Rolex Submariner "Smurf" Unboxing | What's in the Box Ep. 11

Join the What’s in the Box team as they unbox one of the most beloved white gold Rolexes of all time. Discover pre-owned Rolex watches: www.bobswatches.com
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Welcome to What’s in the Box, a weekly series showcasing a different live unboxing and on-the-spot review from our latest arrivals collection. Each watch featured will be available for purchase at the time of the video’s release. Read on to learn more about this week’s featured watches and find links to buy them.
WRIST CHECK
Justin’s Wrist: Rolex Yacht-Master 40 ref. 126622
Find the Rolex 126622 for sale here:
www.bobswatches.com/rolex-yac...
Emily’s Wrist: Patek Philippe Ellipse ref. 3848/1
Find the Patek 3848/1 for sale here:
www.bobswatches.com/patek-phi...
FEATURED UNBOXING
Rolex Smurf Submariner ref. 116619
Find the Rolex Smurf for sale here: www.bobswatches.com/rolex-sub...
Rolex Smurf Review: Blue has long been an option within the Submariner portfolio, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise because the collection was meant to explore the ocean’s mysterious depths. Blue is inherently nautical and is right at home among the Crown’s most iconic dive watch.
The white gold model, reference 116619, affectionately dubbed the “Rolex Smurf,” didn’t grace the Rolex catalog until 2008, coinciding with the Submariner collection’s 55th anniversary and the centennial of the officially registered Rolex name.
The new anniversary Submariner helped usher in the next generation of significantly more contemporary models. It featured the now-iconic “super case” silhouette, pairing broader lugs with larger crown guards. Furthermore, the aluminum bezel was swapped for more resilient “Cerachrom” ceramic, and the hour markers and hands grew to accommodate the overall more robust proportions of the case itself.
Despite these notable upgrades, the then-new 6-digit Submariner retained the same 40mm diameter, 300-meter depth rating, and caliber 3135 Perpetual movement as its 5-digit predecessors.
INTRODUCING THE SUBMARINER SMURF
In addition to being a very desirable, solid 18k white gold Rolex, the ref. 116619 turned heads with a stunning bright blue matte dial. It matches the cool tones of the white gold finish flawlessly and stands apart from other Rolex blue dials that feature a shinier, sunburst finish.
Many keen-eyed collectors also quickly noticed that the bright dial matched the ceramic insert better than the previous sunburst dials. Of course, it also resembles the Smurf cartoon characters, hence its quirky nickname.
Previous generations relied on Super-LumiNova for luminescence. However, the Rolex Smurf sports improved Chromalight, which has a crisp white appearance in the light and glows vibrantly blue in the dark. The stark white hue further enhances the watch’s resemblance to the beloved cartoon characters.
This model reigned supreme for several glorious years before it was discontinued in 2020 to make way for the newest edition of the white gold Rolex Submariner. Ref. 126619 has the same blue ceramic bezel but now sports a sharp black dial instead of blue to match the bezel.
It stands apart from its Smurf predecessor and has its own set of nicknames to boot, including Cookie Monster, SEGA, BMW, and Sonic the Hedgehog. So far, Cookie Monster is the collector favorite.
Now that this watch has been discontinued, we expect it to hold value incredibly well in the long term. As of 2024, it trades hands for just under $40k. Compared to ref. 126619’s current retail $42,000 sticker price, it is a very attractive option for anyone looking to add a watch with a fascinating history and an even more fascinating design set to their collection.
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[@dslaughter-tv1op]

Thanks for sharing. Beautiful blue Love the Yachty and the deep garnet red idea!

[@bobswatches]

Such a great blue. Thank you for watching!

[@ComicBookVeteran]

Wearing my just-back-from-service 16710 Pepsi on a jubilee today. Love its versatility. Easy to switch straps or bracelet. It’s absolutely awesome!

[@bobswatches]

A freshly serviced 16710? Very nice! Thanks for sharing.

[@jaydin9825]

Cookie monster all the way but the Smurf is awesome too. I just bought a Kermit from an AD and I love the green/black contrast. A new sub with a Tiffany dial and black bezel.

[@bobswatches]

+1 for the "Cookie Monster". Love hearing your idea about a Tiffany Blue and Black Bezel Submariner. Enjoy your gorgeous new Kermit!

[@michaelking446]

My Smurf is almost my fav Rolex. Hulk and Yachtmaster 42 are being challenged. The blue blows me away. If I want black and blue, I’ll go with Batman.

[@annkennedy1831]

The Smurf with blue dial and bezel is very nice. Prefer the green dial and bezel of the Hulk though. Next color choice would be metallic red.

[@bobswatches]

You are not wrong about the beauty of the green dial and bezel on the hulk! A fun idea on their next Submariner color choice being metallic red. We're eager to see what they unveil at Watches and Wonders in April.

[@annkennedy1831]

And the metallic red should be both the dial and the bezel.

[@z06cowboy72]

The next anniversary Sub must be platinium with the ice blue dial and chocolate bezel for the 75th. I'd settle for a yellow gold Hulk.

[@bobswatches]

Fun suggestion on the possible 75th anniversary Submariner!

[@dsvillalva]

Wearing my 126710 Batman. My AD also got me the jubilee bracelet from Rolex to convert my Batman into a Batgirl!

[@bobswatches]

Never a bad day in the Batman (or Batgirl when it's on Jubilee)!

[@jsusna1972]

Wearing my GMT II with the Coke bezel. I've had it for almost a month now and it still makes me smile. Good decision by me. As for a new Submariner color scheme: I have seen some modified Submariners with the blue bezel and a dial of while, silver or mother-of-pearl, similar to the Yacht Master II. P.S. Emily: love your manicure today. Plum? 😁

[@bobswatches]

We're still just as happy for you and your GMT_Master II "Coke" as you are 🙌 Also, big fans of your suggestions on what Rolex could do with future Submariner color schemes.

[@bobswatches]

Ps. Thanks for noticing the nails! More colors to come. -Emily

[@Idelia412]

For me I like yellow gold better.

[@bobswatches]

Yes! The yellow gold offers such a beautiful contrast to the blue dial and bezel.

[@FirstLast-rt5qc]

Rolex is literally becoming a joke. When does the yellow one come out? The magenta one?

[@silveriver9]

Let's call it "Dori" instead of Smurf, as Dori is a blue fish from the ocean. Suits the Submariner. I bet everyone will disagree because it is feminine. Well, why call blue GMT jubilee "batgirl?" 🤦‍♂️. It is called "Bruce Wayne"

[@bobswatches]

Love the nickname suggestion!

[@lukeryan5428]

There is no such thing as white gold, it is just yellow gold mixed with other metals such as palladium or nickel then plated with rhodium. Why bother, stainless steel is more real.

[@chuckheard1]

Wrong... This is not plated. And as for why... Some people want a gold piece but don't want to be flashy. Makes sense to me.

[@bobswatches]

Rolex offers the 18k white gold as an alternative to their yellow gold for a more versatile and understated yet still premium look. To each their own!