Rolex nicknames are collector shorthand, and Rolex doesn't use them to sell watches. The Pepsi is the GMT-Master II with a red-and-blue bezel. The Batman is the GMT-Master II with a blue-and-black bezel. The Panda is the steel Daytona with a white dial and black subdials. The Hulk is the Submariner Date 116610LV, with a green dial and green bezel. The Presidential is the Day-Date.

Each of those names covers more than one watch. "Batman" can mean two references and two bracelets, and "Pepsi" spans seven decades of GMTs. Below are the exact references behind each nickname and what Rolex still makes as of September 2026. 

The Five Nicknames at a Glance

Where Do Rolex Nicknames Come From?

Most Rolex nicknames start in one of three ways: a color combination (Pepsi, Hulk, Panda), a famous wearer or story (Presidential, Paul Newman), or a cartoon character (Batman, Kermit). Collectors, dealers, and auction catalogs coin them. Rolex sells the same watches under a model name and a six-digit reference number. 

Does Rolex Use These Nicknames?

No, with one partial exception. Rolex markets by model name and reference, and you won't find "Hulk" or "Batman" on rolex.com. The exception is "President." Rolex has used the word for the Day-Date's bracelet in its own advertising, and collector histories report that 1980s campaigns applied it to the watch itself. That puts Presidential closer to an official name than the other four.

The Reference Number Already Spells the Colors

The letters at the end of a modern Rolex sports reference usually describe the bezel. Collectors read them as French color abbreviations. Rolex doesn't publish a key, but the pattern holds, and it's the fastest way to check that a listing matches its nickname.

Pepsi: Why is the Red and Blue Rolex GMT Called the Pepsi? 

The Pepsi is the Rolex GMT-Master or GMT-Master II with a red-and-blue 24-hour bezel, named for the soft-drink colors. The red half covers daytime hours, and the blue half covers night so that you can read a second time zone at a glance. The line began with the GMT-Master 6542 in the mid-1950s and ended in April 2026, when Rolex dropped the steel 126710BLRO and the white gold 126719BLRO.

Built for Pan Am Crews

Rolex developed the GMT-Master with Pan American World Airways so flight crews could keep home time and local time on one watch. A fourth hand circles the dial once every 24 hours, and the two-color bezel shows whether it's pointing at day or night. The soda comparison came later, from collectors.

Every Pepsi Reference, in Order

• 6542, mid-1950s. The first GMT-Master, with a Bakelite bezel insert. Most were swapped for metal inserts over the years, so originals are rare.

• 1675, from 1959. Aluminum insert and a long production run. This is the vintage Pepsi most people picture.

• 16750 and 16700, 1980s. The last GMT-Master references before the line became GMT-Master II only.

• 16710, from 1989. A GMT-Master II offered with a Pepsi bezel among its options. Aluminum Pepsi inserts ended around 2007.

• 116719BLRO, 2014. White gold and the first red-and-blue ceramic bezel.

• 126710BLRO, 2018. The first steel-ceramic Pepsi, launched on a Jubilee bracelet with caliber 3285. Rolex added an Oyster bracelet option in 2021.

• 126719BLRO, 2018. The white gold version on the newer case.

The eleven-year gap in steel was a manufacturing problem. A two-color ceramic insert that meets cleanly took Rolex years to get right, and it did red and blue in white gold first. If you'd rather see these in person than on a list, browse the Rolex GMT-Master II for sale in our vault. 

Is the Rolex Pepsi Discontinued?

Yes. Rolex removed the GMT-Master II Pepsi from its catalog at Watches and Wonders in Geneva in April 2026, covering both the steel 126710BLRO and the white gold 126719BLRO. No red-and-blue replacement was announced. The steel GMT-Master II continues in Batman, Bruce Wayne, and Sprite colors.

So the useful question now is which Pepsi, not how long the wait. Know the reference, the bracelet, and the year you want, then see where to buy a Rolex Pepsi through our sourcing service.

Batman: Which Rolex is the Batman, and What is the Batgirl?

The Batman is the Rolex GMT-Master II with a black-and-blue ceramic bezel. The first was the 116710BLNR, shown at Baselworld 2013 on an Oyster bracelet with caliber 3186. Its successor, the 126710BLNR, arrived in 2019 on a Jubilee bracelet, and collectors called that version the Batgirl. Rolex added an Oyster option in 2021. 

116710BLNR, the Original (2013 to 2019)

This was the first two-color ceramic bezel Rolex put into production, with a 48-hour power reserve and a squarer case than today's. 

126710BLNR and the Batgirl (2019 to present)

The 126710BLNR launched on the five-link Jubilee, which is where the Batgirl name came from. It runs caliber 3285 with a 70-hour reserve and has slimmer lugs. Since 2021, the same reference also comes on an Oyster bracelet, which most collectors call the Batman again. Both versions remain in production as of September 2026.

That's the detail buyers miss: a Batman and a Batgirl can share one reference number.

Is the Bruce Wayne the same watch as the Batman?

No. The Bruce Wayne is the GMT-Master II 126710GRNR, introduced at Watches and Wonders 2024, with a grey-and-black bezel and a green GMT hand. The Batman is the 126710BLNR, with a blue-and-black bezel and a blue GMT hand. They share a case and a movement family, but they're different watches with different references.

Panda: What is a Panda Daytona?

A Panda Daytona is a steel Rolex Cosmograph Daytona with a white dial and black subdial rings, a layout that reads like a panda's face. In modern terms, it refers to two references: the 116500LN, made from 2016 to 2023 with caliber 4130, and the 126500LN, introduced in 2023 for the Daytona's 60th anniversary with caliber 4131. Both have a black ceramic bezel.

116500LN (2016 to 2023)

The 116500LN was the first steel Daytona with a black ceramic bezel. White and black dials share the same reference, so the dial description matters on a listing.

126500LN (2023 to present)

The 126500LN keeps the Panda layout with a lightly refined dial and case and the newer caliber 4131. It's the current steel Daytona, and the reference most people mean when they ask for a Panda today. You'll find it alongside the rest of the Rolex Daytona for sale in our collection. 

What is a Reverse Panda?

Same references, colors flipped: a black dial with light subdial rings. If a seller writes "Panda" and the photo shows a black dial, that's a Reverse Panda. 

Panda vs Paul Newman

Paul Newman refers to vintage manual-wind Daytonas with a specific "exotic" dial, including references 6239, 6241, 6263, and 6265. Plenty of Paul Newman dials are black-and-white too. The nickname refers to the dial design and the actor who wore it, not the colors, so a Paul Newman can look like a Panda without being one.

Hulk: Which Submariner is the Hulk? 

The Hulk is the Rolex Submariner Date 116610LV, the first Submariner with a green dial, matched to a green ceramic bezel. Rolex made it from 2010 to 2020. It sits between two green-bezel, black-dial Submariners: the Kermit (16610LV, 2003 to 2010, aluminum bezel) and the Starbucks (126610LV, 2020 onward, ceramic bezel, 41mm case).

The Kermit marked the Submariner's 50th anniversary. Some people call the 126610LV a Kermit too, but most collectors keep that name for the 16610LV. When the listing says Kermit, check the reference.

Is the Hulk discontinued? 

Yes. Rolex replaced the 116610LV with the 126610LV in 2020, so a Hulk now comes only from the secondary market. Check the reference on the card, and you'll know exactly which green Sub you're getting. We keep the Rolex Submariner for sale in the same Rolex collection.

Presidential: Why is the Rolex Day-Date Called the President?

Presidential, or President, is the collector name for the Rolex Day-Date, launched in 1956 as the first wristwatch to show the date and the day of the week spelled out in full. The name comes from the semicircular three-link President bracelet designed for it and from Lyndon B. Johnson, who wore a gold Day-Date in office. The Day-Date is made only in gold or platinum.

The 1956 Original and the President Bracelet

The first Day-Date references were the 6510 and 6511, in a 36mm case with a fluted bezel. The bracelet is the thread that runs through the whole story. It was built for the Day-Date, and the "President" name attached itself to the bracelet before it attached to the watch. 

The Eisenhower Story, and Why it Doesn't Hold

You'll often read that Dwight D. Eisenhower gave the Day-Date its name. He did receive a gold Rolex in the early 1950s, but the Day-Date didn't exist yet. His watch was a Datejust on a Jubilee bracelet. Lyndon B. Johnson is the first U.S. president documented wearing a Day-Date.

Does Presidential Always Mean a Day-Date?

Mostly. The President bracelet has also appeared on some gold Datejust models, mainly ladies' sizes, so a watch listed as "Presidential" deserves a look at the reference before anything else. Today's Day-Date comes in 36mm and 40mm, and you can see the current Presidential Rolex for sale in our vault. 

What a Nickname Tells You When You Buy or Sell a Rolex

A nickname gets you to the right family. The reference number gets you the right watch. "Batman" covers two references and two bracelets, and "Pepsi" spans seven decades. When you ask for a quote or a source, give four details, in this order: 

1. The reference number, from the warranty card or between the lugs.

2. The bracelet: Oyster, Jubilee, or President.

3. The year on the warranty card.

4. Whether it's a complete set with box and papers. 

Those four answer the usual mix-ups before they start: Pepsi on Jubilee or Oyster, 

Batman against Batgirl or Bruce Wayne, Panda against Reverse Panda, Hulk against Starbucks, and a Day-Date against a Datejust on a President bracelet.

Does the nickname change what a watch is worth? Not by itself. Demand follows the reference, condition, and completeness. The nickname is how buyers search for it, and we don't forecast prices.

If you're on the other side of the table, the same four details get you a real number fast. Send them over, and we'll tell you where things stand when you want to sell my Rolex GMT-Master II or any of the others here. Every watch we sell is 100% authentic, no knockoffs. Call for details.

Other Nicknames You'll Hear Around These Five

Batgirl, Bruce Wayne, Kermit, Starbucks, Reverse Panda, and Paul Newman are covered above. These four round out the family.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is the Rolex Pepsi discontinued?

Yes. Rolex discontinued the GMT-Master II Pepsi in April 2026, covering the steel 126710BLRO and the white gold 126719BLRO. No red and blue successor was announced.

2. What is the difference between the Batman and the Batgirl?

The bracelet. Both have a black-and-blue bezel. The Batgirl is the 126710BLNR on a Jubilee bracelet. The Batman is the original 116710BLNR or the 126710BLNR on an Oyster bracelet.

3. Which Submariner is the Hulk, and is it still made?

The Hulk is the Submariner Date 116610LV, with a green dial and green ceramic bezel. Rolex made it from 2010 to 2020, and it is discontinued. 

4. Why is the Day-Date called the Presidential?

The Day-Date's President bracelet and Lyndon B. Johnson, who wore a gold Day-Date in office, gave it the name. Eisenhower's gold Rolex was a Datejust, not a Day-Date.

Looking for One of These?

Watch The Throne Timepieces is an independent Rolex specialist in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Please tell us the reference and the bracelet you want, and we will tell you what it takes to get it, with no waitlist. Call or text (225) 278-7176, or email info@watchthethronetimepieces.com. 100% authenticity guaranteed.