Rolex Yacht-Master - Your Best Friend On The Open Seas

When you hear the word Rolex, you think of a universal brand that has stood its ground through time. Rolex has a reputation than none other. Admired, respected, valued, recognized and mostly, extremely well-known across the universe of horology. 

Rolex not only makes watches,   make timepieces that have taken on a brilliant role that is so much beyond mere timekeeping. When you wear a Rolex, not only are you wearing a watch that belongs to one of the world’s top luxury watch brands; you are also wearing a piece of horological history. 

Rolex’s iconic collections have been home to some of the most famous watches ever manufactured. Each of these models offers a special technology and quality innovative improvements that are built to appeal to different sectors of the market, not taking away from quality and are all manufactured to exacting standards. 

Even then, there are some Rolex models that have enjoyed greater popularity than the others, like the Rolex Yacht-Master. Rolex’s Yacht-Master series was born in the early nineties and was brought forward to the world luxury lifestyle offering that was based on the adventure of the open seas. 

Although visually, the Rolex Yacht-Master has been inspired from the same mold as of the Rolex Submariner, the Rolex Yacht-Master has always stood apart because of the softer and much more graceful design and even the choice of materials used. 

Top 5 specialties of the Rolex Yacht Master:

• The high-quality materials used in manufacturing:

The Rolex Yacht-Master has only the highest quality of materials used, making it extremely sturdy and weather and sea-resistant, like stainless steel, gold and platinum.

• The exclusivity of the materials: 

The Rolex Yacht-Master has a specially designed material, called Rolesium which is a combination of stainless steel and platinum found on some Rolex watches actually made its world debut with the first series of Yacht-Masters.

• The Rolex Yacht-Master comes with a COSC-certified chronometer:  

                      When you think of the fact that only about 3% of the swiss watches 

                      produced are COSC certified, it is quite a big deal. Did you know that a  

                      watch movement must not only be made from components of the

                      highest quality, but also should be only assembled by the finest  

            watchmakers to qualify for this certification?

• Extremely versatile and can be worn by anyone: 

The Rolex Yacht-Master has a model that suits everyone’s taste and can be worn by both men and women. With bezel sizes that have variations like 29 mm, 35 mm, 37 mm, and even 40 mm, it is extremely versatile. 

The Rolex Yacht-Master Price:

The price of the Rolex Yacht-Master varies according to the specific model. While a mint-conditioned Rolex Yacht-Master, Everose gold (ref: 116655) can cost you up to around $22,100, the pre-owned version can be yours for about $20,000.  in mint condition and around $21,800 when pre-owned. 

If you're someone who likes watches that are multi-colored, you are sure to love the Yacht-Master. (ref 116621) This awesome 40-mm model, made of stainless steel and Everose gold can be yours for about $13,000 USD in mint condition, while the pre-owned versions are sold for about $12,000 USD. The most popular Rolesium version (ref. 116622) which is made of platinum and stainless steel retails for about $11,000 when in mint condition and when pre-owned for around $9,900. 

Technology and movement:

The Yacht-Master is powered by the same movement that drives the Submariner, the caliber 3135.  Did you know that Rolex first introduced this built-to-perfection caliber, known all over the world for its reliability and robustness all the way back in 1988? 

But ever since 2005, the 3135 calibers have started featuring a blue Parachrom hairspring, which is made from a special zirconium-niobium alloy, that repels magnetic fields. The ultimate interesting fact about this spring that it is thinner than a human hair, and has been built to withstand jolts and shakes up to ten times better than the normal ones!

The specially designed Breguet spiral also gives the balance spring space to "breathe", further helping in improving the precision. Unknown to many, it was actually the master watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet who first introduced this improvement to the balance spring!

While the larger versions are powered by the caliber 3135, the 37-mm version is powered by the caliber 2236, and the caliber 2235 powers the 35-mm version. 

Who is the Rolex Yacht Master for?

If you’re an adventurer and love sailing or being on the sea, then the Rolex Yacht-Master is the perfect watch for you. With a water resistance of up to  100-meters, you can even flaunt this sports watch while you go swimming.

Made of the ultimate luxury materials, like gold and platinum that further enhance the beauty of these watches, these watches would be your perfect choice to wear to a sailing or yachting club, or even to dinner after. 

The fact that these watches come in a wide range of sizes, from 29 mm to suit the ladies 40 mm - makes these perfect for both women and men. Women especially have been known to fall in love with the models in Everose gold.

Celebrity usage:

The Yacht-Master has always graced the wrists of sportspersons and film actors alike. From catching Brad Pitt’s fancy, who owns a Yacht-Master in both Everose gold and stainless steel, to Russel Crowe, who sports a platinum Yacht-Master, and “Sly” Stallone who is quite often seen sporting the Everose gold Yacht-Master with the black Oysterflex rubber bracelet, the Yacht-Master is nothing short of being a celebrity itself! 

Difference between the Rolex Submariner and The Rolex Yacht-Master

Although at first look, the Yacht-Master might look like the Rolex Submariner, you will notice subtle differences that are obvious when you look closely. While the inscription on Yacht-Master's inscription is red instead of blue like in the Submariner, the crown guard is also bigger, with much-rounded case edges. The polished 60-minute raised graduations to stand out perfectly against the matte black background. The Yacht-Master’s bezel also turns in both directions, while the Submariner’s bezel does not.

Both the Rolex Submariner and Rolex Yacht-Master have similar looking 40mm Oyster cases that have been fitted with Rolex patented Triplock screw-down winding crowns. But the biggest difference is that the Submariner does have a water resistance of up to 300 meters since it has been designed as a diving watch while the Yacht-Master is water-resistant up to 100 meters, being a boating watch.

The Rolex Submariner and the Yacht-master both have been fitted with a rotating bezel. 

Apart from being a similar color, even the dials of the Yacht-Master and Submariner are basically identical.  But, biased as it may seem, we do think that the colorful dials of the Yacht-Master (dark rhodium, blue and platinum) do look a bit more classy and sophisticated than the standard black dial of the Submariner.

Buying Guide: 

If you’re looking for a Rolex Yacht-Master to wear to more than just a sailing trip, then you might want to take a look at the versions that are made of Rolesium. A material that was designed especially for durability, these watches made of steel and platinum are elegant, simple and also sporty, making them perfect for both office as well as everyday life. As every Rolex ever made, the Yacht-Masters too have a great retention value, making them a brilliant investment as well. 

In a nutshell:

If you're someone who is a fan of adventure, yachting, sailing and love the sea, then the Rolex Yacht-Master is the ultimate watch for you. Although originally developed keeping sailors in mind, it looks just as good for every-day wear. Whether you’re out for a weekend of sailing or for a dinner party with friends, this watch is perfect for you. You can even wear it for a romantic dinner with your spouse, or for your next business meeting, it fits perfectly. 

You can choose between either the bicolor stainless steel version or yellow gold,  stainless steel, and platinum versions. If you are someone who prefers only one color, you might want to look at the super sporty Everose gold model, which comes with a special  Oysterflex bracelet and also a black ceramic bezel.