Singer Vasco Rossi spotted wearing a Rolex

In 2012, Italian rock icon Vasco Rossi released a new album whose cover caught the attention of watch enthusiasts just as much as music fans. There, clearly visible, was a Rolex Submariner Date ref. 16610LV — the aluminum-bezel 'Kermit' — worn with the kind of casual authority you'd expect from a man who has been filling stadiums for four decades. The sighting predates the ceramic-bezel successor by just over a year, placing it squarely in the final chapter of the 16610LV's production life.

The Rolex Submariner Date 16610LV was introduced in 2003 as a limited anniversary edition marking fifty years of the Submariner line. Its defining feature is the green anodized aluminum bezel insert — a radical departure from the black standard that had defined the model since 1953. Underneath the Oyster case sits the calibre 3135, Rolex's workhorse self-winding movement with a 48-hour power reserve, Parachrom hairspring, and chronometer certification. Water resistance is rated to 300 metres. Case diameter is 40mm — compact by today's standards but considered ideal by a generation of purist collectors.

The 16610LV was discontinued in 2010 when Rolex introduced the ref. 116610LV, which replaced the aluminum bezel with a Cerachrom ceramic insert in a deeper, richer green. The transition gave the original aluminium 'Kermit' an immediate retrospective appeal. Collectors prize the older reference precisely because its green fades and patinas with age in ways no ceramic ever will, giving each example a unique character over time.

Vasco Rossi's decision — conscious or not — to feature the 16610LV on album artwork in 2012 speaks to its cultural staying power. By that point the watch had already been off the official price list for two years, meaning Rossi was wearing a reference that had already begun its transition from current model to collector's piece. For Italian watch enthusiasts who are also among his vast fanbase, the image carries a double resonance.

On the secondary market, the Rolex Submariner Date 'Kermit' ref. 16610LV commands a significant premium over its original retail price, driven by nostalgia, the aluminium bezel's irreproducibility, and sustained global demand for sport Rolex references in this era. Clean examples with original bracelet and box and papers consistently trade well above the five-figure threshold.