Rolex nicknames — color, celebrity & collector lore explained

Rolex nicknames are collector shorthand — colorful, evocative labels that point to a watch’s bezel, dial, bracelet, or a famous wearer. Here’s a clear, readable guide to the most-known nicknames you’ll hear in the market, why they matter, and what visual details give each name meaning.

Color-based nicknames (the easiest to spot)

Rolex Wimbledon Datejust

Wimbledon – Datejust

Worn by Roger Federer, the roman numeral hour makers are outlined in dark green, as a hint to the Championship the brand has long been a sponsor for.

Rolex Panda Daytona

Panda — Daytona (116500LN)

White dial with black sub-dials (or inverted “reverse panda”); the high-contrast racing look evokes vintage motorsport dials and remains hugely popular. It is the most sought after Rolex and undisputed worldwide most researched Daytona watch nowadays.

Rolex Pepsi GMT Master ll

Pepsi — Rolex GMT-Master / GMT-Master II (classic refs: 6542, 1675, 16710; modern 126710BLRO)

Black dial, red-and-blue bezel, Oyster or Jubilee bracelet. Named for the red/blue bezel that recalls the Pepsi logo; originally created for Pan Am pilots and now a travel-watch icon.

Coke — Rolex GMT-Master II (refs: 16760, 16710)

Black dial, red-and-black bezel, Oyster bracelet. “Coke” refers to the cola-like bezel colors; the first watches produced with ref. 16760 were  also nicknamed “Fat Lady” for their thicker case.

Root Beer — GMT / GMT-Master II (vintage refs: 16753; modern two-tone 126711CHNR)

Brown or black dial, brown-and-gold bezel, two-tone steel & gold bracelet. Warm, retro tones gave it the “root beer” name — a vintage-favorited palette.

Batman — GMT-Master II (116710BLNR / 126710BLNR)

Black dial, black-and-blue Cerachrom bezel, originally Oyster bracelet. The dark/blue look inspired “Batman” a modern, stylish take on the GMT.

Rolex Batgirl Jubilee

Batgirl  — GMT-Master II (Jubilee variant of the Batman, 126710BLNR)

Black dial, black-and-blue bezel, Jubilee bracelet. Essentially the Batman look on a Jubilee; collectors coined “Batgirl” to distinguish the dressier bracelet option.

Bruce Wayne — GMT-Master II

Often used informally for certain black/blue GMTs, “Bruce Wayne” evokes a sleek, nocturnal persona. Usage overlaps with “Batman” — collectors don’t always agree on precise meaning, but it’s aimed at the same dark/blue palette.

Sprite — GMT-Master II (ref. 126720VTNR)

Black dial, green-and-black bezel, left-hand crown (destined for left-hand wearers), Oyster or Jubilee bracelet. The bright green/black bezel prompted the playful “Sprite” tag among collectors.

Kermit — Submariner (16610LV)

Black dial, green aluminum bezel, Oyster bracelet. Launched as a 50th-anniversary Submariner in 2003, the unusual green bezel earned the “Kermit” nickname after the Muppet frog.

Hulk — Submariner (116610LV)

Green sunburst dial, green ceramic bezel, Oyster bracelet. The full-green aesthetic and chunkier modern case led to the “Hulk” moniker.

Rolex Starbucks Submariner 41

Starbucks — Submariner (126610LV)

Black dial, green ceramic bezel, Oyster bracelet. A more recent green Submariner that pairs a green bezel with a black dial — collectors likened it to the coffee chain’s colors, black and green of the logo.

Bluesy — Submariner (two-tone refs 16613 / 126613LB)

Blue dial/bezel, two-tone steel & yellow-gold bracelet. The bright blue/gold diver became known affectionately as the “Bluesy.”

Smurf — Submariner (116619LB)

Blue dial, blue bezel, white-gold Oyster bracelet. The full-blue look on precious metal earned the playful “Smurf” name.

Polar — Explorer II (refs: 1655 / 16570 / 216570)

White dial (highly legible), fixed 24-hour bezel, Oyster bracelet. The all-white “Polar” Explorer II has a warm discoloration of the patina, due to the quirk in the manufacturing process and make them highly sought-after by collectors.

Celebrity & icon nicknames (people who made names stick)

Paul Newman — Daytona (vintage refs: 6239, 6241, 6263, 6265)

Exotic “Paul Newman” dial (contrasting subdials with art-deco numerals), black or cream dial, black acrylic bezel, Oyster bracelet. Named after the actor/racer who famously wore one; these Daytonas are among the rarest and most valuable vintage Rolexes.

John Mayer — Daytona (116508)

Green sunburst dial, yellow-gold case and bracelet. Popularized by the collector and musician John Mayer; demand surged after his public interest.

John Player Special (JPS) — Daytona / other vintage pieces

Black-and-gold aesthetic inspired by classic F1 livery. The name evokes the striking black-and-gold look of certain rare vintage chonographs.

Bruce Wayne  — explained above — celebrity-inspired by comic culture rather than a real person, but treated like an icon in collector speech.

Steve Mc Queen

The vintage Explorer II (Ref. 1655) features a large orange GMT hand, “Freccione” (big arrow in Italian). Though often called the “Steve McQueen,” he never actually wore it, adding to its mysterious charm.

Vintage & collector nicknames (small details, big value)

Daytona Zenith — Daytona (refs: 16520, 16523 era)

Daytona models that used the Zenith El Primero-based movement (late 1980s–2000) are referred to as “Zenith” Daytonas. Dial and bezel combinations vary; collectors note the movement lineage more than a single colorway.

Rainbow / Full-Gold Rainbow Daytona — Daytona (ref. 116595RBOW and similar)

Full gold (often Everose) case and bracelet with a bezel set of multicolored sapphires (rainbow bezel), sometimes with gem indexes on the dial. The “Rainbow Daytona” nickname refers to these dazzling, gem-set full-gold showpieces popular among collectors and celebrities; they’re striking examples of Rolex’s gem-setting craft.

Saru — gem-set nickname (used in collector circles)“Saru” typically denotes gem-set Rolex pieces where the bezel is set with sapphires and the case or lugs include diamonds — a shorthand collectors use for specific colorful gem configurations. Usage is informal and often tied to particular gem-set Daytonas or Datejusts.

Fat Lady

Terms referencing vintage production traits: “Fat Lady” the first thicker GMT case ref. 16760

Fat 4

The Submariner “Fat 4” a bezel font quirk where the numeral 4 appears broader on certain older inserts). These tiny visual cues help experts date and value vintage pieces.

Bart Simpson

A niche vintage nickname referencing a particular coronet printing quirk on early Submariner dials whose shape resembles the cartoon’s silhouette — collectors prize such oddities.

Double Red — Sea-Dweller (ref. 1665)

Early Sea-Dwellers with two lines of red text. The “Double Red” is a benchmark for vintage dive-watch collectors.

Rolex Explorer II 16570 – Tiffany & Co. Double-signed 1991 ca

Tiffany Dial

Vintage Rolex dials co-signed with Tiffany & Co. or double-signed, represent a rare collaboration between the Swiss watchmaker and the American jeweler, most prominently from the mid-1950s until the early 1990s. During this period, select Rolex models retailed by Tiffany carried both brand names on the dial, either printed during production (or applied by Tiffany themselves in the first models suplied),extremely rare and valuable.

Big Red

The “Big Red” versions of Rolex’s Daytona ref. 6263 and 6265 made their debut in the 1970s. Both these references are regarded as part of the “Paul Newman” family of rare Daytonas, notably distinguished by the bright red “Daytona” text that appears above the subdial at 6 o’clock, a detail that comes out from all contemporary Daytonas of this period. 

Why these nicknames matter

Nicknames carry instant visual shorthand: they tell collectors what to expect at a glance — the bezel color, dial treatment, bracelet style, or a famous association. For buyers and sellers, the nicknames help identify variations quickly (and sometimes point to significant value differences). They’re part of the culture of collecting — playful, practical, and occasionally heated in the details.