Rolex Yacht-Master watches

The Rolex Yacht-Master is an automatic Rolex sports watch with a bidirectional rotating bezel graduated to 60 minutes and water resistance to 100 m. Rolex introduced it in 1992 as the reference 16628 in 18k yellow gold and at first offered it only in precious metals. A 35 mm mid-size, the 68628, followed in 1994, and steel and yellow gold arrived in the mid-size and ladies' models in 1996. In 1997 Rolex paired a stainless steel case and bracelet with a bezel and dial in 950 platinum.

In 2015 Rolex launched the Yacht-Master in 18k Everose gold on the Oysterflex, the first Rolex on a rubber bracelet. The Everose watches come at 37 mm (268655) and 40 mm (126655) with a Cerachrom ceramic bezel insert, some with diamond-paved dials. The Yacht-Master 42 arrived in 2019 in 18k white gold with a matte black Cerachrom insert, the first 42 mm Yacht-Master with a date. The 42 also comes in yellow gold, and in white gold with a blue Falcon's Eye dial. An all-titanium version followed in 2023.

Beyond solid gold, the Yacht-Master pairs steel with platinum (the 40 mm 126622 with a blue or dark rhodium dial, the 116622 with a silver dial), with yellow gold (16623 and 168623) or with Everose (126621 and 268621, each with a black or chocolate dial). The 126679SABR is a 40 mm white gold watch with a gem-set bezel in place of the graduated one.

The Yacht-Master II is a different watch under the same name: a 44 mm regatta chronograph that Rolex unveiled in 2007 and delivered from 2010. On the first generation, the Ring Command bezel is linked mechanically to the movement. A 90-degree turn locks or unlocks the countdown, which runs for up to 10 minutes and can be readjusted once started. The calibre 4161, which replaced the original 4160 around 2013, is self-winding with a 72-hour power reserve. The steel 116680, steel and Everose 116681 and yellow gold 116688 carry blue Cerachrom bezels; the white gold 116689 has a platinum bezel.