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New Zealand | NZD
New Zealand | NZD
1,734
watches for
"
Rolex Yacht-Master
"
On Deck with the Yacht-Master
The Yacht-Master is the ultimate Rolex for skippers. You’ll be sure to stir up excitement at sea or the yacht club with this gold or platinum watch on your wrist. It's available in a range of sizes suitable for men and women.
Highlights
- COSC-certified chronometer
- High-quality materials: stainless steel, gold, or platinum
- For men and women: 29 mm, 35 mm, 37 mm, and 40 mm versions
- Exclusive to the Yacht-Master: Rolesium (models made of stainless steel and platinum)
- Oyster or Oysterflex bracelet
A Nautical Timepiece
Rolex has a long-standing connection to water sports stretching all the way back to the 1950s: In 1953, they introduced one of the first diving watches worldwide, the Submariner. In 1992, Rolex premiered their watch for sailing enthusiasts, the Yacht-Master. Later, in 2012, prototypes of the Sea-Dweller survived the trip down to the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the Earth's oceans. At such depths, the watches had to be able to withstand more than 1,000 bar of pressure - a truly impressive feat.
Thanks to the wide range of case sizes - 29 mm, 35 mm, 37 mm, and 40 mm - the Yacht-Master is perfect for men and women. The Yacht-Master is available in Everose gold (rose gold) as well as bicolor combinations of yellow gold and stainless steel, nicknamed Rolesor by Rolex. Furthermore, a model made of a combination of stainless steel and platinum called Rolesium is exclusive to the Yacht-Master collection. The case and three-piece link Oyster bracelet are made of stainless steel, while the bezel and dial are made of platinum. Unlike the Submariner, whose bezel is unidirectional due to safety reasons, the Yacht-Master's bezel is bidirectional. It can help you calculate the sailing time between two buoys during a regatta, for example.
Buying a Yacht-Master
Looking for the perfect watch for your next sailing trip? The Rolex Yacht-Master is the answer. It's waterproof to 100 m (330 ft, 10 bar), meaning you can wear it while swimming, too. High-quality materials such as gold or platinum add luxurious touches, making the watch the ideal yacht club companion. Pre-owned 29-mm women's models start around 4,000 euros, while a new one can cost 7,000 euros. Pre-owned 40-mm men's models cost around 6,000 euros, and new models cost around 8,000 euros. Newer models made from 18-karat Everose gold with an Oysterflex bracelet are more expensive, going for around 20,000 euros.
Buying Tips
- Exclusive to the Yacht-Master: Rolesium, models made from a combination of stainless steel and platinum
- Model with a regatta chronograph: Rolex Yacht-Master II (starting at 12,000 euros)
- Women's watches starting around 4,000 euros, men's around 6,000 euros
Alternatives from Other Brands
- Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback (starting around 12,000 euros)
- Corum Admiral's Cup AC-One (starting around 6,000 euros)
- IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph (starting around 7,000 euros)
Yacht-Master Models and Variants
The design of the Yacht-Master closely resembles that of the Submariner - from the celebrated Oyster case and the three-piece link Oyster bracelet down to the crown protection and the date display with a Cyclops lens. Even the hour and minute hands and index markers are reminiscent of those on the Submariner. However, if you look more closely, you will notice subtle differences. The Yacht-Master's inscription and second hand are red, the crown guard is a bit bigger, and its case edges are rounded. The most noticeable difference is the bezel: The polished 60-minute graduations are raised, standing out against the matte background.
In 2015, Rolex introduced a new version of the Yacht-Master with an Everose gold case. It has a scratch-resistant, matte black ceramic bezel with polished 60-minute graduations bordered by an Everose gold ring. A matching black Oysterflex bracelet was introduced with this watch. This unique bracelet caused a stir, as Rolex is usually known for consistency and minute changes. The Oysterflex bracelet is comprised of two titanium-nickel blades connected to the case on each side of the watch. The blades are covered in a layer of black synthetic rubber called elastomer. The bracelet features Rolex's patented longitudinal cushion system, and therefore does not lay directly on the skin. This allows air to circulate between the watch and your wrist. The result is an innovative, comfortable, flexible, long-lasting bracelet with the feeling of a rubber strap and the durability and shape of a metal bracelet.
Aside from the various case size and material options, there are also several dials available. Traditional black dials create a contrast against the lighter index markers, which glow blue at night. Dark blue dials emphasize the watch's relationship to water and catch the eye immediately, jumping into view from far away. Rolex also offers dials made of mother of pearl or platinum.
The Inner Technology of the Yacht-Master
The caliber 3135 powers the Submariner with a date display as well as the 40-mm Yacht-Master. Rolex introduced this caliber, now known for its robustness and reliability, in 1988. It was used in the first Yacht-Masters in the early 1990s. Since 2005, the calibers have featured a blue Parachrom hairspring, which Rolex developed over the course of five years. The hairspring is made of a special zirconium-niobium alloy and is therefore unaffected by magnetic fields. It's thinner than a human hair and can withstand shakes and jolts up to ten times better than normal hairsprings. It also features a so-called Breguet overcoil, where the spring's last coil is raised, thereby reducing its curvature. This allows the spring to breathe better and improves the watch's precision.
Like every Rolex timepiece, the Yacht-Master is officially certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). The watch also undergoes further in-house tests with even more stringent standards than the COSC. The inscription Superlative Chronometer is on the dial to signify this rigorous testing. In terms of precision, this means that a Rolex watch may only deviate +/- 2 seconds per day. By COSC standards, a watch may only deviate by +/- 4 seconds per day.
The smaller caliber 2236 powers the 37-mm version, while the 2235 powers the 35-mm version. These calibers also tick away in the watches of the Lady-Datejust collection. One highlight of caliber 2236 is its "Syloxi" hairspring, which was developed and produced in-house by Rolex. It's made of a silicon and silicon oxide composite, making it unaffected by temperature fluctuations and magnetic fields. Rolex has protected this hairspring with five patents, including its geometry. The coils increase in thickness as they move further from the center and are also spaced further and further apart. Rolex also refined how the ends of the hairspring are connected to the balance staff and balance bridge. This results in a perpendicular, flat, self-centering movement. The escape wheel is nonmagnetic and made of a nickel-phosphorous alloy. Thanks to an optimized mainspring, the power reserve of this caliber is 55 hours.
Yacht-Master II: The Regatta Chronometer for Professionals
The Yacht-Master collection received a new addition in 2010 - the Yacht-Master II, a regatta chronograph. It's the first watch worldwide to feature a programmable countdown with a mechanical memory. Previously, this function was only available in quartz-powered watches. Unlike most traditional races, regatta races don't begin at the starting line. The racers usually wait near the starting line for the start signal. The Yacht-Master II's countdown function enables racers to get over the start line as quickly as possible after the signal.
Taking all of its functions into consideration, the Yacht-Master II is one of Rolex's most complicated watches. With a diameter of 44 mm, it's also one of Rolex's largest - only the 44-mm Deepsea can compare. However, Panerai has an even bigger watch: Some models of the Radiomir are 47 mm in diameter.
The Yacht-Master II is available in more varieties than its sibling: stainless steel, yellow gold, stainless steel and Everose gold, and white gold and platinum. The stainless steel model is available for prices in the low five-figure range and is characterized by its white dial and blue bezel with an engraved inscription reading Yacht-Master II. The second hand, as well as the additional arrow-tipped hand for the timer, add red accents. With this large, sporty-elegant watch, you're sure to make a lasting impression, whether in the office or at the yacht club. The white gold and platinum model has a more subtle, yet also more refined, look due to its platinum bezel. This watch is an expression of prestige and costs in the mid-five-figure range.
Features
- Regatta chronograph: timer function for regatta races
- First wristwatch worldwide with a programmable countdown and mechanical memory
- One of the largest Rolex watches: 44-mm diameter
- Price starting around 12,000 euros
- High-quality materials: yellow gold, white gold and platinum, stainless steel, stainless steel and Everose gold (bicolor)
At Sea, the Sailing Club, or the Office
If you're a sailing fan searching for a new watch, look no further than the Rolex Yacht-Master. It was originally developed for sailors, though it also lends a classy look on land. Whether you're at the yacht club with your spouse drinking a glass of wine or discussing a new business plan with your colleagues at the office, you'll be making an impression while showing your passion for the sea. You have the choice between bicolor stainless steel and yellow gold, or stainless steel and platinum models. If you prefer one color, take a look at the sporty Everose gold model, complimented by its Oysterflex bracelet and black ceramic bezel. With case sizes ranging from 29 to 40 mm, the Yacht-Master is perfect for both men and women.
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