Rolex Kermit vs Hulk

Rolex does not make massive changes in their watches, especially for iconic styles such as the Rolex Submariner. On the 50^th anniversary of the Submariner in 2003, Rolex caused a bit of a stir with the Kermit – a Submariner Date with a bright green bezel.

It was included in Rolex’s regular Submariner line-up for 7 years and was discontinued in 2010. Rolex then replaced it with the Hulk, which has a green dial to match its bezel.

With a 7-year difference, the Hulk definitely has improved features compared to the Kermit (most notably the ceramic bezel). However, many Rolex fans still favor the Kermit as it’s much closer to the classic all-black Submariner.

Let’s take a look at the differences:

Let’s start with the colors – the Kermit’s bezel is more of a glossy, emerald green; while the Hulk’s bezel has a deeper shade of green.

But the more important difference between the two bezels is the material. The Kermit makes use of a green aluminum insert, while the Hulk was upgraded to the Cerachrom, Rolex’s ceramic bezel, which has been celebrated for its resistance to sun damage, scratches, fading, and corrosion.

Both watches have 40 mm case sizes, but upon closer inspection, the Hulk looks bigger than the Kermit. This is because the Hulk was equipped with a “Maxi case”, which comes with lugs and crown guards almost twice the size of previous watch cases.

You’ll also notice sharper crown guards on the Kermit, while the Hulk has flat-edged ones.

And finally, you’ll notice the different bracelet clasps on the two watches.

The Kermit has the Oysterlock clasp, while the Hulk is equipped with Rolex’s Glidelock clasp. The latter lets the wearer expand the bracelet to 20 mm with 2 mm increments. This is especially useful when wearing the watch over a dive suit.