Rolex Yacht Master Watches

About Rolex Yacht Master Watches

The Yacht-Master is one of the more recent additions to the Rolex family of watches. The brand first introduced the model in 1992 with the Reference 16628. Rolex developed the collection with the needs of the sailing community in mind. It’s designed to help skippers measure and anticipate the crucial countdown interval leading up to the start of a regatta or sailing race.

The original 16628 was only available in 18-karat yellow gold. It housed a caliber 3135 movement and featured a white dial, oversized 40mm case, and triple lock crown with water resistance up to 100 meters. Just two years later, Rolex debuted a slightly smaller version with a 35mm case: the Reference 68628. That same year, they also released a women’s version, the Reference 69628, with a 29mm case.

Still, it wasn’t until seven years after its creation that Rolex made their first major update to the Yacht-Master’s design. In 1999, they introduced the first stainless steel and platinum iteration of the model. They dubbed this combination Rolesium.

Into the twenty-first century, Rolex continued to develop the design of the Yacht-Master collection. They started offering a wider array of style options for the model. This included a mother-of-pearl dial as well as a two-tone gold and steel variation. In 2005, Rolex expanded the line further with the introduction of a number of new dial colors, like white brown, silver, blue, and champagne. Then, in 2010, they made the most significant modification to the Yacht-Master collection. That year, they debuted the totally reimagined Yacht-Master II. Since then, early variations of the original Yacht-Master have gained popularity in the pre-owned market.

The Yacht-Master undeniably serves a powerful purpose for the sailing community. However, over the years, it has become a favorite among collectors and fans of the brand. The model’s modern, hefty size and eye-catching, sporty aesthetic make it equally ideal for everyday wear. Now that it’s offered in a broad range of style and color options, there’s a version to suit any individual’s unique taste. One of the latest releases is the Yacht-Master 40 with a multi-color, gem-set bezel. In 2019, we also saw the introduction of the first 42mm time-and-date Yacht Master.