Television presenter Diletta Leotta spotted wearing a Rolex

Diletta Leotta, one of Italy's most recognisable sports broadcasters and a fixture on Sky Sport Italia, was recently spotted wearing a Rolex Submariner Date ref. 116610LV — the model collectors have long nicknamed the 'Hulk' for its distinctive all-green livery spanning both bezel and dial.

The 116610LV entered production in 2010 as Rolex's upgrade to the earlier 16610LV 'Kermit,' which featured a green bezel on a black dial. With the 116610LV, Rolex went all-in: a rich green sunburst dial paired with the green Cerachrom ceramic bezel insert, set in a 40mm Oystersteel case with a Glidelock-equipped Oyster bracelet. Power comes from the Calibre 3135, Rolex's workhorse self-winding movement offering a 48-hour power reserve, bi-directional rotor winding, and Rolex's own Parachrom hairspring for improved shock and magnetic resistance. Water resistance sits at 300 metres, consistent with the Submariner's professional dive watch brief.

When Rolex discontinued the 116610LV in 2020 — replacing it with the 126610LV, a subtly updated version with a smaller case profile at 41mm and the newer Calibre 3235 — the grey market reacted immediately. The Hulk had already commanded a premium above retail for years, but discontinuation turned that premium into something considerably more serious. Collectors prize the 116610LV as the last full expression of the 40mm Submariner Date format, and the green-on-green aesthetic has shifted from polarising to iconic in the years since.

Leotta's choice is noteworthy in the context of celebrity watch sightings, where stainless steel Submariners — typically the black-dial 116610LN — function almost as background noise. The Hulk is a deliberate, specific selection. It reads as the choice of someone who has done their research, not simply reached for the most recognisable sports watch on the market.

On the secondary market, the Rolex Submariner Date 116610LV consistently trades well above its original retail price of approximately $8,100 USD at the time of discontinuation. Current grey-market values place the reference in a strong position, with clean examples regularly commanding figures that reflect both collector demand and the model's closed-chapter status. For a discontinued Rolex sports reference in stainless steel, that trajectory shows little sign of reversing.