Super Clone Rolex Submariner 116613LB "Bluesy": A Stylish Dive into History

There is a photograph from 2015 of Queen Latifah at the BET Awards, wrist raised mid- gesture, the warm gold of a two-tone watch catching the stage lights. The watch is unmistakable: blue ceramic bezel, blue sunburst dial, yellow gold and stainless steel Oyster bracelet. The Rolex Submariner 116613LB, known universally as the "Bluesy."

Beside her at other events, NFL quarterback Russell Wilson wore one. So did golf champion Hideki Matsuyama. So have dozens of other celebrities, athletes, and executives who wanted a Submariner but wanted something more flamboyant than the standard all-steel black. The Bluesy occupies a specific niche in the Rolex ecosystem: it is the dive watch for people who want to be noticed wearing a dive watch.

And now that the 116613LB has been discontinued, replaced by the larger 126613LB in 2020, those who want the specific magic of the original face a pre-owned market that starts at $15,000 and climbs steeply. Or they can explore the world of superclone replicas — and the Bluesy superclone is, by wide consensus, one of the finest in the market.

The Anatomy of the Bluesy: What Makes It Special

The 116613LB combines a 40mm case mixing stainless steel and 18k yellow gold — specifically, yellow gold on the bezel, crown, and outer bracelet links. This two-tone combination is called "Rolesor" in Rolex parlance — a combination of "Rolex" and "or" (French for gold) — and has been part of the Rolex vocabulary since the 1940s.

The blue Cerachrom ceramic bezel insert was introduced to the Submariner family in 2008 and reached the 116613LB when it launched in 2009. It replaced a sapphire blue aluminium bezel insert that had been characteristic of earlier two-tone Submariners. The ceramic version doesn't fade, doesn't scratch on the bezel insert itself, and has a depth of color that the aluminium predecessor couldn't match — particularly in direct sunlight, where it shifts from navy to a deep royal blue.

The dial is where the Bluesy has its most interesting story.

The Sunburst Story: How Rolex Brought Back an Aesthetic

When the 116613LB launched in 2009, its blue dial was flat. A consistent, matte blue — matching the ceramic bezel, purposeful, correct. Collectors appreciated it but noted that something was missing.

What was missing was the sunburst. Earlier two-tone Submariners — particularly references from the late 1980s and 1990s — had used a sunburst-finished blue dial that shifted dramatically in light, from nearly black in shadow to a brilliant royal blue when the light caught it at the right angle. This finish had been discontinued when Rolex redesigned the Submariner line.

The community noticed the absence. The discussion was sustained and vocal enough that Rolex — a company that changes things on its own schedule, impervious to external pressure — actually listened. In 2013, the sunburst returned to the 116613LB dial. The new dial is unmistakably different from its predecessor: under direct light, it blazes with color; in shade, it retreats to something almost black. The contrast with the gold indices and Mercedes hands is extraordinary.

This makes the 116613LB one of the few cases where collector feedback demonstrably influenced a major Rolex production decision — which tells you something about how passionate the community is, and how closely Rolex watches it even while officially pretending to ignore it.

Production Years and Why It Matters

The 116613LB was produced from 2009 to 2020 — an eleven-year run. The final three years of production (2017-2020) used the sunburst dial that collectors prefer. When Rolex updated the Submariner to 41mm in 2020, creating the reference 126613LB, the 116613LB was discontinued.

This matters for a specific reason: the 116613LB's 40mm case is now the "small" Bluesy. The 126613LB at 41mm wears larger on the wrist, has a slightly different bezel proportion, and costs approximately $17,750 at retail — when you can find one, which remains difficult. For collectors who prefer the proportions of the 40mm case, the 116613LB is the only option, and its price on the secondary market reflects this demand.

The Superclone Bluesy: An Exceptional Tribute

The Bluesy presents particular challenges for superclone manufacturers. The two-tone construction requires both stainless steel and genuine 18k yellow gold on the same piece — which means either genuine gold plating on a precise schedule, or PVD yellow gold coating that must match the original's color and wear characteristics. The ceramic bezel must match the specific blue of the Cerachrom insert — not navy, not royal blue, but the particular shade Rolex developed for this piece.

The best superclone manufacturers have met these challenges. Using genuine PVD yellow gold coating applied to the correct surfaces — bezel, crown, Oyster bracelet outer links — they create the visual identity of the Rolesor combination convincingly. The ceramic bezel insert is sourced from industrial ceramic suppliers who produce the same basic material as the genuine Cerachrom. And the sunburst blue dial — the detail that makes the 116613LB so visually distinctive — is reproduced using the lacquering techniques that create the correct light-shifting quality.

The result is a watch that delivers the essential experience of the Bluesy: the drama of the blue-and-gold combination, the heft of the steel and gold bracelet, the way the sunburst dial comes alive in different light conditions. At a fraction of the $15,000+ that a genuine 116613LB commands on the secondary market.

Who Wears the Bluesy?

The Bluesy has always attracted a specific kind of wearer: someone who wants the credibility of a Submariner but with an additional dimension of personality. The all-steel black Submariner is minimal, almost anonymous. The Bluesy announces itself. The gold catches light. The blue dial commands attention.

This is not a watch for those who prefer to fly under the radar. It is a watch for achievers who have earned the right to be noticed. And in superclone form, it puts that aesthetic within reach of anyone who appreciates it.

Browse the Submariner superclone collection to find our Bluesy variants, or explore the complete history of the Submariner to understand where the Bluesy fits in the broader lineage. For guidance on choosing between the various Submariner configurations available as superclones, our buying guide has you covered.