rolex yacht master 2015

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Yacht-Master

THE WATCH OF THE OPEN SEAS

The Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master, the emblematic nautical watch, embodies the privileged ties between Rolex and the world of sailing that stretch back to the 1950s.

Launched in 1992, the Yacht-Master was designed specifically for navigators and skippers. Embodying the rich heritage that has bound Rolex and the world of sailing since the 1950s, this Professional-category watch provides a perfect blend of functionality and nautical style, making it equally at home on and off the water.

ROTATABLE BEZEL WITH RAISED GRADUATIONS

The Yacht-Master is easily recognized by its bidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduated bezel made entirely from precious metal – Everose gold or platinum – or fitted with a Cerachrom insert in high-technology ceramic. The raised, polished graduations and numerals stand out clearly against a matt background. This characteristic and functional bezel – which enables the wearer to read time intervals, for example, the sailing time between two buoys – plays a full part in creating the visual identity of the watch. The bezel can be turned with ease thanks to its knurled edge, which offers excellent grip.

CHROMALIGHT DISPLAY

The Yacht-Master offers great legibility in all circumstances, even in the dark, thanks to its Chromalight display: the large hour markers and broad hands are filled or coated with a luminescent material emitting a long-lasting blue glow – for up to two times longer than traditional phosphorescent materials .

THE YACHT-MASTER, SUPERLATIVE CHRONOMETER CERTIFIED

Like all Rolex watches, the Yacht-Master is covered by the Superlative Chronometer certification redefined by Rolex in 2015. This exclusive designation attests that every watch leaving the brand’s workshops has successfully undergone a series of tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories and according to its own criteria. These certification tests apply to the fully assembled watch, after casing the movement, guaranteeing superlative performance on the wrist in terms of precision, power reserve, waterproofness and self-winding. The Superlative Chronometer status is symbolized by the green seal that comes with every Rolex watch and is coupled with an international five-year guarantee.

The precision of every movement – officially certified as a chronometer by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) – is tested a second time by Rolex after being cased, to ensure that it meets criteria that are far stricter than those of the official certification. The precision of a Rolex Superlative Chronometer is of the order of −2/+2 seconds per day – the rate deviation tolerated by the brand for a finished watch is significantly smaller than that accepted by COSC for official certification of the movement alone.

The Superlative Chronometer certification testing is carried out after casing using state-of-the-art equipment specially developed by Rolex and according to an exclusive protocol that simulates the conditions in which a watch is actually worn and more closely represents real-life experience. The entirely automated series of tests also checks the waterproofness, the self-winding capacity and the power reserve of 100 per cent of Rolex watches. These tests systematically complement the qualification testing during development and production, in order to ensure the watches’ reliability, robustness, and resistance to strong magnetic fields and to shocks.

THE OYSTER CASE, SYMBOL OF WATERPROOFNESS

The Yacht-Master’s Oyster case, 37 mm, 40 mm, or 42 mm in diameter and guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet), is a paragon of robustness and reliability. The middle case is crafted from a solid block of Oystersteel, RLX titanium or 18 ct gold. The case back, edged with fine fluting, is hermetically screwed down with a special tool that allows only certified Rolex watchmakers to access the movement. The Triplock winding crown – fitted with a triple waterproofness system – screws down securely against the case. It is protected by an integral crown guard. The crystal, with a Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock for easy reading of the date, is made of virtually scratchproof sapphire and benefits from an anti-reflective coating. The waterproof Oyster case provides optimal protection for the movement it houses.

CALIBRES 2236 AND 3235

Yacht-Master models are equipped with calibre 2236 (Yacht-Master 37) or calibre 3235 (Yacht-Master 40 and Yacht-Master 42), self-winding mechanical movements entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. Consummate demonstrations of technology, these movements carry a number of patents. They offer outstanding performance, particularly in terms of precision, power reserve, convenience and reliability.

Calibre 2236 is fitted with the patented Syloxi hairspring in silicon, manufactured by the brand. In addition to resisting strong magnetic fields, this hairspring offers great stability in the face of temperature variations as well as high resistance to shocks. Its geometry, which is also patented, ensures the movement’s regularity in any position. Calibre 2236 includes a paramagnetic nickel-phosphorus escape wheel.

Calibre 3235 incorporates the patented Chronergy escapement, made of nickel-phosphorus, which combines high energy efficiency with great dependability and is also resistant to strong magnetic fields. This movement is fitted with the blue Parachrom hairspring, manufactured by Rolex in a paramagnetic alloy. In addition to resisting strong magnetic fields, this hairspring offers great stability in the face of temperature variations as well as high resistance to shocks. It is equipped with a Rolex overcoil, ensuring the calibre’s regularity in any position.

The oscillator of these two calibres has a balance wheel with variable inertia regulated extremely precisely via gold Microstella nuts. It is held firmly in place by a height-adjustable traversing bridge enabling very stable positioning to increase shock resistance. The oscillator is also mounted on the Rolex-designed, patented high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers, further enhancing the movements’ shock resistance.

Calibre 2236 and calibre 3235 are equipped with a self-winding system via a Perpetual rotor, which ensures continuous winding of the mainspring by harnessing the movements of the wrist to provide constant energy. Calibre 2236 offers a power reserve of approximately 55 hours, while the power reserve of calibre 3235 extends to approximately 70 hours thanks to its barrel architecture and the escapement’s superior efficiency; moreover, since 2023, its oscillating weight has been fitted with an optimized ball bearing.

The Yacht-Master’s movements will be seen only by certified Rolex watchmakers, yet they are beautifully finished and decorated. Since 2023, calibre 3235 has also been marked with the words ‘Chronometer Perpetual’ and ‘Superlative Adjusted’ engraved respectively on the oscillating weight and on the bridges.

BRACELET AND CLASP: SECURE AND COMFORTABLE

The Rolesium versions (combining Oystersteel and platinum) and the Everose Rolesor versions (combining Oystersteel and Everose gold) of the Yacht-Master 37 and the Yacht-Master 40, as well as the Yacht-Master 42 in RLX titanium, are fitted on a three-piece link Oyster bracelet, equipped with the Easylink comfort extension link. This system, developed by Rolex, allows the wearer to easily increase the bracelet length by approximately 5 mm, for additional comfort in any circumstance. On the Yacht-Master 42 in RLX titanium, the bracelet includes ceramic inserts – designed by Rolex and patented – inside the links to enhance its flexibility and longevity.

The Yacht-Master 37 and Yacht-Master 40 in 18 ct Everose gold, as well as the Yacht-Master 42 in 18 ct yellow or white gold, are fitted on an Oysterflex bracelet, composed of two flexible, curved metal blades – one for each bracelet section – overmoulded with high-performance black elastomer. This Rolex-designed, patented bracelet is furnished with the Rolex Glidelock extension system, also developed by the brand and patented. On the Oysterflex bracelet, this inventive toothed mechanism has six notches of approximately 2.5 mm, allowing the bracelet length to be effortlessly adjusted up to some 15 mm.

The Oyster and Oysterflex bracelets on the Yacht Master models are equipped with an Oysterlock safety clasp, designed by Rolex and patented, which prevents accidental opening.

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Rolex Yacht-Master & Yacht-Master II: The Comprehensive Guide to the King of Sailing Watches

The Rolex Yacht-Master occupies a prominent but, for many, difficult-to-define area within the company’s overall portfolio. It’s regarded as a popular dress watch but is firmly positioned within the “Professional” collection. It looks a lot like a Submariner but isn’t really a dive watch, so it’s really not like a Submariner at all. It’s designed as a men’s watch but has become a canvas for some very feminine executions. And unlike other Rolex models that offer an original “I” and a second-generation “II” version, like the GMT-Master and Explorer, the Yacht-Master I and II are scarcely related in their design or functions at all. And yet, the Yacht-Master remains a top-tier timepiece both for Rolex and its legions of fans, and in its relatively short span on the market has welcomed a number of innovative materials and technologies into the Rolex fold. Read on to discover more about the Rolex Yacht-Master (in all its various versions) and what makes the model unique among its Oyster Perpetual brethren.

1967 - 1969 - The Prototype: Cosmograph Yacht-Master

Rolex Cosmograph Yacht-Master, circa 1967 (photo: Rolex Magazine.com )

While the Yacht-Master as we know it today traces its genesis only to 1992, the name appeared on a Rolex dial several decades before — on a watch that resembled more an evolution of the Daytona than of the Submariner — indicating that a sailing-themed watch was something that Rolex had been tinkering with as an organization for some time. In 1967, shortly after the debut of the Cosmograph (soon to be the Cosmograph Daytona) in 1963, Rolex developed a chronograph wristwatch prototype, with a three-register “reverse panda” dial and a tachymeter scale that it dubbed the “Cosmograph Yacht-Master” ( Reference 6239/6242); at 39.5mm, it was larger than the core Daytona model, which at the time was a fairly modest 36mm. Also setting it apart from all of its siblings in that collection is the odd addition of a multicolored scale at the bottom left of the 3 o’clock subdial, presumably to be used in concert with the chronograph function for counting down to the start of a yachting regatta. Only three examples of this model, which appears to have never been commercially released, are known to exist, one of them once owned by guitar legend and Rolex super-collector Eric Clapton. 

1992 - Enter the “Luxury Submariner”

The first Rolex Yacht-Master in yellow gold (Ref.16628, circa 1992)

The Rolex braintrust never fully abandoned the idea of a nautically inspired boating watch to join the diving-tool Submariner (and eventually its more robust successor, the Sea-Dweller), and the Crown finally pulled the trigger on it in 1992. The Ref. 16628 model, which launched the modern Yacht-Master collection, was intended as a more luxurious version of the Submariner, at the time still regarded as more of an upscale tool watch than a dressy sport watch appropriate to be worn on the deck of a yacht. Accordingly, it looks a lot like the Submariner in its primary aesthetic and technical details. Its dial featured the same Mercedes handset; the same eclectic assortment of circles, rectangles, and triangles at the hour markers; and the same Cyclops lens-enhanced 3 o’clock date window that the Submariner acquired in 1969, along with a very similar rotating bezel with a 60-minute scale. 

Rolex Yacht-Master Ref. 16628 with mother-of-pearl dial (photo: Analog:Shift )

The main differences are in the execution. For several years at that point, the case of the Submariner had been boasting a water resistance rating of 300 meters (still a standard for the model today), while the Yacht-Master’s case came in at a respectable but much more pedestrian 100 meters — again, more suited for being worn above the water than under it. While the case diameter of the newcomer was the same — 40mm — it was, along with its Oyster bracelet, made of 18k yellow gold, while the vast majority of Submariners were still made of 904L “Oystersteel.” The aforementioned bezel offers the most distinguishing differences: it rotates in both directions rather than one, another indication that the watch’s primary role was not to time dives (in which case, a unidirectional bezel that tracked how long the wearer had been underwater, and couldn’t be inadvertently moved for an inaccurate reading, was the safest option) but to be used for a more versatile array of calculations including counting down to the start of a yacht race. The more outwardly notable difference from its diving predecessor was the bezel’s 60-minute scale, which was relief-engraved directly onto the precious metal surface rather than etched into an insert made of aluminum, bakelite, or (as it is nowadays) ceramic. The overall effect was more streamlined and, objectively, more “luxury” than “tool” or “sport.” The movement inside was the same as the one the Submariner used at the time — Rolex’s “Perpetual” (i.e., automatic) Caliber 3135. 

As you might surmise from the evidence at hand here, the Yacht-Master’s remarkable resemblance to the Submariner is the result of neither coincidence nor design laziness. As watch companies are apt to do occasionally, Rolex had the notion at one point, probably during the 1980s, to upgrade and revamp the look of the Submariner — which, it’s worth remembering, had not really changed much since its debut in 1953. According to industry lore, propagated by some who were involved at the time, one of those experiments yielded a watch that Rolex executives were very bullish about — but not bullish enough to actually pull the plug on the “old” Submariner design and replace it with the newer, more luxurious one, hence the revival of the 1960s “Yacht-Master” name and the launch of what would be — until the debut of the Sky-Dweller in 2012 — Rolex’s newest product family.

1994 - 2005: Growing the Fleet: Midsize, Ladies, and Two-Tone Editions

In 1994, recognizing the potential unisex appeal of its first new timepiece collection since the Daytona, Rolex followed up the original Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master with a 35mm “Midsize” version (Ref. 68628) and an understatedly feminine 29mm “Lady Yacht-Master” model (Ref. 69628) Both were in yellow-gold, and both were powered by Rolex’s self-winding Caliber 2135, with a 42-hour power reserve. It was the first time in Rolex’s history that a model from its “Professional” series, which includes traditionally male-targeted models like the Submariner, GMT-Master, and Daytona, was offered in a smaller case size than that of the original. Even in the core 40mm sizes, the Yacht-Master template established in 1992 proved to be ideal for more decorative treatments; over the years, Rolex has released versions of the Yacht-Master 40 with ruby, sapphire, and diamond-set hour markers, mother-of-pearl dials, and even fully paved diamond-set dials.

In what would become something of a tradition for the series going forward, Rolex unveiled the first Yacht-Master with a bi-material construction in 1999. The Ref. 16622 boasted a 40mm case that combines stainless steel (for the case middle, caseback, and Oyster bracelet) and 950 platinum (for the relief-engraved bezel and the dial) in a somewhat monochromatic hybrid that the company refers to as “Rolesium.” Another bi-metal Yacht-Master iteration, one more striking in the tonal contrasts of its materials, arrived in 2005, the first “Rolesor” model, with Oystersteel and yellow gold used for the case and bracelet. That watch, Ref. 16623, was available in a variety of dial colors, including champagne, blue, and brown, and even a mother-of-pearl version.

Rolex Yacht-Master Ref.  16623 "Rolesium"

2007: Regatta Revolution: The First Yacht-Master II

In 2007, Rolex introduced the next generation of the Yacht-Master, and it was not only a significant departure from its predecessor; it was also, in a way, a return to the “Cosmograph” functionality of the 1960s prototypes. In actuality, the Yacht-Master II, first issued in a 44mm case in yellow gold (Ref. 116688) or white gold (Ref. 116689), is more appropriately described as a separate family of watches than as a branch of the main Yacht-Master series. For one thing, the movement that debuted inside the watch, Caliber 4160, was entirely new. Technically speaking, it’s a descendant of the Caliber 4130 found in Daytona models, and Rolex’s first in-house caliber to incorporate a built-in regatta countdown feature. For another, place a Yacht-Master II next to a “regular” Yacht-Master and they look, really, nothing alike. The bidirectional bezel of the Yacht-Master II is emblazoned not with the diving-inspired 60-minute scale of its smaller sibling but a countdown scale, with Arabic numerals starting with “10” and concluding at “0” spanning a semicircular arc from approximately the 8 o’clock to the 4 o’clock positions. A similar descending 10-to-0 scale is featured on the dial, positioned inside the border of the small rectangular hour markers and above the running seconds subdial at 6 o’clock. The bezel insert, made of Cerachrom, Rolex’s patented ceramic alloy, is also much more Submariner-like than Yacht-Master-like.

The first Rolex Yacht-Master II, circa 2007

The chronometer-certified movement offered not only a column-wheel driven chronograph function but an exclusive regatta countdown device, developed in-house by Rolex, that can be pre-set for intervals up to 10 minutes and whose mechanical “memory” allows it to be re-set to a previously used countdown duration. Once the watch’s countdown function is engaged, it can even be adjusted on the fly to synchronize with the precise, “official” countdown that initiates the crucial starting sequence of every regatta. While it was undeniably luxurious in its trappings — available in several precious metal options, as well as, eventually, in steel — the message delivered by the Yacht-Master II was clear: this was a watch for actual boat skippers, not just plutocrat boat owners.

Despite the niche appeal of the Yacht-Master II’s sailing-specific complication — or, perhaps because this appeal never became more widespread among Rolex fans in general — the Yacht-Master II was discontinued in 2024. Its most recent upgrades were fairly subtle: as of the all-steel Ref. 11680 introduced in 2013, the movement inside shifted to Caliber 4161, which (according to Rolex) improved upon the 4160’s reliability and the user-friendliness of its pushers.

2015: Everose Meets Oysterflex

Even before the decision to retire the Yacht-Master II from the lineup, throughout  the past decade it has been the original, core Yacht-Master model, the one without the regatta timer, that has received the most attention from the brand, with more firsts for the model arriving in 2015. The Ref. 116655, launched at that year’s Baselworld watch fair, was the first Yacht-Master with a case made from Rolex’s proprietary rose-gold alloy called Everose gold, and the first to contain a movement meeting Rolex’s “Superlative Chronometer” standard that was rolled out the same year. Its bezel was executed in black Cerachrom, albeit with the same relief-style scale as its metal predecessors rather than the etched scale of the Submariner. What many remember best is that it was also the first watch to be mounted on Rolex’s innovative Oysterflex bracelet — which on its exterior resembles a fairly traditional black rubber strap but on its interior is equipped with a patented “longitudinal cushion” system, made up of nickel-titanium blades inside an elastomer coating. The patented design gives an Oysterflex the suppleness and comfort of a strap while still providing the robustness and stability of a bracelet, and this style of wristlet has been a mainstay within Rolex’s “Professional” series of watches ever since, though still most closely associated with the Yacht-Master. Somewhat more quietly in that same year of big Yacht-Master moves, Rolex discontinued the 35mm Midsize and 29mm Ladies models, replacing them with a new series of arguably more “unisex” 37mm Yacht-Masters; today, this represents the smallest option within the collection.

2019: A Bigger Boat with a Better Engine: Introducing the Yacht-Master 42

The core Yacht-Master collection welcomed a new size and a new movement in 2019. For the first time since the debut of the 40mm original, the case size was increased, to 42mm, in the white-gold-cased Ref. 226659. It was, somewhat surprisingly for a watch that had undergone so many luxurious iterations in its history, the first time that particular precious metal had been employed for a Yacht-Master case. The watch’s Cerachrom bezel insert was in matte-black, to match the dial, and featured the same relief-raised scale and numerals as its 40mm siblings. The Yacht-Master 42 also marked the first use of the “Superlative Chronometer” Caliber 3235 in the Yacht-Master family.

Rolex Caliber 3235

In production since 2015, Caliber 3235 is one of Rolex’s most optimized in-house calibers and has been gradually replacing the venerable 3135 in many of the brand’s three-hand-date models, from the basic Datejust to the Submariner, Sea-Dweller, and Yacht-Master. The movement’s host of talking points includes the patented “Chronergy” escapement, made of magnetism-resistant nickel phosphorus that renders the movement both highly energy efficient and extremely durable; the Rolex-exclusive blued Parachrom hairspring that gives the oscillator a greater level of resistance to magnetism and shocks; and the lengthy 72-hour power reserve and industry-leading “Superlative Chronometer” accuracy to +/- 2 seconds per day. 

2023: Sailing to the Future in Titanium

Rolex is famously of the “slow and steady wins the race” philosophy when it comes to adopting new materials and buying into industry trends in general. The brand waited until 2022 to make its first watch case in titanium (specifically grade 5 titanium, which Rolex — of course — calls by its own in-house moniker of RLX Titanium) — and that watch, the 50mm, 36,000-meter water resistant Deepsea Challenge, was anything but an everyday timepiece. One year later, it was a Yacht-Master, in the recently established 42mm case size, that ushered RLX titanium into more wearable territory. RLX titanium is a strong, corrosion-resistant and very lightweight alloy, with a technical satin finish lending it a sleek, subtly grainy texture. The watch’s case is milled from a single block of the material and is enhanced with shiny polished facets that help to frame and elegantly define its broader satin-finished surfaces. The black dial — Rolex calls it “intense black” and who am I to disagree? — has its own grained texture, and the titanium bracelet is fitted with ceramic inserts and equipped with the brand’s Easylink extension system for maximum wearing comfort. Inside beats the reliable and increasingly ubiquitous Rolex Superlative Chronometer Caliber 3235.

In a way, the latest model finally brings the Yacht-Master from its “luxury Submariner” origins to what many feel is its proper tool-watch identity. It will be intriguing to see if future versions of the Yacht-Master — now that the original model stands alone, without its chronograph-countdown sibling, as the Rolex watch for sailors and other seaborne sojourners — venture more into the placid waves of dress-watch elegance or the churning whitewater of regatta-race utility. Knowing Rolex, it’s likely to be the most crowd-pleasing combination of both. 

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