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Why the Rolex Yacht-Master 42 Is the Perfect Poster Boy for a New Age
The watch industry is always changing, always evolving, always reacting to the conditions of the world. But some things seem eternal. Through good times and bad, one brand has, since its foundation in 1905, seemed immune to weakness. A history of constant innovation and textbook PR has resulted in a Rolex watch becoming one of the most desirable products in the world, and the brand name that is easily one of the most recognizable.
To establish the kind of reputation Rolex has, you have to do things differently. You also have to be ahead of the curve. Rolex has done that with aplomb in the past, and by carefully controlling the supply of steel watches, while moving the brand forward in a slightly different direction through the release of some headline-grabbing pieces at this year’s Baselworld (including the new Rolex Yacht-Master 42), Rolex is continuing to map its own destiny.
It didn’t begin with the renaissance of Tudor, but that event in 2007 now looks in retrospect to be the beginning of a transformation that elevated Rolex from a brand to some kind of looming deity. Simply put, Tudor is the new Rolex, and Rolex is a new thing entirely. When I speak to brand managers the world over (many of whom are trembling and sleep-deprived as the struggle to conceive strategies to lever attention away from the Crown) they all say the same thing in one way or another.
Rolex is no longer a brand; Rolex is a phenomenon. Trying to go toe-to-toe with Rolex is like boxing with your reflection, or shooting at smoke. It’s a fight you can’t win. It isn’t about the fact your opponent is stronger than you, it’s about the fact that your opponent is fighting on a different plane of existence entirely.
For three years I managed the sales accounts of a well-known German brand across 17 countries. Despite the vastly differing cultures, tastes, and consumer motivations, the presence and adulation of Rolex were ever-present. The power of the Crown is never more felt than when trying to negotiate space in a retail environment for the product of another brand.
For example, I once asked a retailer if I could commandeer thirty centimeters of unused counter space in his store. His face screwed up instantly as if suddenly overtaken by a crippling bout of indigestion. “Well,” he said through gritted teeth, “I’ll have to check with Rolex.”
Duly, he made the call. The answer came back as predicted.
“No,” he said, unable to make eye-contact with me. “Rolex wants that space now.”
I had offered him a full collection of watches with an extended payment terms so he could get the models into his store and test the water before making a significant financial investment. In contrast, Rolex had offered him one GMT Master II “Batman” (on the professional bracelet, not the Jubilee). The choice, for him, was simple. The “Batman” was already sold. It was money in the bank. And his relationship with Rolex – the lifeblood of his livelihood – was intact.
Trying to build a brand next to Rolex is like growing a tree in the shadow of a mountain. It’s not impossible, but there isn’t much light left to go around.
That kind of power is hard to contend with. Rolex has cultivated it over generations. One way in which they’ve managed this is to have been a tireless inventor. The brand’s watches have always been innovative and eminently practical. With every stone turned over in search of incremental gains, Rolex even changed the type of steel it uses in the production of its watches because it could.
Rolex uses 904L, while most of the industry uses 316L stainless steel. Most notable is 904L’s higher molybdenum content, which reduces the chance that the steel will pit or corrode. Although this kind of benefit is the sort of thing you might imagine other brands trying to cash in on, it isn’t that simple. 904L stainless steel is notoriously difficult to work with. Not only do you need special tools to cut it, you also need to be patient as it has an annoying tendency to overheat while being machined. This means manufacturers using 904L must be patient to avoid it blowing up (almost literally) in their faces.
Despite its foibles, Rolex’s first use of 904L steel was in a 1988 Sea-Dweller, and its collection-wide adoption of it in 2003 has been one of the brand’s calling cards. It makes perfect sense for a rugged sports watch brand that is hell-bent on improving the performance of its products. But the thing is, Rolex is changing. Rolex, for all its insistence that it is still a brand built around endeavor and adventure, is transitioning into something else, and its special steel (Oystersteel as they’ve started calling it since 2018) is no longer as central to the brand’s image as it once was.
Around the time of the Tudor rebrand (2007), you could still buy a Rolex no-date Submariner for around four and a half grand. Today the price is double that. Even adjusting for inflation won’t make you feel much better about not loading up on Submariners when you had the chance to get them for a relative song.
But crazier than the current retail prices is the current availability. In 2007, you could walk into a store and buy a green dial, green bezel Rolex Submariner “Hulk” out of the cabinet. If you had the money, you could get the watch. Waiting lists, enforced scarcity, and secondary market prices double the ticket just didn’t exist like they do today. Now, finding a retailer that has a professional model in stock is harder than finding a hen with teeth.
Tudor, meanwhile, has remained very fairly priced. With all the benefits of Rolex’s know-how and freedom to reinvent the brand, Tudor has carved its own niche with its own audience. It is, almost without a doubt, the Rolex of its generation.
Its savvy marketing campaign, excellent build quality, and never-overstated connection to the industry’s Big Brother has made it a hit with the customers discovering the industry for the first time. The Pelagos and Black Bay watches of today will likely be future classics in the way the Submariners and the Datejusts of old are today.
But since Rolex became an industry super-power, removed from the regular concerns of watch companies, it needed a new champion, a poster boy for a new age, a darling that is at once everything Rolex was and everything it is going to be…
The Rolex Yacht-Master 42
The stage could not have been more perfectly set for the release of the Rolex Yacht-Master 42 ref. 226659 at this year’s Baselworld. With its white gold case, simple black dial, matte black Cerachrom bezel, and black Oysterflex rubber strap, it is the epitome of stealth luxury. It also happens to be just about the most hypnotic black/black diver on a rubber band that anyone could imagine.
Why is the Yacht-Master 42 so perfect for this new age? Well, its a barrel load of contradictions packed into a 42mm case. But those contradictions are what make Rolex the brand it is these days. They are what makes it so hard to copy what the brand does. Because, on paper, it just doesn’t add up.
For all intents and purposes, the Yacht-Master 42 is a sports watch. And yet it’s not. Not really – its white gold case puts paid to that idea before the conversation even begins. It is instead, perhaps the most luxurious, desirable, deliciously devil-may-care thing the brand has ever produced.
Within the 18k white gold case of the Yacht-Master 42 is the Rolex Caliber 3235. The recipient of 14 patents, it includes the new Chronergy escapement, which is highly efficient and dependable. It contains all the hallmarks of a Rolex Perpetual movement suited to an active lifestyle, such as the Blue Parachrom hairspring (highly resistant to magnetic fields and temperature interference) and the Paraflex shock absorption system.
When you think of crazily luxurious watches made by Rolex, you’d be forgiven for thinking of a diamond-encrusted case, or even a rainbow bezel. But this trumps them all. The Yacht-Master 42 is the kind of luxury that only people in the know understand. For your investment, you don’t get anything that will scream your wealth across a room. Instead, you get something that is deliberately pared back. Something that is designed to catch the corner of an onlooker’s eye, but not their full attention. The Yacht-Master 42 is a watch that demands awareness to be appreciated. This is something for the wearer themselves to enjoy. Something deeply personal. Something deeply Rolex.
There are many stories as to where the five-pronged logo of Rolex comes from, and even more about what it represents. But if we take it for what it simply appears to be, it could not be more fitting. This brand is king. It may not have the finest movement finishing, the most mind-boggling complications, or price tags on a level with mansions or private jets, but Rolex has a heritage, a character, and a reputation that cannot be usurped. With this new direction with the Yacht-Master 42 carving out an evermore inaccessible niche, the brand next to whom any other would be happy to sit continues to stride further and further away from the pack.
About Rob Nudds
Rob Nudds is a WOSTEP-trained watchmaker, who graduated from the British School of Watchmaking. After working at the bench with brands such as Omega, Longines, Blancpain, and Bremont, he began working for NOMOS Glashütte, managing a retail network covering 17 countries, most notably the UK and USA.
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THE COLLECTIVE
European Watch Company – Est. 1993
Terrific in Titanium: The Rolex Yacht-Master 42 Ref. 226627
Published by samuel colchamiro.
View all posts by Samuel Colchamiro
Rolex doesn’t have much of a reputation for innovation. While many brands push modern designs and flashy novelties, the crown is the master of incremental changes, tweaking its designs every few years in a slow, continuous act of refinement. That said, when Rolex does do something out of the ordinary, as was the case with the new Yacht-Master 42 reference 226627 , it really makes a splash. At first glance just another run of the mill Rolex sport watch, this 42mm 2023 release added the second all- titanium model to the Rolex collection. Let’s take a closer look!
The Rolex Yacht-Master debuted in 1992 as something of a modernized Submariner. Believed to originally have been intended as merely an update to the Submariner, it quickly became clear that the Yacht-Master deserved to be its own model with its own distinct personality. A luxurious, precious metal variant of the classic Submariner tool watch, the Yacht-Master had a unique identity and quickly became a popular staple in the collection. The updated look featured an insert that was permanently affixed to the bezel (as opposed to the floating insert found on the Submariner), the handset was wider, the dial had maxi style indexes, and of course, precious metal was standard.
Since then, the Yacht-Master collection has expanded to include a number of additional references. In 1994, Rolex added a midsize 35mm variant as well as a lady’s 29mm piece. In 2015, Rolex added an Everose gold model paired with an Oysterflex rubber strap, and in 2019, Rolex debuted the modern Yacht-Master, resized to 42mm with an Oysterflex strap. However today, we are talking about the most recent news in the Yacht-Master department, the 42mm titanium Yacht-Master that made its debut in 2023. As its first mass-market titanium watch (yes the Deepsea Challenge came first, but that was a super limited niche piece), the watch was a real surprise coming from the normally conservative brand.
Design Details
Beyond the case and bracelet material, this Yacht-Master was designed to remind you of the precious metal Yacht-Masters that Rolex has produced the last few years. This watch features the maxi dial, rounded edges, and overall luxurious feel that the model is known for, and yet, it is a very different animal. The matte look of the brushed titanium paired with a matte black ceramic bezel, black dial, and white lume plots fuse to create a stealth presence on the wrist. The more muted tones of the bezel compared with, say, a Submariner, really set this piece apart.
While the aesthetics help set the stage for this watch, the feel on the wrist tells a slightly different story. Whereas a 42mm Rolex should be a substantial piece on the wrist, this titanium variant weighs a mere 100 grams – which is a blessing or a curse depending on who you ask. If you’re looking for the reassuring heft of a luxury sports watch, this may not be for you. If, on the other hand, you find a heavy watch imposing or uncomfortable, there is finally an option for you from a brand that hasn’t historically offered much in the way of lightweight pieces (sure, Rolex has the Deepsea Challenge, but few wrists are capable of wielding that thing).
The bracelet on this watch is the classic Oyster style that we have come to know and love from Rolex, meaning that there’s nothing particularly aggressive or polarizing about the execution. If appreciate titanium, you are going to like this watch quite a bit.
Alongside the other recent releases from Rolex (a Daytona with an exhibition caseback, puzzle and emoji dial Day-Dates, bright colored OPs, etc), a titanium model actually seems fairly subdued. Maybe this is because, as an industry, we are adjusting to a more adventurous Rolex than we were historically used to. Interesting to imagine what else might be in the pipeline…
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Inner Workings
The ref. 226627 Yacht-Master is powered by Rolex’s automatic-winding caliber 3235 movement. The 3235 was introduced in 2015 as Rolex’s updated automatic winding movement with a date and came with an elongated 70-hour power reserve alongside other improvements including a longer mainspring and thinner barrel walls. The movement is accurate within +/- 2 seconds per day and is generally regarded as one of the most robust and easiest to service in the industry. The movement is much higher tech than previous calibers from Rolex and came as a welcome upgrade that brought Rolex watches in line with the standard longer power reserve that is now the norm in the industry.
Versus the Competition
There are a number of alternatives to the Titanium Yacht-Master that you should consider if you’re in the market. While the Yacht-Master was originally intended to be a more luxurious model from Rolex, in titanium, it has a much sportier presence. Those seeking the more luxurious feel would likely gravitate towards one of the precious metal variants, like any of the the yellow, rose, or white gold 42mm Yacht-Master’s Rolex offers. Additionally, the brand has a number of special exotic dial variants, including a tiger’s eye Yacht Master that is worth a look.
If you are searching for a more affordable titanium diver, the Tudor Pelagos 39 is quite difficult to beat. For a fraction of the price, you gain access to the lightweight tool watch club. The Pelagos is one of Tudor’s most popular watches today and brings all the capabilities of a hardcore diver without breaking the bank.
Finally, I’d recommend the hardest core diver that Rolex has produced in a long time, the Deepsea Challenge . Also fashioned from titanium, this monstrous piece supplies a depth rating of not one meter less than 11,000. There’s something reassuring about knowing that you will die long before your watch will. The Deepsea Challenge was Rolex’s first series-produced titanium watch and, coupled with its impressive specs, it makes for a really unique piece that pays tribute to the brand’s origins as a maker of bulletproof tool watches.
Personality
I picture the Ref. 226627 as a weekend warrior. Titanium is a relatively soft material, but the natural oxidation of the surface over time makes small scratches essentially disappear. This unique quality offers a degree of comfort that you don’t necessarily have with other, “shinier” Rolex models. Additionally, this piece has a casual, non-ostentatious appearance to it. The bezel is matte finished rather than high gloss ceramic; the titanium has a robust, utilitarian gray hue to it that stainless steel lacks; the maxi markers look stronger and less delicate. These aesthetic choices add up to a look and feel that is reassuring on the wrist. There’s little concern for how the piece will hold up and it’s clearly a watch that you can put on and forget about.
Final Thoughts
The ref. 226627 Rolex Yacht-Master is many things. On the one hand, it’s part of the brand’s luxurious diver model family. On the other hand, it’s a titanium diver that packs a 100 meter water resistance and a James Bond, Jason Bourne-esque persona. Rolex as a brand is truly the master of logical paradoxes (luxury tool watches anyone?). A purpose built tool that is constructed with refinement and luxury as core priorities shouldn’t work. And yet, as Rolex has shown time and time again, it does, and effortlessly so. The Rolex Yacht-Master in titanium is just the latest in the brand’s longstanding tradition for crafting luxurious tool watches that deserve a place in your watch roll.
See more of the Rolex Yacht Master 226627
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Review: Rolex Yacht-Master 42
The Yacht-Master was, once upon a time, Rolex’s least popular model. Reportedly a botched attempt to rejuvenate the Submariner line for a wealthier audience, it languished for decades at the bottom of the pile, unloved. But something has changed in recent years, something that has revitalised the Yacht-Master into a watch people actually want. Could the latest addition to the collection be the best yet?
Okay, so the story goes that in the early days, post-quartz crisis, Rolex was floundering to realign the brand into something that would catch the attention of a modern audience. Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe had demonstrated a demand for high-end, high-priced sports watches, and by comparison, Rolex’s no-nonsense Submariner et al were a little reserved.
In fact, a little reserved was Rolex’s whole business model. The brand had spent a century building up dominance from scratch by utilising a simple platform to build a series of professional watches that were primarily designed for work and not play. There was no fancy finishing or exquisite designs—it was the utilitarian nature that made a Rolex stand out from its competitors.
But professionals didn’t need these watches any more, and so that left Rolex with a problem. It was time to adapt or go home. That’s when someone at Rolex headquarters had a good idea: why not take the Submariner, give it a polish, dress it up with fancy materials and re-release it as the new-and-improved Submariner for the gentleman who likes to dive not from an oil platform, but a yacht?
So, that’s what Rolex did, but legend has it that right at the last minute a decision was made, and this new watch was released not as the new Submariner, but the Yacht-Master instead. First seen in 1992, all in gold with a dial in rich blue sunburst or white with black markers, the new Yacht-Master was destined to make a splash.
Although—it didn’t. It barely made a plop. This was because a new breed of watch collector had taken a fancy to something else of Rolex’s—the very watches the brand thought it needed to move away from. Vintage Submariners, Explorers, Sea-Dwellers, these were the watches collectors wanted, and so the Rolex way of life went on, safe in the hands of a fresh audience that could only ever want more.
But the Yacht-Master still existed, languishing, at the back of jeweller’s window displays. Not even a refresh in steel with sparkling platinum dial and red accents could attract any takers, and so the Yacht-Master line fell into hibernation for over fifteen years. In 2015, however, something completely unexpected happened.
As your sixteen-year-old school kid self will often remind you through haunting memories as you try to drift off to sleep of an evening, popularity is fleeting. It’s an ethereal concept, a balance of ingredients that no-one has ever quite managed to nail down. What can seem like it should be popular can fall flat on its face, and what shouldn’t can end up as the must-have item of the moment. It’s both precarious and mysterious.
In 2015, Rolex found that magic ingredient, redressing its Yacht-Master once again as the 116655, but this time in rose gold with a black ceramic bezel, matte black dial and, heaven forbid, a rubber strap. When you lay that down in theory, it sounds like the work of a fashion Neanderthal, pairing precious metals with synthetic rubber, but do you know what? It worked. The Yacht-Master went from hero to zero with the 116655, hitting a spot so sweet that it became a watch that Rolex had to let you buy rather you let them sell.
And now they’ve done it again, taking that delicate balance of secret herbs and spices and adding a dash more chilli pepper, because for 2019, we have the Yacht-Master 42 226659. Sometimes it may seem like Rolex isn’t listening, but believe me, they’ve got their ears glued to the ground, and the Yacht-Master 42 proves it.
The recipe is much the same as the 116655, but with two major differences. The first, more obvious in isolation, is the white gold case, which sets off the monochromatic theme very nicely, and the second, which a glance at the name of this watch will reveal, is the new, upsized case dimensions. Like the Explorer II and the Sky-Dweller, the Yacht-Master 42 is, well, 42mm in diameter.
This is simultaneously such a big deal and such a small one. It’s only two tiny millimetres bigger, yet the impact is somehow dramatic. It has a presence that dominates, like a new-found confidence after years of being the ugly duckling in a flock of swans. It’s like that bit at the end of the movie where the nerd gets a makeover and turns out to be solid ten out of ten after all, giving them a new lease of life. You could almost say it was arrogant, but isn’t that exactly what you want from the most luxurious of sports watches?
The 226659’s namesake has never been about reticence. You want the biggest yacht in the harbour, tender, helipad and all, and that’s why the Yacht-Master 42 has immediately become the king of its collection. There’s no room for tugboats and barges here: only the sleek, shiny and impressive need apply, and the Yacht-Master 42 is exactly that.
If there’s one thing Rolex has consistently achieved throughout its years making watches, it’s prophecy. The wristwatch, the dive watch, the Daytona—all these things were revealed by the brand before the world was fully ready to understand them. The Yacht-Master is perhaps the most surprising of all, a reaction to a changing market that only came to bloom several decades after inception. With the Yacht-Master 42 now leading the way, I think that’s what Rolex would call a win-win.
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The Rolex Yacht-Master 42 in Yellow Gold ref. 226658
The sleek 42mm yacht-master, now in a gleaming yellow gold case..
It’s the yearly watch launch season, and all eyes will be focused on Rolex today as it unveils its 2022 novelties. Among these is the new Yacht-Master 42 in yellow gold. Touted as Rolex’s “watch of the open seas”, the Yacht-Master was launched in 1992 and has become the brand’s luxurious nautical watch. The last evolution of the Yacht-Master appeared in 2019 in a new 42mm case size and a white gold case (ref. 226659). Predictably for a brand that favours slow evolutions over revolutionary changes, Rolex informs us that the 2022 Yacht-Master “ in no way alters its course “. Like the 42mm white gold version, the new yellow gold model is fitted with a black bidirectional rotating bezel with a Cerachrom insert, Rolex’s latest-generation automatic movement and a black rubber Oysterflex bracelet.
Yellow gold and black Cerachrom
The 42mm Oyster case of the new Yacht-Master is made from a solid block of 18k yellow gold and is waterproof to a depth of 100m. The distinctive bidirectional rotating bezel features a matte black Cerachrom insert with raised and mirror-polished graduations and numerals. Developed and patented by Rolex, Cerachrom is a hard ceramic material that is practically scratch-proof, corrosion-resistant and impervious to ultraviolet rays. The matte black ceramic has been sandblasted to provide a more technical, contemporary finish and provides the background for the raised black numerals marking 0-60 minutes. The knurled yellow gold edge means the bezel has a good grip, and the hermetically screwed-down caseback with its fine fluting on the edge ensure that only Rolex watchmakers can access the movement. Like all Yacht-Masters, the case is endowed with a Triplock winding crown and the dial protected by a sapphire crystal with a Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock to consult the date.
When Rolex released its Everose ref. 116655 of the Yacht-Master in 2015, the watch received two aesthetic updates that made it sleeker and more contemporary: the black ceramic Cerachrom insert and the high-tech black rubber Oysterflex strap. Although there are two-tone and Oystersteel and platinum versions of the Yacht-Master, the combination of a precious metal case with a black bezel, dial and rubber strap and the introduction of a 42mm case size in 2019 have given the Yacht-Master its distinctive, luxurious contemporary vibe. The lack of luminescent material on the bezel and the solid yellow gold case clearly take the Yacht-Master out of tool watch and professional dive watch waters and redirect it to activities above deck.
The black lacquered dial, which reinforces the sober aesthetics of this Rolex Yacht-Master 42, features applied yellow gold hour markers (triangular, round and rectangular) that are treated with Rolex’s very own luminescent material known as Chromalight that emits a long-lasting blue glow in the dark. The hallmark Mercedes hour hand, the minutes hand and the central seconds hand with its round counterweight are also crafted in gold with the same luminescent treatment as the hour markers.
Calibre 3235
First introduced in 2015 to replace the long-serving calibre 3135, calibre 3235 is now Rolex’s flagship date-function movement and is protected by no fewer than 14 patents. The most significant innovation is the new Chronergy escapement. Made from anti-magnetic nickel-phosphorous, about half of the robust 70-hour power reserve can be attributed to the newly designed escapement. A Parachrom hairspring fitted on Paraflex shock absorbers, also insensitive to magnetic fields and temperature variations, offers ten times more precision than a traditional hairspring in case of shocks. Calibre 3235 was the first movement to receive Rolex’s own certification as a Superlative Chronometer with a tolerance of just -2/+2 seconds a day (more stringent than COSC).
black Oysterflex bracelet
The matte black elastomer strap that has become a distinguishing feature of the Yacht-Master replicates the robustness and reliability of a metal bracelet with its hidden infrastructure of flexible and curved metal blades. The Oysterlock folding clasp in 18k yellow gold is fitted with a Glidelock extension system allowing for adjustments of 15mm without tools.
The Yacht-Master 42mm, reference 226658 in yellow gold, retails for EUR 26,700.
More information at Rolex.com .
Technical specifications – Rolex Yacht-Master 42
2 responses.
I might get 3 of these as there is a waiting list for the moonswatch.
Opinion: Most beautiful and “right sized” of the Rolex offering. I want one!
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Unveiled in Gold at Watches & Wonders 2022: The Rolex Yacht-Master 42
Premiered in 1992, the Yacht-Master then, as now, is Rolex’s vision of a nautical watch. The last addition was introduced in 2019 in a new 42mm white gold case. The fleet is now joined by a yellow gold execution.
The new version, like the original model, is distinguished by a bidirectional rotatable bezel fitted with a 60-minute graduated Cerachrom insert in matte black ceramic. Its raised graduations and numerals are molded into the ceramic and then polished. The crucial first 15 minutes are graduated individually to allow time intervals to be read with great precision.
The dial benefits from an optimized Chromalight display. The hour markers and hands are filled or coated with a new luminescent material that guarantees a longer-lasting intense glow. In daylight, these elements also have a brighter white hue. The new version of the Yacht-Master 42 sets sail in a 42mm Oyster case that is water-resistant to 100 meters. Its middle part is crafted from a solid block of 18k yellow gold.
Inside ticks the self-winding caliber 3235 that was introduced in 2015. It features all the noble elements, fans of the brand appreciate, such as the patented Chronergy escapement, which combines high energy efficiency with great dependability, and the highly shock resistant blue Parachrom hairspring. It goes without saying that the movement bears the Superlative Chronometer certification defined by Rolex in 2015 in addition to a C.O.S.C. chronometer certificate.
The new 18k yellow gold Yacht-Master 42 is fitted with an Oysterflex bracelet. Developed by Rolex, it is made up of flexible, curved metal blades over-molded with high-performance black elastomer, a material that is particularly resistant to environmental effects and very durable.
The Oysterflex bracelet comes with a Oysterlock folding safety clasp in 18k yellow gold and the Rolex Glidelock extension system that allows to adjust the length up to 15 mm without the use of any tools.
The new Yacht-Master 42 retails for $28,300.
To learn more, visit Rolex, here.
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Introducing Two New Wild Rolex Yacht-Master 42mm Models – One In Yellow Gold And Another With A Falcon's Eye Dial
Rolex is really flexing with these two oysterflex-equipped models..
Rolex is having a big day, with a lot of green. We've already seen the new Air-King and a left-handed GMT-Master II – both featuring green accents. But enough of the green already. We now have two new 42mm Yacht-Masters. One is white gold with a killer Falcon's Eye dial. And the other is a Rolex Yacht-Master 42 in yellow gold, baby!
Much like the existing white gold, these new variation takes things into new territory in terms of case and dial material. They keep things simple and straightforward with completely white text on the dial (The Everose Yacht-Master 40 displays the word Yacht-Master in red).
Fans will be pleased to see there are now options within the 42mm Yacht-Master range. Previously, this size was only available in white gold with a standard black dial. Both variations utilize the same Rolex in-house caliber 3235 released in 2015, and fitted inside the 42 yacht-leisure watch since 2019.
Of course, the Crown didn't stop there. In addition to this new 42mm model, Rolex has also unveiled a new Yachtmaster 40 in white gold (a first for that collection) and a rotatable – yes you read that right – multi-colored sapphire bezel and iced-out lugs. It's certainly a watch that deserves a certain level of yacht.
If any material is tailor-made for leisurely drinks on the fantail in Capri, it's yellow gold. Of course, that wouldn't be the case for true sport yachting, but let's be real – the target audience for the Yacht-Master doesn't really get down with that kind of boating. So what does that make the Falcon's Eye dial? It's something you want just because you want it. And that's okay.
The Yacht-Master line is something of an oddball in the Rolex lineup. It looks similar to a Submariner, but has certain differences like the use of a matte ceramic bezel as opposed to polished. Of course, the biggest difference between a Yacht-Master and other Rolex sports watches is that has come exclusively in precious metals. And that trend continues today with the introduction of yellow gold.
I'm sure many fans are disappointed to learn that Rolex did not release a titanium Yacht-Master – which was made as a prototype for British sailor Ben Ainslie. Oh well. The new one keeps consistency within the range. It was gold, and remains gold.
I'm torn between which variation I like more. On one hand, I love the yellow gold model because – well – I love yellow gold. It looks like a watch that has existed, or at least should always existed and that's a good thing. On the other hand, just look at the Falcon's Eye dial! It is undeniably cool, and one of those things that makes you look closer and closer. Did Rolex need to create a dial like this? Of course not, but it's Rolex we're talking about.
Both watches come fitted to the Rolex Oysterflex bracelet which gives these precious models a certain sportiness that belies the price of gold. Yachting season is nearly upon us (I think). And these arrived just in time.
Brand: Rolex Model: Yacht-Master 42 Reference Number:
Diameter: 42mm Thickness: Case Material: White gold and yellow gold Dial Color: Black or Falcon's Eye Indexes: Applied Lume: Yes Water Resistance: 100m Strap/Bracelet: Oysterflex bracelet
Caliber: 3235 Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date Power Reserve: 70 hours Winding: Automatic Frequency: 4Hz Jewels: 31 Chronometer Certified: Yes
Price: CHF 30,700 (Falcon's Eye), CHF 27,000 (Yellow Gold) Availability: Immediately
To learn more, visit Rolex.
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Rolex Releases The Yacht-Master 42 Watch With Yellow Gold And Falcon’s Eye Dial Variants
In 2019, Rolex added a 42mm variant to the Yacht-Master range that became the largest size of the brand’s three-hand sailing watch. Despite being a larger-sized luxury watch, that model still flies somewhat under the radar, as it comes in a more subtle white gold color with a traditional black dial on an Oysterflex bracelet. At Watches and Wonders 2022, however, Rolex has changed that with two new references.
Specifications
Brand : Rolex Model : Yacht-Master 42 Dimensions : 42mm Water Resistance : 100 meters Case Material : 18K yellow or white gold Crystal/Lens : Sapphire with cyclops and anti-reflective coating Movement : Calibre 3235 Frequency : 4Hz Power Reserve : 70 hours Strap/Bracelet : Oysterflex Price & Availability : $28,300 to $32,250 USD
The first new version is the yellow gold Rolex Yacht-Master 42. As with the earlier white gold model, it features a bidirectional rotating 60-minute bezel with a three-dimensional polished and matte black Cerachrom ceramic insert. The change points are that the case is now rendered in yellow rather than white gold. The black lacquer dial is also updated with yellow gold indices as well as yellow gold hands. Rolex describes this new finish as “Glowing with Brilliance.” Unlike white gold, it won’t be confused with stainless steel, so this model should be sure to draw more attention than the earlier version.
For buyers who prefer more neutral tones, the white gold Yacht-Master 42 is still in the Rolex catalog. Lucky buyers will soon be able to choose a second and very unique dial option though. Called “Falcon’s Eye,” the dial has an organic texture to it, as well as a blue-green hue that should be sure to look attractive in different types of light. As with all Rolex dials, it is designed and manufactured in-house, and largely by hand. The markers and hands of this model are made from white gold, and both models feature Rolex’s Chromalight blue luminescence.
As with the existing 42mm model, both new variants are equipped with Rolex Oysterflex bracelets. What appears to be a simple rubber strap is actually a flexible titanium and nickel alloy blade which is over-molded in what Rolex refers to as “high-performance black elastomer.” It is finished off with an 18k gold Oysterlock safety clasp that features the Rolex Glidelock extension system.
As it is only available in precious metals, the Yacht-Master 42 is one of Rolex’s less commonly seen and more expensive sports models. With these new releases, Rolex adds some desirable options to the line that give the luxury model a look that more accurately reflects its higher price point. These new Yacht-Master 42 models will be available through Rolex dealers at MSRPs of $28,300 to $32,250 USD . For more details, visit the brand’s website .
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Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42
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Review: Rolex Yacht-Master 42
The Yacht-Master was, once upon a time, Rolex’s least popular model. Reportedly a botched attempt to rejuvenate the Submariner line for a wealthier audience, it languished for decades at the bottom of the pile, unloved. But something has changed in recent years, something that has revitalised the Yacht-Master into a watch people actually want. Could the latest addition to the collection be the best yet?
Okay, so the story goes that in the early days, post-quartz crisis, Rolex was floundering to realign the brand into something that would catch the attention of a modern audience. Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe had demonstrated a demand for high-end, high-priced sports watches, and by comparison, Rolex’s no-nonsense Submariner et al were a little reserved.
In fact, a little reserved was Rolex’s whole business model. The brand had spent a century building up dominance from scratch by utilising a simple platform to build a series of professional watches that were primarily designed for work and not play. There was no fancy finishing or exquisite designs—it was the utilitarian nature that made a Rolex stand out from its competitors.
But professionals didn’t need these watches any more, and so that left Rolex with a problem. It was time to adapt or go home. That’s when someone at Rolex headquarters had a good idea: why not take the Submariner, give it a polish, dress it up with fancy materials and re-release it as the new-and-improved Submariner for the gentleman who likes to dive not from an oil platform, but a yacht?
So, that’s what Rolex did, but legend has it that right at the last minute a decision was made, and this new watch was released not as the new Submariner, but the Yacht-Master instead. First seen in 1992, all in gold with a dial in rich blue sunburst or white with black markers, the new Yacht-Master was destined to make a splash.
Although—it didn’t. It barely made a plop. This was because a new breed of watch collector had taken a fancy to something else of Rolex’s—the very watches the brand thought it needed to move away from. Vintage Submariners, Explorers, Sea-Dwellers, these were the watches collectors wanted, and so the Rolex way of life went on, safe in the hands of a fresh audience that could only ever want more.
But the Yacht-Master still existed, languishing, at the back of jeweller’s window displays. Not even a refresh in steel with sparkling platinum dial and red accents could attract any takers, and so the Yacht-Master line fell into hibernation for over fifteen years. In 2015, however, something completely unexpected happened.
As your sixteen-year-old school kid self will often remind you through haunting memories as you try to drift off to sleep of an evening, popularity is fleeting. It’s an ethereal concept, a balance of ingredients that no-one has ever quite managed to nail down. What can seem like it should be popular can fall flat on its face, and what shouldn’t can end up as the must-have item of the moment. It’s both precarious and mysterious.
In 2015, Rolex found that magic ingredient, redressing its Yacht-Master once again as the 116655, but this time in rose gold with a black ceramic bezel, matte black dial and, heaven forbid, a rubber strap. When you lay that down in theory, it sounds like the work of a fashion Neanderthal, pairing precious metals with synthetic rubber, but do you know what? It worked. The Yacht-Master went from hero to zero with the 116655, hitting a spot so sweet that it became a watch that Rolex had to let you buy rather you let them sell.
And now they’ve done it again, taking that delicate balance of secret herbs and spices and adding a dash more chilli pepper, because for 2019, we have the Yacht-Master 42 226659. Sometimes it may seem like Rolex isn’t listening, but believe me, they’ve got their ears glued to the ground, and the Yacht-Master 42 proves it.
The recipe is much the same as the 116655, but with two major differences. The first, more obvious in isolation, is the white gold case, which sets off the monochromatic theme very nicely, and the second, which a glance at the name of this watch will reveal, is the new, upsized case dimensions. Like the Explorer II and the Sky-Dweller, the Yacht-Master 42 is, well, 42mm in diameter.
This is simultaneously such a big deal and such a small one. It’s only two tiny millimetres bigger, yet the impact is somehow dramatic. It has a presence that dominates, like a new-found confidence after years of being the ugly duckling in a flock of swans. It’s like that bit at the end of the movie where the nerd gets a makeover and turns out to be solid ten out of ten after all, giving them a new lease of life. You could almost say it was arrogant, but isn’t that exactly what you want from the most luxurious of sports watches?
The 226659’s namesake has never been about reticence. You want the biggest yacht in the harbour, tender, helipad and all, and that’s why the Yacht-Master 42 has immediately become the king of its collection. There’s no room for tugboats and barges here: only the sleek, shiny and impressive need apply, and the Yacht-Master 42 is exactly that.
If there’s one thing Rolex has consistently achieved throughout its years making watches, it’s prophecy. The wristwatch, the dive watch, the Daytona—all these things were revealed by the brand before the world was fully ready to understand them. The Yacht-Master is perhaps the most surprising of all, a reaction to a changing market that only came to bloom several decades after inception. With the Yacht-Master 42 now leading the way, I think that’s what Rolex would call a win-win.
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.css-120orm1{font-weight:700;font-size:clamp(1.875rem, 1.25rem + 1.5625vw, 3.125rem);line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:1rem;line-height:1.1;} Yacht-Master 42 .css-18uwo57{font-size:clamp(1.125rem, 1.0625rem + 0.1563vw, 1.25rem);line-height:1.6;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2;text-wrap:balance;}.css-18uwo57 span{display:block;} Oyster, 42 mm, yellow gold Reference 226658
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Staying on course
The Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42 in 18 ct yellow gold with a black dial and an Oysterflex bracelet.
The oysterflex bracelet, highly resistant and durable.
The Yacht-Master’s new Oysterflex bracelet, developed by Rolex and patented, offers a sporty alternative to metal bracelets. The bracelet attaches to the watch case and the Oysterlock safety clasp by a flexible titanium and nickel alloy metal blade.
The blade is overmoulded with high-performance black elastomer which is particularly resistant to environmental effects, very durable and perfectly inert for the wearer of the watch. For enhanced comfort, the inside of the Oysterflex bracelet is equipped with a patented longitudinal cushion system that stabilizes the watch on the wrist and fitted with an 18 ct yellow gold Oysterlock safety clasp. It also features the Rolex Glidelock extension system, designed by the brand and patented. This inventive toothed mechanism, integrated beneath the clasp, allows fine adjustment of the bracelet length by some 15 mm in increments of approximately 2.5 mm, without the use of tools.
18 ct yellow gold
Commitment to excellence
By operating its own exclusive foundry, Rolex has the unrivalled ability to cast the highest quality 18 ct gold alloys. According to the proportion of silver, copper, platinum or palladium added, different types of 18 ct gold are obtained: yellow, pink or white.
They are made with only the purest metals and meticulously inspected in an in-house laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment, before the gold is formed and shaped with the same painstaking attention to quality. Rolex's commitment to excellence begins at the source.
Bidirectional Rotatable Bezel
Timing the distance.
The Yacht-Master’s bidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduated bezel is made entirely from precious metals or fitted with a Cerachrom insert in high-tech ceramic. The raised polished numerals and graduations stand out clearly against a matt, sand-blasted background.
This functional bezel – which allows the wearer to calculate, for example, the sailing time between two buoys – is also a key component in the model’s distinctive visual identity.
Exceptional legibility
Like all Rolex Professional watches, the Yacht-Master 42 offers exceptional legibility in all circumstances, and especially in the dark, thanks to its Chromalight display.
The broad hands and hour markers in simple shapes – triangles, circles, rectangles – are filled with a luminescent material emitting a long-lasting glow.
More Yacht-Master technical details
Reference 226658
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Oyster, 42 mm, yellow gold
Oyster architecture
Monobloc middle case, screw-down case back and winding crown
Bidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduated bezel with matt black Cerachrom insert in ceramic, polished raised numerals and graduations
Winding crown
Screw-down, Triplock triple waterproofness system
Scratch-resistant sapphire, Cyclops lens over the date
Water resistance
Waterproof to 100 metres / 330 feet
Perpetual, mechanical, self-winding
3235, Manufacture Rolex
-2/+2 sec/day, after casing
Centre hour, minute and seconds hands. Instantaneous date with rapid setting. Stop-seconds for precise time setting
Paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring. High-performance Paraflex shock absorbers
Bidirectional self-winding via Perpetual rotor
Power reserve
Approximately 70 hours
Flexible metal blades overmoulded with high-performance elastomer
Folding Oysterlock safety clasp with Rolex Glidelock extension system
Highly legible Chromalight display with long-lasting blue luminescence
Certification
Superlative Chronometer (COSC + Rolex certification after casing)
Learn how to set the time and other functions of your Rolex watch by consulting our user guides.
Yacht-Master 42
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IMAGES
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COMMENTS
Strap: black elastomer with hidden flexible blades - 18k yellow gold folding clasp with extension system. Reference: 226658. Price: EUR 26,700. Rolex 2022 Luxury Watches Novelty Sports watch. Print. We go deep and review the new, high-end Rolex Yacht-Master 42 Yellow Gold 226658, the luxurious nautical watch of the brand.
At the time of writing, the Oysterflex bracelet is only found on the full 18k Everose gold Yachtmaster 40 and Yacht-Master 37 watches, along with the 18k white gold Yacht-Master 42. Rolex Caliber 3235 Movement. Despite being 2mm larger than the current Yacht-Master 40, the Rolex Yacht-Master 42 is powered by the exact same Caliber 3235 movement.
Yacht-Master Key Features: - Case Size: 29mm, 35mm, 37mm, 40mm, 42mm - Material Options: Rolesium, Yellow Rolesor, Everose Rolesor, 18k Yellow Gold, 18k Everose Gold, 18k White Gold - Functions: Time with running seconds, date display. - Bezel: 60-minute timing (bi-directional) - Water Resistance: 100 meteres / 330 feet. - Strap/Bracelet: Oyster bracelet, Oysterflex bracelet
The retail price on this Rolex Yacht-Master 42 ref. 226658 is €26,900, but we all know that the watch at that price is "for exhibition only". Looking at the white gold 42mm version, expect the market price to be at least €10K more. Alongside the Yacht-Master 42 in yellow gold, Rolex also introduced the white gold Yacht-Master with the ...
It is instead, perhaps the most luxurious, desirable, deliciously devil-may-care thing the brand has ever produced. Within the 18k white gold case of the Yacht-Master 42 is the Rolex Caliber 3235. The recipient of 14 patents, it includes the new Chronergy escapement, which is highly efficient and dependable.
On the Wrist & Pricing. On the wrist, the Rolex Yacht-Master 42 Yellow Gold ref. 226658 looks and wears slightly smaller than its actual size due to the black on black combination. A great looking watch that is perfect for those wanting to maintain an 'under the radar' look, while still wearing a solid gold timepiece. Sticker Price $28,300 USD.
A yellow gold version was eventually added, and it seemed as though Rolex's largest Yacht-Master was destined to be a precious-metal-only product. The 2023 226627 Yacht-Master 42 changes that paradigm by adding in a full grade 5 titanium case and matching bracelet to the product family.
The first generation of Rolex Yacht-Master with a yellow gold case and white dial - reference 16628 introduced at Baselworld 1992. The modern-day version of the Yacht-Master made its first appearance with the reference 16628, an 18k yellow gold version with a white dial and black-filled hour markers.
The ref. 226627 Yacht-Master is powered by Rolex's automatic-winding caliber 3235 movement. The 3235 was introduced in 2015 as Rolex's updated automatic winding movement with a date and came with an elongated 70-hour power reserve alongside other improvements including a longer mainspring and thinner barrel walls.
The Watch Magazine takes a closer look at a the Rolex Yacht-Master 42 226659 and the Rolex Yacht-Master 116622. Read this article now. +44 1622621392. My Basket" ... Review: Rolex Yacht-Master 42. ... First seen in 1992, all in gold with a dial in rich blue sunburst or white with black markers, the new Yacht-Master was destined to make a splash
Among these is the new Yacht-Master 42 in yellow gold. Touted as Rolex's "watch of the open seas", the Yacht-Master was launched in 1992 and has become the brand's luxurious nautical watch. The last evolution of the Yacht-Master appeared in 2019 in a new 42mm case size and a white gold case (ref. 226659). Predictably for a brand that ...
The new version of the Yacht-Master 42 sets sail in a 42mm Oyster case that is water-resistant to 100 meters. Its middle part is crafted from a solid block of 18k yellow gold. Inside ticks the self-winding caliber 3235 that was introduced in 2015.
We now have two new 42mm Yacht-Masters. One is white gold with a killer Falcon's Eye dial. And the other is a Rolex Yacht-Master 42 in yellow gold, baby! Much like the existing white gold, these new variation takes things into new territory in terms of case and dial material. They keep things simple and straightforward with completely white ...
The entire lineup gets the brand's latest-generation case-making and finishing processes, and the modern-generation in-house-made caliber 3235 automatic movement. Again, that includes the 40 and 42mm Yacht-Master. Consider this solid 18k white gold Yacht-Master 42 an experiment to test sales of a 42mm-wide case on the Oysterflex bracelet.
Brand: Rolex Model: Yacht-Master 42 Dimensions: 42mm Water Resistance: 100 meters Case Material: 18K yellow or white gold Crystal/Lens: Sapphire with cyclops and anti-reflective coating Movement: Calibre 3235 Frequency: 4Hz Power Reserve: 70 hours Strap/Bracelet: Oysterflex Price & Availability: $28,300 to $32,250 USD. The first new version is the yellow gold Rolex Yacht-Master 42.
Video review in 4K of the original Rolex Yacht Master 42mm yellow gold watch 226658-0001 Of course the watch immediately shows the masculine character and sp...
THE OYSTER CASE, SYMBOL OF WATERPROOFNESS. A paragon of robustness and reliability, the 42 mm Oyster case of the new Yacht-Master 42 is guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet). Its middle case is crafted from a solid block of 18 ct yellow gold. The case back, edged with fine fluting, is hermetically screwed down with a special ...
Like the Explorer II and the Sky-Dweller, the Yacht-Master 42 is, well, 42mm in diameter. This is simultaneously such a big deal and such a small one. It's only two tiny millimetres bigger, yet the impact is somehow dramatic. It has a presence that dominates, like a new-found confidence after years of being the ugly duckling in a flock of swans.
Together with the all-new Perpetual 1908 and the yellow gold and steel GMT-Master II, the Yacht-Master 42 in titanium is one of my favorite Rolex releases this year. So when we received an invitation to the Rolex booth last week at Watches and Wonders, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.
The Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42 in 18 ct yellow gold with a black dial and an Oysterflex bracelet. The Oysterflex Bracelet Highly resistant and durable. The Yacht-Master's new Oysterflex bracelet, developed by Rolex and patented, offers a sporty alternative to metal bracelets. The bracelet attaches to the watch case and the Oysterlock ...
JOIN THE WAIT LIST! Rolex Yacht-Master 42 Men's Watch 226658-0001. This 42mm watch features a solid 18k yellow gold case with a black ceramic bezel and is fitted with an Oysterflex bracelet. The black dial features Chromalight blue luminescence in the hands and hour markers, and a date window displayed under the cyclops lens at 3 o'clock.
Yacht-Master 42 White vs. Yellow Rolex General Discussion ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX ... The AD was understanding and said they would keep me on the list for a yellow gold. We'll see what happens. I'm patient. Attached Images. IMG_6728 (2).jpeg (253.0 KB, 0 views) IMG_9158 (2).jpeg (207.7 KB, 0 views) Today, 12:45 PM ...
Yacht master 42 yellow gold vs yacht master 40 rose gold User Name: Remember Me? Password: Register: FAQ: Calendar: Page 1 of 2: 1: 2 > Thread Tools: Display Modes: 8 October 2022, 06:01 AM #1: Rolexadd. Banned . Join Date: Jan 2022. Location: Miam we. Posts: 115 Yacht master 42 yellow gold vs yacht master 40 rose gold ...