 to the 116618 was the bigger one. The ceramic bezel does not fade or scratch the way the 16618’s aluminum insert does, the dial moved to larger “Maxi” hour markers with Chromalight lume, the case gained broader lugs and crown guards, and the Glidelock clasp made the bracelet adjustable without tools. The 126618 is a refinement: a 41 mm case with slimmer lugs, a wider bracelet and the calibre 3235, which has about 70 hours of power reserve and is certified to −2/+2 seconds a day after casing. On the wrist, the 116618 looks broader at the lugs than its successor despite the smaller diameter. The same generation was also made in two-tone steel and yellow gold as the 116613, again with a black or blue bezel, and in white gold as the 116619LB. Their current versions are the two-tone 126613 and the white gold 126619.

What to Check Before Buying a 116618

• The dial. On a 116618LB, check whether the dial is the early flat blue or the later sunburst, and that it makes sense for the year on the papers. A later dial on an early watch usually means it was replaced at a service, which should be documented.
• The bezel. Cerachrom does not fade and resists scratches, but a hard knock can chip it. Turn the bezel through a full rotation: it should click cleanly and turn in one direction only.
• The case. 18 kt yellow gold is softer than steel and marks more easily. Check the lug edges and case sides for dents, and for rounded, over-polished bevels.
• The bracelet and clasp. Check for play between the links and make sure the Glidelock slides smoothly and locks at each position.
• Box, papers and service history. The papers confirm the date the watch was first sold and help when you resell. Ask when it was last serviced: a calibre 3135 that has gone many years without a service will usually need one soon, and that cost belongs in the price you pay.

Every watch we sell is inspected and authenticated in house before it ships.

Rolex 116618 FAQs

How much is a Rolex 116618 worth?

It depends mostly on the dial, the condition and whether the box and papers are present. The price section above updates automatically from the 116618 watches listed on this page. For comparison, the 126618 that replaced it retails for $50,900 new (September 2026).

When was the Rolex 116618 made?

From 2008, when Rolex introduced it at Baselworld among the first Submariners with a ceramic Cerachrom bezel, until 2020, when the 41 mm 126618 replaced it.

What do LN and LB mean?

They describe the bezel, in French: LN is lunette noire (black bezel) and LB is lunette bleue (blue bezel). The 116618LN has a black dial and bezel, and the 116618LB a blue dial and bezel.

What is the difference between the 116618 and the 126618?

The 116618 (2008 to 2020) has a 40 mm case and the calibre 3135, with about 48 hours of power reserve. The 126618 (2020 to today) has a 41 mm case with slimmer lugs, a wider bracelet and the calibre 3235, with about 70 hours. Both are solid 18 kt yellow gold, with a Cerachrom bezel, 300 m water resistance, a sapphire crystal with Cyclops lens and the Glidelock clasp.

What is the difference between the 116618LB and the 116613LB?

Both have a blue dial and a blue Cerachrom bezel. The 116618LB is solid 18 kt yellow gold, case and bracelet. The 116613LB is two-tone Rolesor: a steel case with a yellow gold bezel and crown, on a bracelet with gold center links. The two-tone model is the one usually called “Bluesy”, though some sellers use the nickname for the solid gold 116618LB as well.

Can you swim and dive with the Rolex 116618?

Yes. It is water resistant to 300 m, the same as the steel Submariner. Make sure the crown is screwed down fully before it goes in the water, and have the seals checked at each service.