Watch Paparazzi

American football player Mark Sanchez spotted wearing Rolex

Mark Sanchez, the NFL quarterback who spent time under center for franchises including the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles, was recently spotted wearing one of Rolex's most debated and ultimately beloved sports watches — the Submariner Date reference 116610LV, widely known among collectors as the 'Hulk.'

Introduced at Baselworld 2010, the Rolex Submariner 116610LV represented a significant evolution of the Submariner line. It was the first Submariner to feature Rolex's proprietary Cerachrom ceramic bezel insert — in green — paired with a matching green sunburst dial. The 40mm Oystersteel case houses the calibre 3135 movement, a self-winding mechanical manufacture movement beating at 28,800 vph with a 48-hour power reserve, offering ±2 seconds per day chronometric precision. Water resistance is rated to 300 metres, consistent with the Submariner's professional dive watch credentials.

What gives the 116610LV its particular collector weight is the combination of its limited production window — just a decade on the market, from 2010 to 2020 — and the bold aesthetic choice Rolex made with the all-green color scheme. When first released, opinion was split. By the time Rolex retired it in favor of the upgraded 41mm reference 126610LV (dubbed the 'Starbucks' for its two-tone black dial and green bezel), the Hulk had achieved near-mythological status in the Rolex collector community. The market responded accordingly.

Sanchez has always cut a polished figure off the field, and the 116610LV suits that profile. It reads as a serious watch choice — not the obvious Daytona or Datejust that fills locker rooms — suggesting a collector's sensibility rather than a default to the most recognizable Rolex on the shelf.

On the grey market, the Hulk commands a notable premium over its original retail price, driven by discontinued status and sustained demand. Buyers looking to acquire a clean example today will find prices well above what any authorized dealer ever charged — a reminder that in the Rolex ecosystem, discontinuation is often the beginning of a watch's most interesting chapter.