Rolex Vault › All references › Submariner
Submariner · 2008 to 2020 · Discontinued
“Smurf”
Rank #113 of 113 rated pieces in the Rolex Vault
Market range is an estimate from dealer and auction pricing: too few recorded eBay sales to set it.
Average market price for an example in excellent condition. Dashed line marks the us retail (2020).
The first white gold Submariner, nicknamed the Smurf for its electric blue bezel and dial. Discontinued in 2020 and replaced by the 41mm 126619LB, which switched to a black dial.
That switch is the whole story: this is now the only blue-dial white gold Sub there will ever be, and the collector market has treated it accordingly.
The Smurf arrived in 2008 as the first white gold Submariner, with a matching blue dial and bezel that no other white gold Sub has worn since. The nickname was mildly mocking; the discontinuation in 2020 made it a legend.
It's the collector's favorite modern gold Sub precisely because its spec died with it: successor went black dial, 41mm. One-generation configurations are how modern Rolex mints future grails, and this is the cleanest example in the Sub line.
Our verdict: Stealth-wealth Sub with a closed production window and a dial and bezel combination unique among white gold Subs. The strongest of the gold Subs.
| Sizes | 40mm |
|---|---|
| Case & bracelet | 18k white gold |
| Factory bracelet | Oyster |
| Factory bezels | Blue Cerachrom on 18k white gold |
| Notable dials | Blue sunburst |
| Caliber | 3135 |
| Production | 2008 to 2020 (discontinued) |
The Crown Index grades it F (35/100) from real resale data, and today's call is avoid. It has lost value; not one to buy as an investment. Past prices are not a forecast.