The reference you want is 116610LV, the green-dial Rolex Submariner Date that collectors call the Hulk. A search for "fake rolex 1166 10 lv" is almost always a mangled version of that number, copied out of a listing or a chat thread. The useful question is not which seller has one, but which physical details separate a genuine 116610LV from a copy. This guide walks four criteria that decide the answer: reference accuracy, case and bracelet geometry, crystal and rehaut engraving, and documentation.

What the 116610LV actually is

Rolex launched the 116610LV in 2010 as the green counterpart to the black 116610LN. It uses a 40 mm Oystersteel case, a green Cerachrom ceramic bezel insert with numerals filled by a platinum coating, a green dial with the larger maxi hour markers, the calibre 3135 automatic movement, and an Oyster bracelet with a Glidelock extension clasp. Rolex discontinued it around 2020 and replaced it with the 126610LV, which keeps the green bezel but switches to a black dial. That single fact matters, because a great many listings describe a black-dial watch as a 116610LV when the actual reference is 126610LV.

Why the query "fake rolex 1166 10 lv" returns so much noise

Reference numbers that arrive with stray spaces, dropped digits, or transposed characters usually come from wholesale catalogs that were typed once and copied hundreds of times. Sellers who cannot spell the reference correctly are also unlikely to describe the watch correctly, which makes the number itself your first filter. Treat a garbled reference as a signal to slow down rather than a search term to chase.

Criterion 1: Reference and dial pairing

The 116610LV is green dial with green bezel. Full stop. If a listing shows a black dial with a green bezel, it is describing the 126610LV, and any seller who insists otherwise is either confused or working from a template.

Pros of checking this first

• It takes seconds and eliminates most bad listings immediately.
• It exposes sellers who copy descriptions without ever handling the watch.
• It protects you from paying Hulk money for a different reference.

Cons

• Dial and bezel color alone cannot confirm authenticity, since both can be swapped.
• Photos are easy to edit, so the pairing on screen may not match the watch in hand.

Use this criterion as a gate, not a verdict. It is the fastest way to decide whether a listing deserves a second look.

Criterion 2: Case, lugs, and bracelet fit

The 116610 generation introduced what Rolex owners call the maxi case: wider lugs, a thicker profile, and heavier crown guards than the 16610 it replaced. Solid end links should sit flush against the lugs with no visible gap or rocking, and the bracelet should feel dense rather than hollow. Copies frequently get the lug width slightly wrong, leave a hairline gap at the end link, or use a clasp that snaps with a thin, tinny sound.

Pros

• Case geometry is difficult to fake convincingly at the price points most copies sell for.
• Bracelet and clasp feel can be judged in person without tools.

Cons

• Genuine bracelets get swapped between watches, so a correct bracelet does not prove a correct case.
• Wear and polishing can blur the lines on a real watch, making the comparison harder.

If you can only inspect a watch once, spend that time on the lugs and the clasp. It is the hardest area to correct later.

Criterion 3: Crystal, rehaut, and movement access

Watches from this era carry a laser-etched coronet at the six o'clock position on the sapphire crystal, visible under angled light, and a rehaut engraved with repeating ROLEX text and the serial number. The calibre 3135 beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour, which is roughly eight ticks per second, and a watchmaker can read that in seconds. A caseback that opens easily, a rotor that spins with a gritty rasp, or a movement that cannot be identified by a trained eye are all reasons to walk away.

Pros

• A qualified watchmaker can confirm or reject a movement in minutes.
• The engraved rehaut and etched crystal are details that cheap copies rarely reproduce cleanly.

Cons

• You need a watchmaker, and that costs money and time.
• Opening a case can affect water resistance until it is resealed.

This is the criterion to spend money on. A twenty minute inspection by an independent watchmaker is the cheapest insurance in this hobby.

Criterion 4: Documentation and seller conduct

Boxes, booklets, and cards are all reproducible, so paperwork supports a story rather than proving one. What paperwork does reveal is consistency. Serial numbers should match across the card and the case, the reference on the card should read 116610LV, and the seller should answer questions about provenance without deflecting to price.

Pros

• Matching numbers make a watch easier to sell later.
• A seller who welcomes an inspection is usually a seller worth talking to.

Cons

• Fake cards and boxes are common and inexpensive to produce.
• Full sets command a premium, which gives forgers an incentive to fabricate them.

Ask for the serial, check it against the card, and ask whether a third party inspection is acceptable. A refusal answers the question for you.

Which approach fits your situation

If you are buying your first Submariner and want a single recommendation, combine criteria three and four: pay for a watchmaker inspection and buy only from a seller who permits one. If you are browsing listings online and cannot inspect anything in person, lean on criteria one and two to filter quickly, then treat any remaining candidate as unverified until a professional sees it. The 116610LV is a well documented reference, and there is no reason to accept uncertainty when a trained eye can settle the question.