Rolex Watch Nicknames
Rolex Nicknames Explained
Every nickname Rolex collectors use, with the references and dial details behind each one. 40 entries, organized by theme.
By Vadim Moda, Founder of Moda Clubs. Trading watches since 2017. Last updated
Rolex doesn't pick the names. The watches arrive at dealer counters with reference numbers like 116710BLNR, and the trading community names them within weeks. Most nicknames describe a bezel color, dial pattern, or owner association. They stick because they're easier to type than the references and unambiguous in context: every dealer knows what a Pepsi is.
This page covers every Rolex nickname in active use across watch trading communities. Each entry links to the canonical glossary definition with the reference numbers it applies to. If you're researching a specific watch listing, the search on the main glossary is faster than reading top to bottom.
GMT-Master bezel colors
Most of Rolex's well-known nicknames come from GMT-Master and Submariner bezel color combinations. The two-color bezel was the GMT-Master's defining feature in 1955, and collectors named each combo as new colorways shipped.
- Pepsi
- Rolex GMT-Master / GMT-Master II with a red and blue bezel. The most iconic Rolex nickname, inspired by the Pepsi logo color scheme.
- Refs: 6542, 1675, 126710BLRO
- Coke
- Rolex GMT-Master with a red and black bezel, evoking the Coca-Cola brand colors. First introduced on the 16760 'Fat Lady' in 1983.
- Refs: 16760 (Fat Lady, 1983), 16700, 16710
- Batgirl
- Same blue/black bezel GMT-Master II as the Batman, but on a Jubilee bracelet.
- Ref: 126710BLNR on Jubilee
- Sprite
- Rolex GMT-Master II with a green and black bezel, reminiscent of the Sprite soda branding.
- Ref: 126720VTNR
- Root Beer
- Rolex GMT-Master with a brown and black (or brown and gold) bezel, reminiscent of root beer coloring.
- Various refs, commonly two-tone gold models
Submariner colorways
The Submariner started as a tool dive watch and grew into a colorway playground. Most green, blue, and white-gold variants picked up nicknames as soon as they hit dealer counters.
- Hulk
- Rolex Submariner with a green dial AND green ceramic bezel. Named after the Incredible Hulk. Now discontinued and highly sought.
- Ref: 116610LV
- Kermit
- Rolex Submariner with a BLACK dial and green bezel. Named after Kermit the Frog. Originally the 50th anniversary Sub.
- Refs: 16610LV (original), 126610LV (Cermit/Starbucks)
- Starbucks / Cermit
- The current-production green bezel Submariner with ceramic bezel. 'Cermit' = Ceramic + Kermit.
- Ref: 126610LV
- Smurf
- White gold Submariner with an all-blue dial and blue bezel. Named for its monochromatic blue in precious metal.
- Ref: 116619LB
- Cookie Monster
- White gold Submariner with blue bezel and BLACK dial (not blue dial like the Smurf). Named after the Sesame Street character.
- Ref: 126619LB
- Great White
- Later Sea-Dweller 1665 variants with all-white dial text, replacing the Double Red.
- Ref: 1665 (late production)
- Double Red Sea-Dweller
- Early Sea-Dweller 1665 with two lines of red text on the dial. Abbreviated 'DRSD.' Extremely rare and valuable.
- Ref: 1665 (early)
- Red Line Sub
- Rolex Submariner ref. 1680 with 'Submariner' printed in red text on the dial. Only found on the first half of 1680 production. Highly collectible.
- Ref: 1680 (early production)
Daytona dial variants
Rolex Daytona dials drive some of the most-discussed nicknames in collecting. Dial layout, subdial color, and pre-Zenith-vs-Zenith-vs-current movement generations all factor into what a Daytona is actually called.
- Paul Newman
- Vintage Daytona with exotic Art Deco-style dials featuring contrasting colors and unique fonts. Named after the actor. One of the most valuable Rolex references.
- Refs: 6239, 6241, 6263, etc.
- Reverse Panda
- Black dial Daytona with white subdials - the inverse of the Panda.
- Ref: 116500LN (black dial)
- John Mayer
- The green-dial yellow gold Daytona, popularized after John Mayer featured it on his Talking Watches episode. Was a sleeper that became a hype watch.
- Ref: 116508 (green dial)
Datejust and Day-Date dial nicknames
The Datejust and Day-Date have long production runs and many dial variants, which means they collect nicknames at a steady rate. Most reference specific dial colors or lacquer treatments.
- Wimbledon
- Rolex Datejust with a slate gray dial and green Roman numeral hour markers. Named after the tennis tournament's colors.
- Ref: 126334 (and others)
- Tiffany Blue
- The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-018 with Tiffany & Co. blue-green dial, made for the Tiffany x Patek partnership. One of the most hyped watches in history.
- Ref: 5711/1A-018
- Stella
- Day-Date models with brightly colored enamel/lacquer dials (pink, green, turquoise, orange) from the 1970s.
- 1970s Day-Date refs
- President
- Rolex Day-Date on the President bracelet. The flagship Rolex, worn by multiple U.S. Presidents.
- Day-Date collection
Gem-set and VIP-only configurations
These nicknames are abbreviations for Rolex's gem-set bezel configurations, mostly produced off-catalog or in limited runs for VIP buyers. The acronyms describe the stones used.
- SARU
- Sapphires + Rubies. A gem-set Rolex bezel configuration featuring trapeze-cut sapphires and rubies, recreating the Pepsi color scheme in precious stones. Off-catalog, VIP-only.
- Refs: 126755SARU, 116758SARU
- SABR
- Sapphires + Brillants (Diamonds). A gem-set bezel configuration featuring sapphires and diamonds.
- Ref: 116759SABR, etc.
- SANR
- Saphirs Noirs (Black Sapphires) + Diamonds. A gem-set bezel with black sapphires and diamonds.
- Ref: 116759SANR
- SACO
- Saphirs Cognac. A gem-set bezel featuring cognac-colored sapphires. Found on special Daytona references.
- Ref: 116598SACO
- Rainbow
- Daytona or other Rolex model with a multi-colored gemstone-set bezel, creating a rainbow effect. One of the most flamboyant factory Rolex configurations.
- Ref: 116595RBOW, 116598RBOW, etc.
Owner and celebrity nicknames
Some Rolex nicknames come from the people who wore the watches publicly. The watches existed before the nicknames; the celebrity association made the nickname stick.
- Paul Newman
- Vintage Daytona with exotic Art Deco-style dials featuring contrasting colors and unique fonts. Named after the actor. One of the most valuable Rolex references.
- Refs: 6239, 6241, 6263, etc.
- Steve McQueen
- Rolex Explorer II 1655 with the distinctive orange 24-hour hand. Note: McQueen likely never actually wore this model.
- Ref: 1655
- James Bond
- Vintage Submariner with oversized crown and no crown guards, as worn by Sean Connery in early Bond films.
- Ref: 6538
- James Cameron / Deepsea
- Deepsea Sea-Dweller with a blue-to-black gradient dial, honoring director James Cameron's Mariana Trench dive.
- Ref: 126660
- John Mayer
- The green-dial yellow gold Daytona, popularized after John Mayer featured it on his Talking Watches episode. Was a sleeper that became a hype watch.
- Ref: 116508 (green dial)
- John Player Special
- Rare yellow-gold Daytona whose black and gold colors resemble the Lotus F1 cars sponsored by John Player cigarettes.
- Ref: 6241
Vintage-specific nicknames
Vintage Rolex collectors use these names for specific dial-and-case combinations from the 1950s through the 1990s. Some predate Rolex's modern naming conventions entirely.
- Bubbleback
- Early Rolex automatic models with a distinctively rounded case back that protruded outward.
- 1930s-1950s Oyster Perpetual refs
- Thunderbird
- Datejust Turn-O-Graph with a rotating bezel, used by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbird squadron.
- Turn-O-Graph / Datejust refs
- Fat Lady
- GMT-Master II with a thicker case and crown guards. Its stout profile inspired the name. Also called 'Sophia Loren.'
- Ref: 16760
- Pre-Ceramic
- Refers to Rolex sport models produced before the switch from aluminum bezel inserts to ceramic (Cerachrom). Pre-ceramic pieces have a vintage feel, slimmer profile, and different aesthetic. Applies to the Submariner and GMT-Master line. The Daytona's pre-ceramic era used an engraved steel bezel rather than an aluminum insert.
- Pre-ceramic Sub has that classic look - thinner case, aluminum bezel, different vibe.
- Bart Simpson
- Vintage Submariners from the 1960s with a crown shape that resembles Bart Simpson's spiky hair.
- 1960s Submariner refs
- Pikachu
- Yellow gold Daytona on Oysterflex with champagne dial and black subdials. The yellow gold case paired with the black-on-champagne dial echoes the Pokemon character's yellow body and black markings.
- Refs: 116518LN, 126518LN
Other nicknames
Names that don't fit cleanly into the themed groups above.
How to read a Rolex listing
A typical secondary-market listing looks like:
WTS Hulk 116610LV, full set, 2017, mint, $26,500 OBO
- WTS = Want To Sell. See WTS.
- Hulk= the nickname. Tells you it's a green-dial green-bezel Submariner.
- 116610LV = the reference number, which pins down the exact model and movement generation.
- full set = comes with all original accessories. See Full Set.
- 2017 = production year from the warranty card.
- mint = condition grade. See Mint / LNIB.
- $26,500 OBO = asking price, Or Best Offer (the seller will entertain lower offers).
Common questions
- Why does Rolex have so many nicknames?
- Collectors name watches faster than Rolex updates its catalog. Each new dial color, bezel variant, or limited run gets shorthand inside trading communities, and the names spread because they're easier to type than 11-character reference numbers.
- Are Rolex nicknames official?
- No. Rolex itself doesn't use these nicknames in marketing or model documentation. They're community-generated and have no official status. But they're universally understood among dealers and collectors, which is why every secondary-market listing uses them.
- What's the most-traded Rolex nickname?
- Sub and GMT come up the most, but among colorways, Pepsi, Batman, and Hulk are the highest-volume nicknames in dealer chats. Daytona is its own ecosystem, with Panda and Reverse Panda being the most common dial-shape descriptors.
- How do I know which Rolex reference matches a nickname?
- Most nicknames map to multiple references across production years. A Pepsi could be a vintage 6542, a 1675, or a modern 126710BLRO. The nickname tells you the colorway; the reference number tells you the era and movement generation.
About the author
Vadim ModaFounder of Moda Clubs
Has been trading luxury watches since 2017, before founding Moda Clubs in 2018. Moda Clubs operates 23 buy/sell communities across watches, cars, diamonds, and other luxury goods, with 600,000+ members, run out of Moda HQ in Sioux Falls, SD.