Debuting in 1953 and released to the public the following year, the Rolex Submariner has undoubtedly become one of the most iconic timepieces of all time thanks to its legendary status as Rolex's flagship dive watch. Used extensively by the British Royal Navy and professional diving operations like COMEX, the Submariner set the bar for all dive watches to follow. Featuring a genuinely timeless design that has remained relatively unchanged throughout its history, this Rolex has become the archetypal sports watch. With very few large-scale aesthetic upgrades made to it over the years except for timely advancements like introducing a date function to the collection in the late '60s, and its modern cerachrom bezels, the Submariner is seen as the prototypical dive watch thanks to its consistency. The Submariner has earned its status as a legendary watch, with it today remaining as one of the most sought-after timepieces around.

Released in 2003 as the Submariner's 50th-anniversary model, the Rolex Submariner ref. 16610LV "Kermit" is perhaps the most highly coveted 5-digit Submariner on the market. Like most Rolex models, the Kermit has some intricacies that set specific variants apart, much like the mark 1 "Flat Four" variant, so-called for the flat-four found in the '40' on its bezel. Produced for just a year before the four was changed to what remained until the model's discontinuation in 2010, the Mark 1 "Flat Four" is an exceedingly rare variant of the Kermit that is extensively sought-after by connoisseurs. Rolex fitted the Kermit with a green anodized aluminum bezel (which is where the model's nickname comes from) to celebrate its anniversary status. This was also the first time Rolex would use a color other than black on a stainless-steel Sub. Featuring vintage aspects like hollow center links but modern elements too, like solid end links and maxi-plot hour markers, the Kermit is a transitional timepiece that, for many collectors, marks the end of Rolex's golden period and the beginning of their move into the modern watches we see today.