Rolex · Submariner Date and Yacht-Master 42
Rolex 126610LN vs Rolex 226658
6 published specifications differ between these two, and 9 are identical. Every figure below is what the manufacturer states for that reference; nothing is inferred from the other watch.
What differs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Case | Oyster, 41 mm, Oystersteel. Monobloc middle case, screw-down case back and winding crown | Oyster, 42 mm, 18 ct yellow gold. Monobloc middle case, screw-down case back and winding crown |
| Diameter | 41 mm | 42 mm |
| Water resistance | Waterproof to 300 metres / 1,000 feet | Waterproof to 100 metres / 330 feet |
| Bezel | Unidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduated, scratch-resistant Cerachrom insert in black ceramic, numerals and graduations coated in platinum | Bidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduated bezel with matt black Cerachrom insert in ceramic, polished raised numerals and graduations |
| Bracelet | Oyster, three-piece solid links, Oystersteel | Oysterflex — flexible metal blades overmoulded with high-performance elastomer |
| Movement notes | Precision −2/+2 sec/day after casing. Paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring with high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers. Instantaneous date with rapid setting and stop-seconds. | Precision −2/+2 sec/day after casing. Instantaneous date with rapid setting and stop-seconds. |
What is identical
Worth knowing as much as the differences: these are the specifications you cannot use to tell the two apart.
- Crystal
- Scratch-resistant sapphire, Cyclops lens over the date
- Dial
- Black, with highly legible Chromalight display with long-lasting blue luminescence
- Case back
- Screw-down
- Crown
- Screw-down, Triplock triple waterproofness system
- Clasp
- Folding Oysterlock safety clasp with Rolex Glidelock extension system
- Calibre
- Calibre 3235, Manufacture Rolex
- Movement
- Perpetual, mechanical, self-winding; bidirectional self-winding via Perpetual rotor
- Power reserve
- Approximately 70 hours
- Certification
- Superlative Chronometer (official chronometer certification + Rolex certification after casing)
What the differences cost you
Each note below follows from the published figures in the tables above — what they mean for intake, for a listing, and for the handover. Nothing here estimates a price or a margin.
Do not describe these the same way
300 metres on the 126610LN against 100 on the 226658 — not a variation on the same watch but a different class of one, built around a case and crystal designed for depth. Expect different buyers, different questions, and a different service conversation. Never carry the 126610LN's rating into the 226658's listing.
One of these is a different asset to hold
The 226658 has a gold case and the 126610LN is steel. That is not just a price difference: a precious-metal case changes what your insurer needs told, how the piece should be stored and handled, and — in some jurisdictions — whether trading it puts you under a precious-metals rule your steel stock would not. Check your own city guide before you assume they are the same transaction.
What to check on each
126610LN
- Check the platinum coating in the bezel numerals under magnification. Rolex coats the graduations in platinum, and wear or inconsistency there is a strong signal the insert is not original.
- Work the Glidelock extension through its full range of settings and confirm each position locks positively. It is a mechanism, it is used constantly, and a worn one is immediately obvious to a buyer.
- Verify the crown screws down cleanly onto the Triplock system. A crown that binds or will not seat is the single most consequential fault on a 300-metre case.
226658
- Flex the Oysterflex along its length and look for any separation between the elastomer and the metal blades inside it. It is not a rubber strap — it is overmoulded metal, and delamination is the failure mode.
- Check the elastomer for cuts, nicks and heat damage near the clasp and lugs, and remember it cannot be refinished the way a metal bracelet can. A damaged one is replaced.
- Examine the raised polished numerals on the matt ceramic bezel. Here the markings stand proud rather than being filled into recesses, so they take contact directly and show wear on their upper surfaces.
Sources
- Rolex official product page for reference 126610LN (Submariner Date; Oyster 41 mm; Oystersteel) - Model case: Oyster; 41 mm; Oystersteel; Oyster architecture: monobloc middle case; screw-down case back and winding crown; Diameter: 41 mm; Material: Oystersteel; Bezel: unidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduated; scratch-resistant Cerachrom insert in black ceramic with numerals and graduations coated in platinum; Winding crown: screw-down with Triplock triple waterproofness system; Crystal: scratch-resistant sapphire with Cyclops lens over the date; Water resistance: waterproof to 300 metres / 1000 feet; Movement: perpetual; mechanical; self-winding; Calibre: 3235; Manufacture Rolex; Precision: -2/+2 sec/day after casing; Functions: centre hour; minute and seconds hands; instantaneous date with rapid setting; stop-seconds for precise time setting; Oscillator: paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring with high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers; Winding: bidirectional self-winding via Perpetual rotor; Power reserve: approximately 70 hours; Bracelet: Oyster; three-piece solid links; Oystersteel; Clasp: folding Oysterlock safety clasp with Rolex Glidelock extension system; Dial: black with highly legible Chromalight display with long-lasting blue luminescence; Certification: Superlative Chronometer (official chronometer certification plus Rolex certification after casing) — retrieved 2026-09-22
- Rolex official product page for reference 226658 (Yacht-Master 42; Oyster 42 mm; 18 ct yellow gold) - Model case: Oyster; 42 mm; yellow gold; Oyster architecture: monobloc middle case; screw-down case back and winding crown; Diameter: 42 mm; Material: 18 ct yellow gold; Bezel: bidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduated bezel with matt black Cerachrom insert in ceramic and polished raised numerals and graduations; Winding crown: screw-down with Triplock triple waterproofness system; Crystal: scratch-resistant sapphire with Cyclops lens over the date; Water resistance: waterproof to 100 metres / 330 feet; Movement: perpetual; mechanical; self-winding; Calibre: 3235; Manufacture Rolex; Precision: -2/+2 sec/day after casing; Functions: centre hour; minute and seconds hands; instantaneous date with rapid setting; stop-seconds; Oscillator: paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring with Paraflex shock absorbers; Winding: bidirectional self-winding via Perpetual rotor; Power reserve: approximately 70 hours; Bracelet: Oysterflex; material: flexible metal blades overmoulded with high-performance elastomer; Clasp: folding Oysterlock safety clasp with Rolex Glidelock extension system; Dial: black with Chromalight display; Certification: Superlative Chronometer — retrieved 2026-09-22
Not affiliated with Rolex. Specifications are read from each manufacturer's own published documentation on the dates shown and may change; the manufacturer's current documentation governs.