rolex yacht master two tone blue dial

Hands-On Rolex Yacht-Master II Review

So, I got a YachtMaster II. But hear me out… It was an insanely, and undeserved gift (“the company you keep”, right?). This got me to thinking about a lot of Rolexes offerings , and brought me around to the idea that the Yacht-Master II, no matter how niche a complication, no matter how specific, no matter how big, no matter how ridiculous - Might be one of my favorite models - And I’m not just saying that because I didn’t actually make the purchase.

Let me clear the elephant in the room. That’s the “You’re just saying you like the watch because it was free” statement that is absolutely BOUND to shroud my DM’s after this goes live. And that’s fine, I expect it, I welcome it, and I recognize the privilege that I’m projecting here. However, I would like to clear the air on where this review is going to come from - I have had plenty, and I mean PLENTY of opportunity to buy, sell, handle, photograph, and write about Rolex in the past decade. While I have on occasion, I’ve never particularly found Rolex to be a terribly interesting brand to review. Incremental changes over decades and decades tend to run together, and very few of those changes are worth lengthy, wrist-time in order to trump the (literal) thousands of reviews on the internet already - So I’ve mostly passed up on writing any kind of in-depth article or review on the brand. I’ve always felt that was better left for the Rolex boys, who are probably more qualified than myself to write about them anyway.

That is, until I have been wearing this particular model for a decent period of time. I started to notice that so many of the Rolex Yacht-Master II reviews on the internet, have often come from people who are attempting to sell you the watch. With the exception of a few “Hands On” articles floating around, I have had a very difficult time finding an open and honest review of this particular watch from someone who has actually owned one, and has worn it for a significant portion of time. So that is what I’m going to attempt to do here. This is going to be a wordy, however, comprehensive review of the Rolex Yacht-Master II (Ref 116680) - Arguably the most polarizing modern watch Rolex has produced.

If you’ve been around Rolex circles for any serious amount of time, you’ll likely have heard that the Yacht-Master II is simply too large of a watch for Rolex to have made - And to be fair, it’s very big by Rolex standards. The watch is the only Rolex produced that measures in at 44mm with a significant 14mm thickness and is made of 904L Stainless Steel. So to the more introverted Rolex collector, this is probably not the watch for them. While this model is definitely heavy, I have never once felt this watch to be uncomfortable or a nuisance on the wrist.

I have seen a number of comments that the Yacht-Master II is too bulky and heavy, however I do not feel that is the case. In fact, my Omega Planet Ocean is only 42mm x 15.7mm, and feels much bulkier and heavier than the Yacht-Master II.

The case is alternating with polished and satin-finished and features a nautical blue ceramic bezel. The pushers are, as is Rolex’s MO, a perfect length. Even though I’m left handed, and therefore wear my watch on my right wrist, I had no issues with the pushers digging into my wrist, or catching on my sleeves. The rounded and tapered case, although thick, cleanly buffers between the oversized bezel and any sleeve you wish to pull over it. I live in Tampa FL, so I am always tucking it away under a sleeve… cause… I don’t want to get robbed in a parking lot.

The pushers are easy to use, cause it’s Rolex, and of course they are. The triple-lock crown screws down easy and fits tight against the case, so I never feel like there is any risk in the water - Even though the watch carries a 100m water resistance rating.

The bezel is often criticized for it’s ostentatious nature. I mean, there is no doubt what watch is on your wrist with the huge, bold, and easily seen “YACHT-MASTER II” etched into the bezel itself. The bezel function works with the movement (which we will get to in a minute), as it turns 90 degrees in order to program the indicators (which we’ll also get to). The matte finish with crescent grippers makes the bezel easy to use, and readily available when needed.

This is the ref. 116680, which means there were some moderate adjustments made to the dial by Rolex over the previous er… 116680 (Rolex opted not to change the reference number). Personally, I find them to be minimal, and unless you’re insanely familiar with the Yacht-Master II line of watches, will likely be largely unnoticed, but I feel it important to discuss anyway.

For starters, the indicators are not simply square all the way around the dial anymore. Instead of every indicator remaining the same shape and angle, the 12 o’ clock indice was changed to an elongated triangle to easily dictate the top of the watch. Additionally, the 6 o’clock indicator was changed to an elongated rectangle, again, to easily dictate it’s location. Is this likely to be a deal-breaker for Regatta enthusiasts when looking to time 60 second intervals with a flyback function? Probably not. But it does make the dial a lot more legible, and I suppose, a certain percentage more useful.

Additionally, the other major changes were too the handset. Instead of the heat treated blued handset of prior models, the 116680 features skeletonized hands with lumed tips and an added “mercedes” hour hand. This allows for the wearer to see the Regatta timer lap ring with minimal interruption - Although, I think the blue handset would have helped - The polished hands can get lost against the slick white dial in certain light. Lesser changes include some thickening of lines, a bit darker tint of blue, and some added lume.

Overall, the dial is exactly what you’d expect from Rolex. It’s superbly legible, displays the utility of the movement well, and is innately “Rolex”. The updates definitely add to the legibility, even when using the lap timer, however, I’ve never known a Rolex to really struggle in that department to begin with.

THE MOVEMENT:

Inside the Yacht-Master II is the Rolex Calibre 4161. The movement is formidable, and the functions make sense for the extremely specific times a captain would need to use it. Essentially, the “chronograph” functions as a 10 minute countdown sectioned off in “laps”. When activated, the movement counts the ten lap starting sequence of a regatta race.

Interestingly, because of the internal memory, the movement can be programmed for any position within the 1-10 sequence for even more precise timing. This can be done by rotating the “Command bezel” 90 degrees and pressing the start / stop pusher to adjust the position. Interestingly, Rolex boasts that it’s one of the first watches in the world to utilize a bezel in conjunction to the movement.

The 360+ part Calibre 4161 beats at 28,800 VpH, features a 72-hour power reserve, and Rolex’s Parachrom hairspring for better anti-magnetism.

THE BRACELET:

The watch comes on an Oystersteel bracelet with a pretty unique clasp feature that allows for the adjustment of the links to 5mm - or a half link. This was super handy for my wrist, because the watch sat just a hair too lose, but taking out a third link would cause the watch to flop around more than I’d like. Admittedly, I hadn’t had much experience with this feature, but learned on the fly how easy it was to use. Where the bracelet connects to the clasp, there is a little fold half link. You can either pull up and flip it back down to set it in place, or pull slightly back to release it. This either shortens, or lengthens the link. This is great for hot days when your wrist swells. And the added ability to do it quick, on the fly, and without tools was a huge bonus to the watches utility.

Obviously, there isn’t much improving on the Oyster bracelet. It’s insanely comfortable, it flexes perfectly when it needs to, it’s clasp is solid and doesn’t buckle (no pun intended) and it’s fit to the lugs is perfect for the watch.

The Yacht-Master II is very top-heavy, so it’s important for the bracelet to manage that efficiently, and this is Rolex we’re talking about, so it does. Are there times that swelling and moisture, and dirt / sand affect the comfort? Sure, but there’s nothing the bracelet can do to fix that.

CONCLUSION:

While, admittedly loud, I found myself leaning into the oversized and exaggerated nature of the watch more and more. Is it massive and recognizable? Yes. Obviously. Does it take away from the watch at all? No. I feel it compliments it. Rolex as a whole has a difficult time being identified without, it becoming your entire identity - If that makes any sense, and the Yacht-Master II case is one of the few (in my opinion) Rolex watches that comes with it’s own personality - even if that personality tends to get lumped in with the loud and obnoxiously rich people that tend to strive to own it.

As my first Rolex, I recognize that it’s not exactly the normal “First” for the brand, but I’ve grown to love the watch. In fact, I think it’s a staple in my collection. It’s hefty and legitimately feels like a sports watch worth wearing, and still classic and toned down enough to be a dinner watch. I don’t have much to fault the watch with that isn’t built into the foundations of what the watch is to begin with. I feel and criticism I could really throw at it would be met with “Yeah, we know, that’s the point”, and that just feels… well, pointless.

How much is the Rolex Yacht-Master II?

If you can find one at retail, you’re looking at a price tag of $18,700 USD but is going for around $24,000 to $29,000 on the secondary market.

Rolex Yacht-Master 40 Men's Watch 16623

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Rolex Yacht-Master 116621 Two-Tone Everose Gold/Steel and Brown Dial – Hands-On

The big novelty from Rolex at Baselworld 2016 was… you guessed it: the Daytona Ceramic Bezel 116500LN  – a very nice watch sure, but still just a simple cosmetic evolution of an existing model. However, there were of course some other watches to discover. One of these models in particular has always managed to stay a bit under the radar, the Yacht-Master, a watch that has never really found favor with Rolex purists. Last year, it was revamped by the Crown, with the introduction of an Everose / Ceramic version . While we were expecting it to be introduced in steel in 2016 , Rolex decided differently and instead unveiled the new Rolex Yacht-Master 116621 Two-Tone Everose Gold / Steel and Chocolate Dial.

What is the Rolex Yacht-Master? A bit of history

In 1992, at Baselworld, Rolex introduced a brand new model named the Yacht-Master. Now, if you know anything about Rolex, you know that the introduction of an entirely new model is not something that occurs very often. Rolex has a collection of iconic and purpose-built watches and, mostly, they improve and redesign these existing watches. In fact, a new model is so rare that, when this Yacht-Master was introduced in 1992, it was the first real novelty (and here I mean “entirely new watch”) since 1964, when the Daytona made its debut. It took Rolex 28 years to create a new model… or at least one with a new name, because, objectively, this Yacht-Master felt (and still feels) quite familiar.

This wasn’t the first time the name Yacht-Master was mentioned at Rolex however. In the late 1960s, the brand developed a nautical-inspired Daytona, with regatta counter, also named Yacht-Master – a chronograph that however remained at the prototype stage and was never commercialized. A sort of tribute to this rare bird can be seen in the current Yacht-Master II, also a nautical-inspired chronograph with regatta complication.

The first execution (1992) Rolex yacht-Master 16628 Yellow Gold

The modern-day version of the Yacht-Master made its first appearance with the ref. 16628, an 18k yellow gold version with white dial and black hour indexes. The design of this watch feels quite familiar, so it’s easy to speculate about the inspiration and the positioning of this Yacht-Master in the collection. Some stories ( and keep in mind that there’s nothing official here ) say that Rolex, during the 1980’s, experimented with tons of different options to revamp the iconic Submariner. Several attempts later, something close to the Yacht-Master appeared, however, Rolex felt that redesigning the Sub was probably not the right move. When you have an icon, you don’t want to kill it. However, the design proposed was pleasing to Rolex and they looked at options to commercialize it. It had to be slightly different from a Sub of course, so as not to cannibalize it. The decision was made therefore that this watch should be positioned as a sort of luxurious nautical watch, mixing attributes of a dive watch with the ability to be used at the yacht-club or on the deck of a super-yacht.

The distinction was simple: steel case water-resistant to 300m, black bezel, black dial and tool-ish characteristics for the Submariner. Gold case water-resistant to 100m, bright dial, solid gold bezel and luxurious characteristics (mainly due to more rounded shapes) for the Yacht-Master. For the rest, both watches were rather close: the same 3135 movement, the same dial layout, the same hands, the same 60-minute bezel (but here, bidirectional). It’s possible this close resemblance to the Submariner might be the reason why the Yacht-Master was so unpopular in comparison. This is why, over the years, it has evolved with different materials and more colors (two-tone Rolesor, blue dial, ladies’ and mid-size versions… things that the Submariner does not have).

The latest evolution of the Yacht-Master, the 116655 with ceramic bezel and Oysterflex strap

The most famous version of the Rolex Yacht-Master was introduced in 1999, under the reference 16622: steel case, steel bracelet, solid platinum bezel and platinum dial with sparkling finish. At Baselworld 2012, the brand came with a refreshed version, with maxi-dial and maxi-case, as well as a cobalt-blue dial option. Finally, a major evolution came in 2015, with the introduction of the Everose version , with black dial, black ceramic bezel insert and Oysterflex (rubber) bracelet – a new design that dramatically changed the perception of this watch.

The 2016 Rolex Yacht-Master 116621

What Rolex introduced this year is the Rolex Yacht-Master 116621 Everose Rolesor Chocolate dial. What does it mean, in ‘Rolex’ language? It means that we have a two-tone version ( Rolesor ) combining stainless steel and Everose Gold ( Rolex’s own rose gold alloy ) with a dark brown dial – a combination often used by the brand. It is not the first time that Rolex has used this Rolesor design on the Yacht-Master, as versions combining steel and yellow gold, with a white, grey, blue or gold dial, already exist. However, with this Rolex Yacht-Master 116621, it is the first time that Rolex offers a Rolesor Everose version of the model.

At Rolex, Rolesor means two-tone watches, described as such: “ Rolesor is the auspicious meeting of two metals on a single Rolex watch: gold and steel (…) The concept is simple: the bezel, the winding crown and the centre bracelet links are made of 18 ct yellow or Everose gold (Rolex’s exclusive pink gold alloy); the middle case and the outer links of the bracelet are made of 904L stainless steel. ” Thus, you would expect that this Rolex Yacht-Master 116621 follows those rules… Of course, it features a central case and a bracelet with satined outer links in steel. It also features Everose polished central links and bezel. However, the crown remains steel (which was the case already on the previous two-tone version ref. 16623). Look at all Rolesor watches by Rolex and you’ll see that the Yacht-Master, including this ref. 116621, is the exception. Nevertheless, I have to admit that, personally, I prefer the crown to be steel instead of gold, as I always felt this gold touch to be quite awkward.

The case is the usual Yacht-Master design, with a 40mm diameter and rather rounded lugs (while modern Submariners or GMT-Masters have bulky, squarish lugs) positioning this watch in the more luxurious category, strong crown protection guards – also rounded – and an abundance of polished surfaces (only the bracelet features satined surfaces). The bezel is the most striking design touch of this watch. It is now machined from a solid block of Everose gold but still with the same style as before: large, raised numerals, their polished surfaces contrasting nicely against the sand-blasted background. This has always been a distinctive point of this watch, compared to the Submariner – and the main aspect that made this watch more elegant and dressier than the Subs. Nevertheless, the bezel is bidirectional but, with its 60-minute scale, allows for recreational diving sessions.

With this Rolex Yacht-Master 116621, the brand opted for a safe combination, with a dark brown “chocolate” toned dial. This combination of Rose gold and brown dial has been widely used by the Crown. It gives the watch a warm aspect and a luxurious touch. The dial is finished with a sun-ray pattern, which affords gorgeous reflections in natural light conditions. The indexes, hands and Rolex logo are gold, allowing for great contrast and legibility. Traditional for this watch, the name of the model is printed in red, making it rather discreet. The date is displayed at 3 and, as always with the Crown, placed under a cyclops.

On the wrist, the Yacht-Master is very comfortable (thanks to the rounded lugs and crown guard) and offers a great combination of sports and luxury, which makes it a quite interesting weekend watch. Perfect for those who are not actively using their timepieces (for that, go for a Submariner) but who still want to be safe in case of an impromptu jump in the harbor. In fact, in this chocolate / Everose Rolesor combination, the watch gains a certain elegance and refinement, clearly setting it apart from the Submariner – and thus, making highly desirable. It perfectly deserves its name as a nautical-inspired watch that was not designed to be a tool watch.

As part of the new collection, this Rolex Yacht-Master 116621 also benefits from the latest technological features of the brand, including of course the blue Parachrom spiral as well as the new Superlative Chronometer certification (guaranteeing that the watch runs in the -2/+2 s/day range) and the 5-year warranty.

The Rolex Yacht-Master 116621 Two-Tone Everose Gold / Steel with Chocolate Dial can only be ordered in 40mm and for a price of 12,900 Euros or 13,400 CHF . Rolex.com .

Specifications of the Rolex Yacht-Master 116621

• Case : 40mm Oyster case – Rolesor Everose (combination of rose gold and steel) – bidirectional 60-minute bezel in rose gold – sapphire crystal on the front, plain caseback – 100m water resistant
• Movement : Calibre 3135, in-house – Superlative Chronometer certification – automatic – 4Hz frequency – 48h power reserve – hours, minutes, second and date
• Bracelet : two-tone (steel and rose gold) Oyster bracelet, with Osyterlock clasp and Easylink quite extension

2 responses

Lovely watches. Amazing price differences. The 116655 in 40mm is over £18,000 (uk) yet the 116621 in 40mm is a much lower £10,300 (uk).

Rolex Yachtmaster bezel is BIDIRECTIONAL ROTATABLE !!!

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Rolex Yacht-Master 169623 Blue Dial

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Product Details

Description: ladies rolex yacht-master 169623.

Pre-owned Rolex Yacht-Master ref 169623 (2003 - 2005) hails from the iconic regatta collection, one of the most successful luxury watches on the secondary market. Reference 169623 is a gorgeous two-tone example of the women's model that features a versatile steel and gold finish and a vibrant blue dial. Whether you're wearing jeans and a t-shirt or a little black dress, this fashionable pre-owned Rolex is sure to match your outfit. It also boasts the durability needed for daily wear via a waterproof screw-down crown, sapphire crystal, and stainless steel. This wristwatch also boasts a precision-driven cal. 2235 Perpetual movement with self-winding.

Authenticity

* All Pre-Owned Rolex watches are guaranteed to be 100% genuine and certified authentic. Certificates are issued by WatchCSA, the industry's leading independent authority on watch authentication. WatchCSA Certified Pre-Owned certificates are provided for an additional fee at checkout. All watches are shipped to fit the average size wrist (7 1/4" - 7 1/2" for men and 6 1/4" - 6 1/2" for women). Additional links can be purchased if needed. Note that "B&P" means "box and papers" where stated.

Shipping / Returns

Each order is ready for shipment within one (1) business day after the order is approved and processed. All watch orders are shipped FedEx overnight and are fully insured at no charge to the customer. Please be advised that for any deliveries from Bob's Watches, a recipient aged 21 years or older must be present to provide a signature upon receipt of the package.

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Product Reviews ( 6 )

Beautiful watch, exactly as described and overnight shipping! Will most definitely buy from Bob’s again.

Repaired watch was better than the photos. Great customer service from Larry M.

"Excellent condition" equaled "like new" in this case. Was it ever worn? Boxes and tags were perfect.

Fast responsive service complement an exceptional product

Amazing customer service. They are closed on the weekends, but still answered me promptly by email about the watch I had just purchased from them. I received it the next day! I was pleasantly surprised by this. It was a beautiful watch, but after tryig it on I felt I wanted a larger Rolex, so I exchanged it for the larger Yacht Master with no questions asked. They even gave me the same discount on the second watch, which was so lovely of them. I have to admit at first I was nervous buying a Roles online, but the credit company I used only deals with reputable businesses, so that's why I chose Bob's, and now I know first hand that they are an honest company that I will definitely be doing business with again.

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