As one of the most popular luxury brands in the world, Rolex has its fair share of fans. As with any fanbase, Rolex enthusiasts love to connect on a deeper level with the brand. In addition to admiring and collecting the timepieces, the Rolex fanbase also loves to assign affectionate nicknames to some of Rolex’s best offerings. While Rolex never officially adopts these names in its marketing and branding, it’s certainly not going to oppose the love and free marketing from its dedicated following.
While there are quite a few nicknamed Rolex watches out there, some of them stand apart from the rest. Today we’re highlighting some of our favourite Rolex watches with nicknames.
Everyone knows the Caped Crusader who patrols Gotham City’s streets with a cool car and the Batsuit. Whether you’re a fan of the comics, Michael Keaton, Adam West, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, Robert Pattinson, or even George Clooney’s Batman, there’s no denying the style and panache of the GMT-Master II “Batman.”
This appropriately nicknamed Rolex was introduced in 2013 with a black and blue bezel that instantly called to mind the colour scheme of the shadowy DC superhero. While the introduction of the GMT-Master II was less than a decade ago, it’s already one of the most coveted versions of the timepiece.
While Batgirl doesn’t have quite the same cinematic history as Batman, the GMT-Master II, released in 2019 with a dressy Jubilee bracelet, clearly needed a comic-inspired nickname to set it apart from the 2013 version. Thus, the “Batgirl” GMT-Master II was a natural choice.
The blue and black colour combination remains intact, as do the features and complications that make the GMT-Master II one of the best watches in Rolex’s lineup. If you’re looking for a GMT-Master that’s just a little less casual than the “Batman,” the “Batgirl” might be the perfect fit for you.
This is the OG when it comes to nicknamed GMT-Masters. Rolex collaborated with the airline Pan Am to develop the first GMT-Master in 1955. The watch was designed to be the perfect companion for pilots and travellers with its multiple-time zone features. Of course, Pan Am’s colours were a bright red and blue, which just so happened to be nearly identical to the hues found in the Pepsi logo. Thus, the Pan Am association was sidelined by the Rolex fanbase, who dubbed the original GMT-Master the “Pepsi” Rolex.
Many future models of the GMT-Master II would also adopt this iconic colour scheme. And with Pan Am closing its doors in 1991, most people are now much more familiar with the “Pepsi” soft drink association.
In the 1960s, Rolex would introduce a new colour of the GMT-Master with a two-tone yellow gold and steel bracelet and a black and brown bezel. With the GMT-Master already having two colour schemes nicknamed “Coke” and “Pepsi,” Rolex enthusiasts decided to keep the soda theme going, dubbing the brown and black bezeled GMT-Master the “Root Beer.”
Later models of the GMT-Master II with this colour combination would include a ceramic bezel and the option for an Everose case or two-tone Everose and stainless steel case, but the nickname remained. This model is also sometimes referred to as the “Clint Eastwood,” as it’s a frequent on- and off-screen favourite of the acclaimed actor and director.
Rolex and James Cameron are both known for pushing the limits of their respective crafts. Thus, it was a match made in heaven when James Cameron, Rolex, and National Geographic teamed up in 2012 to develop a one-man submersible to explore the Challenger Deep, the deepest section of the Mariana Trench. Cameron would pilot the sub to an incredible depth of nearly 11km. To pay tribute to this historic event, Rolex released the Sea-Dweller Deepsea James Cameron Edition.
Unlike many of Rolex’s nicknamed watches, this moniker was officially dubbed by Rolex itself. The blue-to-black gradient dial perfectly represents Cameron’s descent, and the Deepsea inscription on the dial is the same hue of green as the submersible.
Modern Rolex watches are made entirely in house, but there was a time when Rolex would call on third-party suppliers for some of its materials. One of the most famous examples is the Rolex Daytona Zenith, which used a Zenith El Primero movement to make the first self-winding Daytona watch.
Though the movement was outsourced, the Zenith El Primero Caliber 400 was one of the finest movements in the 1980s, and Rolex made extensive adjustments to ensure the movement was up to its lofty standards and that it would fit in the Daytona models. The “Zenith” is definitely a coveted model for Daytona fans.
Next, we have another superhero-inspired nickname with the Rolex Submariner “Hulk.” While the green Submariner nicknames previously paid tribute to the iconic Jim Henson muppet Kermit, the 2010 version with a massive Supercase needed something a bit more fitting. Thus, the angry green giant from Marvel comics seemed like the natural choice.
The Rolex “Hulk” is much bulkier than the “Kermit” variations of the Submariner, and it combines a green ceramic bezel with a green dial, adding even more green to the design. The deeper shade of green is also more appropriate to the hue that Hulk sports, as opposed to Kermit’s bright green. One thing is for sure, this glinting green giant will definitely catch everyone’s eye when you wear it on your wrist.
In 2020, Rolex enthusiasts were faced with another green-coloured Submariner with a slightly different profile of hues than past models. Instead of simply relying on old nicknames like “Hulk” and “Kermit,” fans dubbed the new entry to the family the Rolex Submariner “Starbucks.”
The “Starbucks” Rolex features a green bezel and a black dial with a stainless steel case and bracelet. One look at the green and white Starbucks siren logo and you can see where the name inspiration for this Rolex came from.
The Submariner definitely gets some of the best nicknames from the Rolex community, and the introduction of the first two-tone Submariner in 1983 was certainly worthy of being included in the nickname pantheon.
The Rolex “Bluesy” quickly became a hit thanks to its combination of steel, gold, and a strikingly vivid blue dial and bezel. While there are versions that include a black dial and bezel, the name “Bluesy” stuck and has been used for this Submariner ever since.
Finally, we thought we’d wrap our list up with one more beloved Submariner with a fitting nickname. When Rolex released the first white gold Submariner in 2008 with a bright blue bezel and blue dial, Rolex enthusiasts felt obligated to dub it the Rolex “Smurf.”
The combination of the white gold and the blue bezel and dial certainly calls to mind the little cartoon characters, and the beautiful white gold materials make this an unmistakably luxurious timepiece overall.
There are plenty of Rolex watches with unique nicknames, and you can count on BQ Watches to assist you in purchasing any of them. We often carry a variety of these nicknamed Rolex watches in our online inventory. If you don’t see the watch you want, we’re also happy to source one for you.
You can always count on BQ Watches for the best service and selection on all models of pre-owned Rolex watches.
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