A fake Rolex 116610LV is a counterfeit copy of the Submariner Date nicknamed the "Hulk," the 40 mm stainless steel dive watch Rolex sold with a green Cerachrom bezel insert and a green dial. The genuine reference was produced from 2010 until 2020 and runs the Caliber 3135 automatic movement. Replicas of it range from crude quartz lookalikes to "super clones" that copy the case, bracelet, and movement architecture, and selling or importing one is illegal in the United States and most other markets.
What the Genuine 116610LV Actually Is
Before judging any fake Rolex 116610LV, it helps to know the real specification. Rolex introduced this reference as the green-dial follow-up to the black Submariner Date, and it kept the same 40 mm Oyster case and 300 meter water resistance rating.
- Case: 40 mm Oystersteel, with crown guards and a Triplock winding crown
- Bezel: unidirectional Cerachrom insert in green, with numerals coated in platinum
- Dial: green sunburst finish, Chromalight lume plots, date at 3 o'clock
- Crystal: sapphire with a Cyclops lens at roughly 2.5x magnification
- Movement: Caliber 3135, later examples sit near the 3235 changeover
- Production: roughly 2010 to 2020, replaced by the 41 mm 126610LV
Why the Replica Market Targets This Reference
The Hulk sits in an awkward spot for buyers. It is discontinued, it is instantly recognizable, and clean examples trade well above the original retail price. That gap is the entire reason a fake Rolex 116610LV exists in so many versions. None of those versions come from Rolex, none carry a valid warranty, and none hold collector value.
Replica Tiers You Will Encounter
- Budget copies. Quartz or low-grade automatic movements, painted bezel inserts, and printed dials. Obvious within arm's length.
- Mid-tier automatics. Better case proportions, but the bezel color, bracelet end links, and movement finish still give them away.
- "1:1" and super clone builds. Claimed to match the genuine watch part for part, often fitted with a cloned 3135 movement. These are the most convincing and the most heavily marketed, and they still fail close inspection.
Details Replicas Commonly Get Wrong
- Bezel insert color. Genuine green Cerachrom reads dark and flat in low light and only turns bright under direct light.
- Sunburst dial. Copies often look flat, muddy, or too yellow next to the bezel.
- Cyclops magnification and date font, which tend to run large or thin.
- Rehaut engraving depth and alignment with the minute track.
- Bracelet fit at the lugs, where gaps show up on most copies.
- Case thickness and crown guard shape, both hard to fake without the original tooling.
- Movement behavior. Sweeping seconds can look right while winding feel, rotor noise, and date snap do not.
Legal and Practical Risk
Counterfeit trademarked goods are illegal to import and to sell in the United States, and shipments are subject to seizure by customs authorities. Trafficking in counterfeit goods can also carry criminal penalties. Beyond the law, a fake Rolex 116610LV cannot be serviced by Rolex, has no parts support, and cannot be resold as genuine. Sellers who describe a replica as real are committing fraud, and buyers who resell one knowingly inherit that exposure.
How to Check One in Person
- Start with the feel of the case and bracelet. Genuine Oystersteel has a distinct weight and edge finish.
- Tilt the dial. Real sunburst green shifts tone; most copies stay static.
- Inspect the bezel under a lamp, then in shade. The color shift should be dramatic.
- Check the date under the Cyclops for distortion and font weight.
- Open the case back or have a watchmaker do it. Movement finishing, engraving, and rotor design are decisive.
Quick Answer Recap
A fake Rolex 116610LV is a counterfeit of the discontinued green Submariner Date. The tells live in the bezel color, dial sunburst, Cyclops magnification, rehaut, and movement. Because the watch is trademarked and the reference is discontinued, buying, importing, or reselling a copy carries legal risk and no ownership upside.