RolexYacht-Master

The Yacht-Master is Rolex’s view on the perfect luxury lifestyle watch. First introduced in 1992 it’s less frequently seen on wrists than their other lines. This is because the proposition of the Yacht-Master is very specialised. The ideal Yacht-Master customer is literally someone who owns a yacht. Someone who is active but doesn’t necessarily get their hands dirty with fouled rigging, and just as likely to need to suddenly don a dinner jacket as dive into the ocean. For this rare breed of individual, the Submariner is a little too functional and the Datejust not quite robust enough.

Introduced in 2015 with a 40mm case, the 116655 changed all of this. The combination of Everose case and Oysterflex bracelet is at the heart of the watch, meeting form and function rather elegantly.

The stunning case of the 11655 is hewn from 18ct Everose gold, the first time this metal has been used on the Yacht-Master. Everose is Rolex’s in-house red gold alloy, and it contains a few drops of platinum to ensure that the colour will not change over time.

The matte, bi-directional bezel with markings in relief was something new for Rolex and caused quite a stir during its inception, but what a counterpoint to that pink gold.

The other major innovation is the Oysterflex bracelet, which is a dream to wear. Trust Rolex to massively over-engineer what, on the surface at least, looks like a simple rubber strap.

At the heart of the bracelet is a thin blade of titanium/nickel alloy that forms the shape of the bracelet and also allows it to attach to the case and clasp, which is only compatible with the Yachtmaster.

Finally, the movement in the 116655 is the Calibre 3135, the same movement that powers the Submariner, so it’s very much a known quantity. Expect rock-solid reliability and flawless accuracy.

The watch is presented in excellent condition throughout case, caseback and bracelet with a few minor marks to the clasp commensurate with age and authenticity. The presentation set is a full set, box, papers and accessories down to the tags and bezel protector.

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