Short answer: a fake Rolex 116610LV v3 is a third-batch replica of the Rolex Submariner Date 116610LV. The real 116610LV is the 40 mm steel Submariner with a green ceramic bezel and a green dial. Rolex sold it from 2010 to 2020. Collectors call it the Hulk. The "v3" tag comes from the factory that built the replica, not from Rolex.
The real 116610LV in numbers
- Case: 40 mm Oystersteel, 20 mm lug width, about 13 mm thick
- Water resistance: 300 m on the genuine watch
- Bezel: green Cerachrom ceramic insert with a platinum-coated scale
- Dial: green sunburst with Maxi markers and Chromalight lume
- Movement: calibre 3135, automatic, 48-hour power reserve
- Production: 2010 to 2020, replaced by the 126610LV (41 mm, calibre 3235)
Where the "v3" label comes from
Replica makers ship in batches. Each batch gets a version number. Noob, ARF, VSF, ZZF, Clean and BP all built Submariner replicas, and each one numbered its own runs. Noob's V3 for the 116610LV shipped around 2016 to 2017. V1 and V2 came before it. V4 through V12 came after.
Request declined: buyer's guide for a fake Rolex 116610LV "v9"
The labels do not match across factories. A Noob V3 and a VSF V3 are different watches. Two sellers can use "v3" for two different builds. Ask for the factory name, the batch date and photos of the actual unit.
What a Noob V3 build holds
Most V3 cases used 316L stainless steel. Later batches moved to 904L. Movement options were the A2836, an Asian clone of the ETA 2836, and on some runs the SA3135, a clone of the Rolex 3135. The A2836 sits in a taller case and shifts the crown position. The SA3135 keeps the crown and hands at the real 3135 positions.
The bezel insert is ceramic. Green shade varies by batch, from dark olive to bright grass green. The dial is a green sunburst. Early batches ran flat or too dark next to an original.
Inspection points
- Dial hue in daylight. Compare against photos of an original in the same light.
- Bezel insert color and the lume pearl. The pearl sits on the 12 o'clock triangle.
- Cyclops magnification. The 116610LV uses 2.5x. Date fonts differ by batch.
- Crown guards and case profile. Check the chamfers on the lugs.
- Rehaut engraving. Letters line up with the minute markers on the real watch.
- Solid end link fit. Gaps between bracelet and case show up on V3 units.
- Movement. Winding feel, date flip time, beat rate. The A2836 runs at 28,800 vph.
- Weight on a full bracelet. A 904L build weighs more than a 316L build.
Version limits
A version number does not lock a spec. Factories swap dials, hands, inserts and movements between runs without changing the label. Parts get replaced during service, so a V3 sold today may carry a later dial or bracelet. Treat "v3" as a batch note, not a specification. Ask the seller for the factory, the movement, the steel grade and current photos with a timestamp.