rolex oyster perpetual yacht master ii regatta chronograph

MasterHorologer

ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL YACHT-MASTER II

As they move to the line for the start of the legendary Rolex Fastnet Race off the southern coast of England in August 2013, skippers will be able to trust the pioneering mechanical countdown of their Rolex Oyster Perpetual YACHT-MASTER II regatta chronograph in order to cross the line as soon as possible after the starting gun. This chronometer-certified professional regatta chronograph is a marriage of state-of-the-art technology and time-honoured tradition – like the regatta yachts themselves.

Unveiled at BASELWORLD 2013, the new version of the Oyster Perpetual YACHT-MASTER II is a successor of Rolex’s revolutionary regatta chronograph, launched in 2007, is available for the first time in 904L steel, fitted with a CERACHROM bezel insert in blue ceramic. A high-performance timekeeping instrument, designed for professional skippers as well as yachting enthusiasts, the new YACHT-MASTER II is a pure example of Rolex expertise in terms of precision, functions and reliability.

Programmable Countdown and Ring Command Bezel The YACHT-MASTER II features an exclusive function developed by Rolex: a countdown which can be programmed from 1 to 10 minutes and incorporates a mechanical memory, allowing it to be reset to the same countdown duration. Once launched, it can also be synchronized on the fly, enabling it to be adjusted to match the official regatta countdown.

The countdown function responds ideally to the need for precise timing during the crucial starting sequence of a regatta. Although technically complex, it is essentially very simple to use: the countdown programming is accessed via the rotatable RING COMMAND bezel, an innovative interface between bezel and movement developed by Rolex.

The Oyster Case, Symbol of Waterproofness and Robustness The YACHT-MASTER II’s 44 mm OYSTER case, guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet), is a paragon of robustness, proportion and elegance. The characteristically shaped middle case is crafted from a solid block of particularly corrosion-resistant 904L steel.

The fluted case back is hermetically screwed down with a special tool exclusive to Rolex watchmakers. The winding crown, fitted with the patented TRIPLOCK triple waterproofness system, screws down securely against the case. It is protected by a crown guard that forms an integral part of the middle case. The crystal is made of virtually scratchproof sapphire. The waterproof OYSTER case ensures optimal protection for the YACHT-MASTER II’s high-precision movement.

Calibre 4161, Regatta Chronograph & Superlative Chronometer The YACHT-MASTER II is equipped with calibre 4161, a self-winding mechanical chronograph movement with a column wheel entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. Like all Rolex PERPETUAL movements, the 4161 is a certified Swiss chronometer, a designation reserved for high-precision watches that have successfully passed the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) tests.

Its design and quality manufacture provide peerless precision and reliability. The oscillator, the true heart of the watch, has a blue PARACHROM hairspring patented and manufactured by Rolex in an exclusive alloy. Insensitive to magnetic fields, the PARACHROM hairspring offers great stability when exposed to temperature variations and remains up to 10 times more precise in case of shocks than a traditional hairspring.

Solid-Link Bracelet with Safety Clasp The new YACHT-MASTER II’s solid-link OYSTER bracelet in 904L steel is fitted with an OYSTERLOCK safety clasp that prevents accidental opening. It also features the ingenious Rolex-patented EASYLINK rapid extension system that allows the wearer to easily increase the bracelet length by approximately 5 mm, for additional comfort in any circumstance.

Technical details Model: OYSTER PERPETUAL YACHT-MASTER II Reference (Case – Bracelet): 116680 – 78210

Case Type: OYSTER (monobloc middle case, screw-down case back and winding crown) Diameter: 44 mm Material: 904L stainless steel superalloy, satin and polished finish Case back: Screw-down with Rolex fluting Bezel: Bidirectional 90° rotatable RING COMMAND bezel Blue CERACHROM insert in ceramic, engraved numerals and inscription coated with platinum via magnetron sputtering Winding crown: Screw-down, TRIPLOCK triple waterproofness system Crown guard:  Integral part of the middle case Crystal: Scratch-resistant sapphire Waterproofness: 100 metres (330 feet)

Movement Calibre 4161, Manufacture Rolex Mechanical chronograph movement with column wheel and vertical clutch Bidirectional self-winding via PERPETUAL rotor on ball bearing Precision Officially certified Swiss chronometer (COSC) Oscillator Frequency: 28,800 beats/hour (4Hz) Paramagnetic blue PARACHROM hairspring Breguet overcoil Large balance wheel with variable inertia High-precision regulating via four gold MICROSTELLA nuts Traversing balance bridge Jewelling: 42 rubies Power reserve: Approximately 72 hours

Functions Centre hour and minute hands, small seconds hand at 6 o’clock Programmable regatta countdown with mechanical memory, retrograde minute hand, on-the-fly synchronization of the countdown seconds and minute hands Stop-seconds for precise time setting

Dial Colour: Matt white lacquer, blue lacquer small seconds counter with 18 ct white gold border Hour markers: Highly legible CHROMALIGHT appliques (long-lasting luminescence) in 18 ct white gold with blue PVD coating Hands: CHROMALIGHT hands in blued 18 ct gold, red seconds hand

Bracelet Type: OYSTER, three-piece solid links Material: 904L stainless steel superalloy, polished centre links, satin-finished outer links with polished edges Clasp: Folding OYSTERLOCK safety clasp EASYLINK 5 mm comfort extension link

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Hands-On The Rolex Yachtmaster II Regatta Timer, Ref. 116680

The rolex yacht-master ii: for those who consider themselves rolex enthusiasts, it's one of the most polarizing watches the crown produces. and yet there is more – much more – to this relative behemoth than meets the eye. we wanted to see what would happen if we met this technically unique, programmable flyback yacht timer chronograph on its own terms – read on to join us in our journey into one of the most idiosyncratically styled and mechanically sophisticated rolexes ever made..

I’m going to be completely honest: I was thoroughly prepared to have a negative reaction to this watch. Let’s face it; it’s a head-scratcher for the average Rolex/Submariner/GMT Master/Day-Date lover. First of all it’s pretty damned big. This is a 44 mm watch; it was born a 44 mm watch and it’ll die a 44 mm watch and that is nothing you or anybody else can do about it. You can have it in four different metals, and therefore, weights, ranging from steel (heavy) to gold/steel (heavier) to solid yellow gold (even heavier) to  platinum and white gold combined (Schwarzeneggerian). It has a Cerachrom bezel in an absolutely screaming shade of blue, and it says YACHT-MASTER in giant letters right across the bottom third or so just to remove any lingering shade of doubt in the minds of any small-craft skipper for leagues around that they are in the presence of, well, the Master of a Yacht; it is not an introverted watch by any stretch of the imagination.

On top of everything else, the Yacht-Master II has a complication that pretty much no watch guy or gal ever can remember what do with, or has a perceived need for: it is a regatta timer, which is about as niche a complication as you can imagine. If you get a bunch of watch nuts together there is an excellent chance that you can get a more lucid explanation out of somebody for the Equation of Time than you can for a regatta timer (which is saying something) and it says something about the relative obscurity of the complication in general, and the relative niche-ness of the Yacht-Master II in particular, that when we got it into the office we had five people who live and breathe watches sitting around scratching our heads because no one could quite remember how the darned thing works. You put all those things together and you should have a watch that a dyed-in-the-wool horological classicist should thoroughly disdain. Right?

Actually, wrong. But let’s back up a bit.

First of all this is technically a very interesting watch and it’s worth your attention just on the level of interesting horological problem solving alone. A regatta timer is used by the skipper of a yacht to determine when their vessel is allowed to cross the starting line. Sailboats can’t just hover at the starting line of a yacht race, so what happens is that the racing committee establishes a countdown period during which the boats have to tack back and forth at the starting line without actually crossing; if you cross early, there is a penalty and if you are too cautious and cross late you will probably cross the finish line behind the boats that made it over the start line ahead of you. The countdown can be anywhere from five to ten minutes depending on the rules and race.

The Yacht-Master II is a programmable, flyback regatta timer that allows you to select a countdown interval of anything from one to ten minutes; in addition if you have started the countdown early or late, you can synchronize your watch “on the fly” when you hear the second of the two audible signals which are usually given at the start of a race (the signal to start the countdown comes first, and is usually followed by a warning signal closer to the start). Here’s how it works.

To set the countdown timer, you turn the bezel (Rolex calls it the "Command Bezel") a quarter turn to the left. This locks the lower chrono pusher and engages the setting mechanism for the triangular red countdown hand. You then unscrew the crown to its first position, and set the countdown hand – setting is one-way only but at 10 minutes, if you continue to turn the crown, the countdown hand will fly back to 1 and you can continue until you reach the desired number of minutes. When you’re done, you screw the crown back down, and turn the bezel back to its starting position, and you’re ready to regatta.

When the first gun (or other audible signal) is heard, you start the countdown . . . and that’s it. Now a really neat trick here is that you may, for some reason, have started your countdown too early, or too late. If that’s the case, all you have to do is wait for the second gun/signal, and hit the re-set button – the seconds hand will fly back to the zero mark and begin running again immediately; and the minute countdown hand will fly back to the nearest minute and likewise start counting down again. It’s the fact that the flyback is to the nearest minute, not to zero, that allows you to re-synch your countdown with the official countdown time, that gives the Yacht-Master II much of its utility, and much of its technical interest.

Okay, sure it’s technically interesting – but what about the aesthetics? All I can tell you is that, much to my very pleasant surprise, it was colossally fun to wear in every sense of the word. The fact that it is so unapologetically extroverted is actually the secret to its appeal.  The weight isn't a problem (at least, not for me, and not in steel) and I found I could wear it all day without discomfort despite the overall size – partly thanks to the downward curvature of the lugs, which ensured a comfortable fit on my 7 inch wrist.  The sharply contrasting deep blued hands, white dial, and red countdown hand – and, yes, that bright blue bezel – give the whole watch a suitably jaunty, nautical feel and make it a pleasure to look at (and at night visibility is very good; the lume on the hands and dial is almost startlingly bright).

Yes, this is an extroverted watch, but the quality of execution is very clean and very high (as is usually the case with Rolex) and it’s so much the opposite of what I’d ordinarily wear that having it on gave a feeling almost like a Walter Mitty fantasy coming to life. I felt like a guy who’s worn a blue suit and rep tie and driven a four door Merc his whole life, who somehow one day finds himself in a pair of ripped jeans and a beat up flight jacket, cruising down some winding secondary road on an old shovelhead Harley, and suddenly catches himself thinking, My god, all the wasted years. Ultimately I started to feel that objecting to the over-the-top-ness  of the Yacht-Master II was silly, even narcissistic – if you go into a Joss Whedon actioner expecting a Lars Von Trier art-house tearjerker to unspool, you probably have only yourself to blame.

It is a rationally appealing uitlitarian tool watch? I'm not the one to ask. There is no way for me to evaluate what someone who actually owns a ’36 Herreshoff classic yacht and takes it on the regatta circuit would actually think of the Yacht-Master II, or whether they would find it useful. But I can tell you that it is actually a ton of fun to wear, and a big part of the reason is the very thing many object to at first – that this is a watch that pulls no punches when it comes to being larger than life.

It has that one most essential element for something to be a successful style exercise: the courage of its convictions, and if you think of yourself resolutely as a smaller-than-forty millimeter, tasteful restraint kinda guy, get one on your wrist for a surprisingly refreshing change of pace, and you can feel larger than life too.

The Rolex Yacht-Master II 116680 as shown, $18,750, 44 mm diameter case in 904L stainless steel. Bidirectional rotatable "Command Bezel" with blue Cerachrom insert; water resistance 100 meters/10 bar.

Movement, Rolex 4161 self-winding programmable flyback regatta timer with mechanical memory and "on-the-fly" synchronization; Parachrom blue antimagnetic balance spring.  

Bracelet, Oyster, flat three piece links with Oysterlock safety clasp.

More info, of course, on Rolex.com .

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What Is The Only True Regatta Chronograph in Rolex’s Line-up?

The original Rolex Yacht-Master was essentially a luxury version of the Submariner. Although it had a regatta-inspired name, the original rendition did not possess any special complications or features that catered to the world of yacht racing. Rolex must have realized this oversight, because in 2010 they released an entirely new line of watches specifically intended for regattas: the Yacht-Master II.

Rolex Yacht-Master II

Unlike the first Yacht-Master that shared many components with Rolex’s Submariner line of watches, the Yacht-Master II was an entirely new design . At the heart of the watch beats a caliber 4161 movement, which gives the Yacht-Master II the world’s first programmable countdown with a mechanical memory.

Once the countdown has been initiated, it can still be adjusted, entirely on the fly. This allows sailors to synchronize their watch with the official race clock to ensure maximum accuracy. Unlike the design of most other watches, the rotating bezel on the Yacht-Master II is actually connected to the movement inside, allowing it to function as the control interface for the adjustable countdown.

Like all watches made by Rolex, the movement and internals are shielded from the elements by an Oyster case with a screw-down crown and case back. This gives the Yacht-Master II a depth rating of 100 meters, while a scratch-resistant, sapphire crystal protects the dial.

Visually speaking, the Yacht-Master II is a rather large deviation from Rolex’s usual aesthetics, and its design is anything but subtle. The watch measures 44mm in diameter, making it the largest in Rolex’s current lineup, and the red hands and bright blue, Cerachrom bezel give the watch a nautical appearance, further adding to its extroverted style.

The Yacht-Master II is currently available in four different metal options: stainless steel, yellow gold, Rolesor (stainless steel and rose gold), and a white gold/platinum edition. At 44mm wide with a solid-link bracelet, the stainless steel Yacht-Master II already has some heft to it, and weight only increases from there with the use of 18-karat gold and platinum in the premium metal versions.

The Yacht-Master II may not the most practical watch for boat racing; a contemporary digital regatta timer would probably be a more reasonable option. However, much like a solid-gold dive watch, the Yacht-Master II is more than just a utilitarian tool watch; it is intended to be a status symbol, alluding to one’s participation in a lifestyle sport.

While the first rendition of the Yacht-Master lacked any features specifically intended for boat racing, the Yacht-Master II’s regatta countdown complication makes it about as niche of a sports watch as one can find. Overall, the Yacht-Master II is luxurious, playful, and larger-than-life – just like the sport for which it was created.

About Paul Altieri

Paul Altieri is a vintage and pre-owned Rolex specialist, entrepreneur, and the founder and CEO of BobsWatches.com. - the largest and most trusted name in luxury watches. He is widely considered a pioneer in the industry for bringing transparency and innovation to a once-considered stagnant industry. His experience spans over 35 years and he has been published in numerous publications including Forbes, The NY Times, WatchPro, and Fortune Magazine. Paul is committed to staying up-to-date with the latest research and developments in the watch industry and e-commerce, and regularly engages with other professionals in the industry. He is a member of the IWJG, the AWCI and a graduate of the GIA. Alongside running the premier retailer of pre-owned Rolex watches, Paul is a prominent Rolex watch collector himself amassing one of the largest private collections of rare timepieces. In an interview with the WSJ lifestyle/fashion editor Christina Binkley, Paul opened his vault to display his extensive collection of vintage Rolex Submariners and Daytonas. Paul Altieri is a trusted and recognized authority in the watch industry with a proven track record of expertise, professionalism, and commitment to excellence.

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Regatta Yachttimers

An overview of sailing regatta watches.

The German Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis, founded the company Wilsdorf & Davis, in London, England in 1905, specialising in the distribution of timepieces. In 1908, Wilsdorf registered the trademark ‘Rolex’ and in 1919 he would leave England again and move the company to Geneva, Switzerland, where it would eventually become Rolex SA.

In the specification of the design for this race-starting chronometer, an electronic movement shall be used.

You can download the Swiss version of the patent CH662237A as PDF here .

As far as I know this design by Rolex has never been translated into a real working version. But please correct me if I’m wrong!

After the succesful introduction of the Yacht-Master series in 1992, Rolex unveiled their new Yacht-Master II   in 2007. This regatta chronograph is equipped with their new manufacture caliber 4160, and  is the first watch in the world equipped with a programmable countdown function from 1 to 10 minutes with a mechanical memory. At first introduced in 2010 the watch was sold in Yellow Gold (116688) or in White Gold (116689). One year later in 2011, a new model in steel and everose Gold (116681) was introduced. All models have a COSC chronometer certification.

Rolex Yacht-Master II in 18 kt yellow gold, white gold-platinum and steel-rosegold.

Model: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II Regatta Chronograph .

• Reference: 116688 case and bracelet of 18 kt yellow gold.
•                   116689 case and bracelet of white gold and platinum..
•                   116681 case and bracelet of 18 kt rose gold / steel, since 2011.
• Caliber: automatic Rolex caliber 4160.
• Case size: Ø 44 mm.
• Year: since 2010.

There is a lot of promotion material for the Rolex watches available. You can download an E-brochure by clicking here , and another one here .

 Instructions for using and programming the countdown of the Rolex Yacht-Master II.

If you want to read the entire manual, you can download a PDF version of it here .

• Make: Rolex.
• Caliber: 4160.
• Type: automatic movement with yachttimer function.
• Frequency: 28.800 A/h.
• Power reserve: 72 hours.
• Jewels: 42.
• Shock protection system: ?

In 2013 a 4th more affordable version in steel, reference 116680 (case and bracelet in stainless steel and blue cerachrom bezel), is added to the Yacht-Master II   series.

The movement changed from caliber 4160 to caliber 4161. Besides some minor changes this is probably just for marketing reasons.

• http://www.rolex.com/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolex
• http://www.watch-wiki.net/index.php?title=Rolex

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.css-120orm1{font-weight:700;font-size:clamp(1.875rem, 1.25rem + 1.5625vw, 3.125rem);line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:1rem;line-height:1.1;} Yacht-Master 42 .css-18uwo57{font-size:clamp(1.125rem, 1.0625rem + 0.1563vw, 1.25rem);line-height:1.6;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2;text-wrap:balance;}.css-18uwo57 span{display:block;} Oyster, 42 mm, white gold Reference 226659

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Staying on course

The Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42 in 18 kt white gold with a black dial and an Oysterflex bracelet.

The oysterflex bracelet, highly resistant and durable.

The Yacht-Master’s new Oysterflex bracelet, developed by Rolex and patented, offers a sporty alternative to metal bracelets. The bracelet attaches to the watch case and the Oysterlock safety clasp by a flexible titanium and nickel alloy metal blade.

The blade is overmoulded with high-performance black elastomer which is particularly resistant to environmental effects, very durable and perfectly inert for the wearer of the watch. For enhanced comfort, the inside of the Oysterflex bracelet is equipped with a patented longitudinal cushion system that stabilizes the watch on the wrist and fitted with an 18 kt white gold Oysterlock safety clasp. It also features the Rolex Glidelock extension system, designed by the brand and patented. This inventive toothed mechanism, integrated beneath the clasp, allows fine adjustment of the bracelet length by some 15 mm in increments of approximately 2.5 mm, without the use of tools.

18 kt white gold

Commitment to excellence

By operating its own exclusive foundry, Rolex has the unrivalled ability to cast the highest quality 18 kt gold alloys. According to the proportion of silver, copper, platinum or palladium added, different types of 18 kt gold are obtained: yellow, pink or white.

They are made with only the purest metals and meticulously inspected in an in-house laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment, before the gold is formed and shaped with the same painstaking attention to quality. Rolex's commitment to excellence begins at the source.

Bidirectional Rotatable Bezel

Timing the distance.

The Yacht-Master’s bidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduated bezel is made entirely from precious metals or fitted with a Cerachrom insert in high-tech ceramic. The raised polished numerals and graduations stand out clearly against a matt, sand-blasted background.

This functional bezel – which allows the wearer to calculate, for example, the sailing time between two buoys – is also a key component in the model’s distinctive visual identity.

Exceptional legibility

Like all Rolex Professional watches, the Yacht-Master 42 offers exceptional legibility in all circumstances, and especially in the dark, thanks to its Chromalight display.

The broad hands and hour markers in simple shapes – triangles, circles, rectangles – are filled with a luminescent material emitting a long-lasting glow.

More Yacht-Master technical details

Reference   226659

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Oyster, 42 mm, white gold

Oyster architecture

Monobloc middle case, screw-down case back and winding crown

Bidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduated bezel with matt black Cerachrom insert in ceramic, polished raised numerals and graduations

Winding crown

Screw-down, Triplock triple waterproofness system

Scratch-resistant sapphire, Cyclops lens over the date

Water resistance

Waterproof to 100 metres / 330 feet

Perpetual, mechanical, self-winding

3235, Manufacture Rolex

-2/+2 sec/day, after casing

Centre hour, minute and seconds hands. Instantaneous date with rapid setting. Stop-seconds for precise time setting

Paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring. High-performance Paraflex shock absorbers

Bidirectional self-winding via Perpetual rotor

Power reserve

Approximately 70 hours

Flexible metal blades overmoulded with high-performance elastomer

Folding Oysterlock safety clasp with Rolex Glidelock extension system

Highly legible Chromalight display with long-lasting blue luminescence

Certification

Superlative Chronometer (COSC + Rolex certification after casing)

Learn how to set the time and other functions of your Rolex watch by consulting our user guides.

Yacht-Master 42

Contact an Official Rolex Jeweler

Only official Rolex jewelers are allowed to sell and maintain a Rolex watch. With the necessary skills, technical know-how and special equipment, they guarantee the authenticity of each and every part of your Rolex and help you make the choice that will last a lifetime.

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