rolex yacht master 2 stahl

Yacht-Master

A valuable tool watch

A technical and elegant watch, the Yacht-Master is a reliable nautical instrument on the wrist.

Its graduated bidirectional bezel allows for precise measurement and reading of time intervals when navigating. This tool watch benefits from innovations that improve its legibility and wearers’ comfort in all circumstances.

Graduated bidirectional bezel Precision and legibility on the wrist

The bidirectional bezel with raised 60-minute graduations is a key feature of the Yacht-Master. Entirely crafted in precious metal – 18 ct Everose gold or 950 platinum – or fitted with a black Cerachrom bezel insert in high-technology ceramic, it is an essential part of the watch’s identity.

With its polished markers and numerals, which stand out clearly from the matt surface, the bezel guarantees optimal reading of time intervals, for example, the sailing time between two buoys. Furthermore, the detailed graduation of the first 15 minutes offers extra precision when reading navigational time.

The bidirectional rotating mechanism relies on a ring bearing 120 notches for precise and fluid adjustment to the nearest half-minute. Lastly, the bezel has a knurled edge, making it easy to manipulate in all conditions.

Gold, Rolesor and Rolesium Precious alloys and exclusive combinations

Rolex gold is an intrinsic part of the Yacht-Master’s identity: 18 ct yellow, white or Everose gold are comprised of 750‰ pure gold and blends of silver, copper and palladium. They are all entirely created and cast in our own foundry.

The Yacht-Master in 18 ct Everose gold is available in two diameters: 37 mm and 40 mm. Each of these versions is also available with a diamond-paved dial. The 18 ct yellow gold and 18 ct white gold versions are reserved for the Yacht-Master 42.

Rolex gold is also combined with Oystersteel – a particularly corrosion-resistant alloy – for the Everose Rolesor versions of the Yacht-Master 37 and Yacht-Master 40. They combine a bezel and centre links in Everose gold with a middle case, winding crown, case back and outer links in Oystersteel.

The Yacht-Master 37 and the Yacht-Master 40 are also available in Rolesium versions, an alliance of platinum and steel. They combine a platinum bezel with a middle case, winding crown, case back and bracelet in Oystersteel.

RLX titanium Robustness and lightness

RLX titanium made its first appearance in the Yacht-Master range in 2023. The grade 5 titanium alloy selected by Rolex is a particularly lightweight metal and is noted for its mechanical strength and corrosion resistance. Its use for the Yacht-Master 42’s case and bracelet has reduced the weight of the watch by around a third compared to a similar watch in steel. RLX titanium is complex to work with and has required the introduction of special production processes.

The combination of polished, high-sheen and technical satin finishes illustrates our excellence in machining and finishing techniques. Together, they produce a subtle blend of textures and light, setting off the gleaming polished surface of the crown guard and the lustrous high-sheen on the top edges of the lugs against the matt of the technical satin finishing – with its pronounced grain – visible on the rest of the case and bracelet.

Bracelets, clasps and extension systems Comfort and security on the wrist

Chromalight display and cyclops lens for optimal legibility.

Equipped with the Chromalight display and the Cyclops lens, the Yacht-Master combines two exclusive Rolex features that improve legibility.

The Chromalight display provides optimum legibility, whatever the light conditions. The luminescent material is applied by experts to the hands and the large hour markers which have simple shapes (triangle, circle and rectangle) that are characteristic of Rolex professional watches. Brilliant white in daylight, this material emits an intense blue glow in the dark.

Introduced in 2008, the Chromalight display was optimized in 2021 to maintain the intensity of the blue glow for longer. The performance of this luminescent substance clearly exceeds the standards required by watchmaking norms.

Designed to improve the readability of the date thanks to its magnifying effect, the Cyclops lens is both an aesthetic and technical signature of the brand. This Rolex invention was patented in the early 1950s. Like the crystal of the watch, it is made of virtually scratchproof sapphire and benefits from a double anti-reflective coating.

Calibres 3235 and 2236 Superlative performance

Rolex Drop ‘John Player Special’ GMT Master-II & Titanium Yacht-Master

Smoking hot off the presses.

Rolex has released a smorgasbord of new watches at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2023, including a titanium Yacht-Master, a new platinum Daytona with a brand-new movement and many more.

Geneva, Switzerland – it took a long time to get into Watches & Wonders this year, with tens of thousands of the world’s watch journalists, retailers and fanatics descending on Geneva to get a peek at 2023’s most anticipated watch releases.

But no brand’s releases are more anticipated than Rolex’s. The world’s biggest and most coveted watch brand is always the talk of the fair – especially this year, after they shared a particularly teasing preview video giving subtle hints about what they had in store for us.

We here at DMARGE are happy to say that our predictions were mostly correct… Not because we’re self-satisfied, but because they’re some seriously cool watches. We didn’t get everything right, however – again, not a problem, because Rolex has gone above and beyond this year.

Let’s go through all the highlights.

A titanium Yacht-Master

Rolex made a huge splash earlier this year when they unveiled the Rolex Deepsea Challenge back in February: their first production model to be made out of titanium, as well as the biggest and most water-resistant model the 118-year-old brand has ever created.

But at a whopping 50mm in diameter and over 18mm thick, it’s hardly wearable – which is why this new titanium Yacht-Master, at a much more manageable 42mm, is a real treat.

We know Rolex had been working on a titanium Yacht-Master for a few years: a prototype titanium Yacht-Master (albeit without a titanium bracelet) was first spotted on the wrist of British superyacht skipper Sir Ben Ainslie while he was competing in the 2021 Prada Cup.

While sister brand Tudor has dabbled in titanium watches, namely with the Pelagos dive watch, it’s a material Rolex has previously been reluctant to use. But it makes a lot of sense for a tool watch – especially one ostensibly meant for intrepid ocean-goers.

A new platinum Daytona (plus big updates to the Daytona)

This is one that’ll excite the hypebeasts. 10 years ago, for the 50th anniversary of the Daytona, Rolex released their first platinum Daytona with an ice blue dial (Rolex reserves ice blue dials for titanium models). 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of the Daytona, so they’ve re-released and updated the big baller platinum Daytona.

What’s really big is that it now has a transparent caseback: the first Rolex to ever have such a feature. It’s also got a new movement, the calibre 4131, which incorporates a number of the major innovations that Rolex has brought to its latest movements, including a Chronergy escapement.

It also features a cut-out oscillating weight and completely new finishes – notably on the bridges, which are embellished with Côtes de Genève – which now, thanks to the transparent caseback, you can admire in all its glory.

This platinum Daytona marks the second high-profile platinum releases from the Crown in two years. Last year at Watches & Wonders Geneva, Rolex unveiled a platinum Day-Date, which we reckon might be one of the heaviest (and bougiest) watches Rolex has ever made.

WATCH the reveal of the new 2023 Rolex Daytona below.

Actually, Rolex completely updated their entire Daytona range (meaning that all previous Daytona references have been discontinued). Other than the new movement, the Daytona now features a slightly different case design: the ceramic tachymeter bezel now features a metal ‘lip’.

A new GMT-Master II bezel colour

2023 has also seen a new bezel colour combination for the ever-popular GMT-Master II: grey and black. It’s available on either a two-tone stainless steel and yellow gold model (a material combination Rolex calls ‘Rolesor’) or full yellow gold, both with Jubilee bracelets.

The GMT-Master II is arguably Rolex’s most popular watch and different bezel colours are always big news… And a chance for a new nickname to be born. Last year at Watches & Wonders Geneva, Rolex stole the show when they introduced the left-handed GMT-Master II ‘Sprite’ (ref. 126720VTNR).

It took a few weeks for a nickname to stick, with other candidates like ‘Destro’ initially gaining popularity before Rolex fans chose its current moniker – a thematic nod to the ever-popular ‘Pepsi’ and ‘Coca-Cola’. We just wonder what black and grey might get called. We reckon it should be called the ‘ John Player Special ‘.

For those of you not in the know, John Player Special was actually a brand of cigarettes that boasted a distinctive black and gold colour scheme. The cigarette brand famously loved to sponsor motorsports, with its black and gold livery gracing cars in Formula 1, Australia’s V8 Supercars and many more. Subtle, sumptuous and full of history, it’s a great design.

It’s also a colour scheme that’s celebrated in the watch world. T AG Heuer actually released a ‘JPS Carrera’ last year (although they’d never officially call it that). But when it comes to Rolex nicknames, that’s all up to the fans – so we can call it whatever we like. We reckon it’s the perfect nickname for this new GMT-Master II bezel.

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