From SwissWatchExpo… Spotlight on: the Green Rolex Submariners,
Kermit and Hulk. Spotting the difference.
If you’re a Rolex fan, you’d know by now that green is their signature color. Aside
from the brand’s logo, Rolex only uses green for their special edition watches – so a
Rolex in green is a pretty big deal.
Two of their most popular green watches are the Rolex Submariner Kermit and Rolex Submariner Hulk.
We’ll take a look at the similarities and differences of these two watches, so you can
decide which one to get – if not both.
Let’s go back a bit and discuss how the Rolex Kermit and Rolex Hulk came to be.
Rolex does not make massive changes in their watches, especially for iconic styles such
as the Rolex Submariner. On the 50th anniversary of the Submariner in 2003, Rolex came up with
something different.
They caused a bit of a stir with the Kermit – a Submariner Date with a bright green
bezel. With its reference came the letters LV for lunette verte, or French for green
bezel.
Rolex doesn’t give official nicknames to watches ; but the watch community, inspired
by its bright green bezel, has named it after the Muppet character, Kermit the Frog.
After 7 years, Rolex discontinued the Kermit, and introduced the Hulk, named by the watch
community after the Marvel superhero. The update comes with a forest green dial to match
its bezel.
With a 7-year difference, the Hulk definitely has improved features compared to the Kermit.
However, many Rolex fans still favor the Kermit as it’s much closer to the classic all-black
Submariner. Let’s take a closer look at their details.
The most obvious difference is in their bezel colours and material.
The Kermit’s bezel is more of a glossy, emerald green; while the Hulk’s bezel has
a deeper shade of green.
The more important difference between the two bezels is the material. The Kermit makes
use of a green aluminum insert, while the Hulk was upgraded to the Cerachrom, Rolex’s
ceramic bezel, which has been celebrated for its resistance to sun damage, scratches, fading,
and corrosion.
Their case and crown also differ upon closer inspection.
Both watches have 40 mm case sizes, but the Hulk looks bigger than the Kermit. This is
because the Hulk was equipped with a “Maxi case”, or lugs and crown guards almost twice
the size of previous watch cases.
You’ll also notice sharper crown guards on the Kermit, while the Hulk has flat-edged
ones.
And finally, you’ll notice the different bracelet clasps on the two watches.
The Kermit has the Oysterlock clasp, while the Hulk is equipped with Rolex’s Glidelock
clasp. The latter lets the wearer expand the bracelet to 20 mm with 2 mm increments. This
is especially useful when wearing the watch over a dive suit.
The Kermit and the Hulk have distinct features that make them highly desirable. The Kermit
may be more suitable for those who love the traditional Submariner, while the Hulk would
be the best choice for those who want a modern, eye-catching Submariner.
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