The Rolex 116618 is the 40 mm yellow gold Submariner Date, and a real comparison comes down to five references: the black dial 116618LN, the blue dial 116618LB, the white gold 116619LB, the two tone 116613LN, and the 41 mm successor 126618LN. Every 116618 shares the same 18k yellow gold Oyster case, Cerachrom bezel, Glidelock clasp and caliber 3135 movement. Dial color is the only difference inside the 116618 family, so the choice is cosmetic and the money is in the metal.
What is the difference between the 116618LN and the 116618LB?
The 116618LN pairs a black dial with a black Cerachrom insert, while the 116618LB pairs a blue dial with a blue insert; both use yellow gold numerals filled into the ceramic. Case, movement, bracelet, water resistance and case size are identical. The LN is the volume seller and the LB is the rarer variant, so clean LB examples usually carry a premium on the secondary market.
How does the 116618 compare with the 116619LB?
The 116619LB, nicknamed the Smurf, is the same 40 mm Submariner Date in 18k white gold with a blue dial and blue bezel. Specs match the 116618 line: caliber 3135, 300 m water resistance, sapphire crystal with Cyclops, solid gold Oyster bracelet. The difference is color psychology and resale. White gold reads as steel from across a room, while yellow gold announces itself, and the white gold Smurf historically trades at a softer premium than its scarcity suggests.
116618LN vs 116613LN: full gold or two tone?
The 116613LN uses a steel case and steel outer links with an 18k yellow gold bezel, crown and center links. It weighs roughly 170 g against about 220 g for the full gold 116618, and it costs a fraction of the price new or used. If the goal is the gold Submariner look without gold weight or gold maintenance, the two tone is the practical route.
116618LN vs 126618LN: 40 mm or 41 mm?
Rolex replaced the 116618LN with the 126618LN in 2020, moving to a 41 mm case, slimmer lugs, a wider bracelet and the caliber 3235 with a 70 hour power reserve. Water resistance stays at 300 m and the Cerachrom bezel stays ceramic. The older 116618 keeps the classic 40 mm proportions and the 3135 movement, and it usually asks less on the pre owned market.
Side by side specifications
- Case: 40 mm, 18k yellow gold, 300 m water resistance (116618 family)
- Bezel: Cerachrom ceramic with gold filled graduations, unidirectional
- Movement: caliber 3135, 28,800 vph, 48 hour power reserve
- Crystal: sapphire with Cyclops lens over the date
- Bracelet: solid gold Oyster with Glidelock extension
- Weight: roughly 220 g on a full bracelet versus about 155 g for a steel Submariner
- Production: 116618LN and 116618LB ran from 2008 to 2020
How do you tell a real 116618 from a gold plated replica?
Start with weight. A solid 18k 116618 lands near 220 g, while a gold plated steel copy usually sits between 150 g and 175 g on the same scale. Tungsten cored replicas can imitate the heft, so weight alone is not a verdict.
- Hallmarks: look between the lugs for the 750 stamp and Swiss gold marks on genuine gold cases.
- Bezel numerals: genuine Cerachrom graduations are recessed and filled with real gold, replicas use paint or thin plating that dulls.
- Rehaut: the ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX engraving should align with the minute track and stay crisp under magnification.
- Crystal: a laser etched coronet sits at 6 o'clock, visible only at the right angle.
- Movement: caliber 3135 shows a free sprung balance and clean Geneva finishing, clone 3135 movements show rougher bridges and different shock settings.
- Bracelet: gold end links and solid screws match the case color and weight, plated copies show wear at the clasp edges.
Why do super clones still fail the movement check?
Modern 1:1 copies can match dial printing, case shape and bezel color closely. The tell is under the caseback, where clone 3135 architecture, engraving depth and finishing rarely match a genuine Rolex calibre. A watchmaker with a timing machine resolves most doubts in minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 116618 still in production?
No. Rolex discontinued the 116618LN and 116618LB in 2020 and replaced them with the 41 mm 126618LN and related references.
Which 116618 holds value best?
The black dial 116618LN is the most liquid and easiest to sell. The blue 116618LB is scarcer and often asks more, but the premium moves with collector demand and should be checked against current listings.
Does the 116618 have a Glidelock clasp?
Yes. The 116618 uses a solid gold Oyster bracelet with a Glidelock extension system under the clasp, the same style of micro adjustment found on steel Submariners.