Seeing Green: The Most Prevalent of Rolex Dial Colors
Reference 116610LV
Rolex watches, by and large, aren’t known for being especially colorful. Black, white, and grey dials are abundant, intermittently complemented by a splash of color here and there (the latest Oyster Perpetual launches are a fantastic example). That said, Rolex has always had a thing for green that we can’t quite understand. Is it a connection to the color of their boxes? Is it because green is the color of money, or a reference to the term greenback for American currency that first started circulating long before Hans Wilsdorf ever founded the Rolex brand? The reality is that we do not know, but we do know that there are some lovely green references from the brand that are worth talking about, so let’s get into it.
Submariner Date “Hulk”
The Hulk’s 10-year run in the Rolex catalog from 2010 to 2020 was an interesting one. Very much a niche unit compared to other Subs, loved by some, and initially ignored by others, there’s no arguing that it’s booming popularity of late is tied to the fact that (like other steel Rolex models) these watches are becoming hard to find. The Hulk appeared as the Cerachrom bezel replacement for the black dial/green bezel Kermit Submariner, though in this form arriving with a brilliant sunburst green dial to match. While not the first ceramic bezel to launch from Rolex (that was the GMT-Master II in 2005), it was the second colorful ceramic bezel from the brand, preceded by the two-tone 116613 the year prior.
Cosmograph Daytona
Reference 116508-0013
Any Daytona makes a pretty strong statement, we get that, but when you spot a solid gold Daytona on bracelet with a vibrant green dial, you know someone isn’t messing around. These things weigh a ton and are rightfully devoid of a ceramic bezel to further push the “all gold” look. These things continued to fly beautifully under the radar for a few years after their launch, until they surfaced in a “Talking Watches” episode with John Mayer in 2019. These days, good luck finding one anywhere near its retail list price. Though devoid of ceramic, this modern reference still uses the in-house Rolex 4130 chronograph caliber.
GMT-Master II
Reference 116718LN
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that this green-dialed, yellow gold GMT-Master II reference is the most out-of-the-ordinary modern “tool watch” reference Rolex has made, at least in the last few decades. Yes, some of you will point to the Milgauss, but I don’t think the Milgauss can beat this. This reference arrived as the first Rolex with a ceramic bezel, marking the 50th anniversary of the GMT-Master II line. The combination of a yellow gold case, forest green dial, glossy black ceramic bezel, and yellow bezel numerals makes for a very unique watch to commemorate a very special occasion. Those wanting something tamer can look to the black dial variant, but this shade of “Rolex warranty booklet green” certainly has its charm.
Milgauss
Reference 116400GV-0001
Yes, I’m cheating with this selection, but after referencing the Milgauss above I thought there was no harm in a mention. Yes, we did specify green dials, and this is clearly black, but if you’ve ever spent some time with a modern Milgauss in your hand or on your wrist, you’ll know why we’re here. Rolex uses a peculiar green tinged sapphire crystal on the Milgauss that gives the watch a distinct green halo that simply doesn’t exist anywhere else in the watch industry. Does it make the crystal better, stronger, clearer, or harder? Not at all, but that doesn’t make this unique detail any less appealing.
Day-Date 40
Reference 228235-0025
Reference 228239-0033
Continuing down the obscure green rabbit hole, there’s an interesting clash of color and style happening in this pair of 40mm Day-Date references. On one hand, the Day-Date is the iconic classic fluted bezel Rolex that most random people on the street can call out as a Rolex watch from 20 feet away. On the other, this polished classic is mated with a sunburst dial that one can only really dub as olive drab. In both rose gold and white gold, the color works surprisingly well, to the point of mostly pushing to the side, the military connection of the chosen hue. Military chic is still a thing, and this would be the watch to go all-in on the look with.
Oyster Perpetual 41, 36, and 31
Coming in as the most recent addition to the line, these new Oyster Perpetual references arrived last year as a bit of a throwback to the old Stella Dial Rolex models from decades ago. Much more subdued than the Coral Red and Candy Pink dials that launched at the same time, these green dials are one of the more daily-wear friendly offerings found in this entire list, depending on your personal style. In an interesting move, these references brought the double-baton indices back to the forefront of the OP collection, which had only been seen on a few other references prior to last year.
Day-Date 36 with green ombré dial
M128238-0069
While the last OP went dark, this ombré dial (or dégradé, meaning transitioning or degrading from light to dark) is the darkest green we’ve seen in the Rolex catalog, and its Moser-esque style is something we would love to see more of from the mighty crown. The combination of its day-date complication, the dial, and its gem-set diamond indices make for a proper “statement piece” that could easily be pulled off by men and women alike.
Datejust 31 with malachite dial
M278288rbr-0004
Closing things out with something slightly daintier, Malachite is one of a number of stones that we’ve seen Rolex intermittently work with for years—going back to the ‘60s and ‘70s. The oversized VI and IX numerals are a less common touch, standing out prominently over the wavy lines in the stone. At 31mm, this is definitely geared towards smaller and primarily feminine wrists, though I’d love to see this material appear in a 36 or 39mm reference without the added gem setting.