rolex yacht master ii how to use

How to Set and Use the Rolex Yacht-Master II

Regatta races are an exciting way to test your sailing ability. The Rolex Yacht-Master II has a countdown timer so you can time your regatta race.

Not only does it look fantastic, but its highly specialized functions are powered by one of the most impressive movements Rolex has released to date. Using these functions though can be a frustrating and complicated path.

While there are number of steps to the process, Rolex designed it to be quick and simple once you get to know it.

With this guide, you’ll learn how to set the Rolex Yacht-Master II for a regatta, as well as how to use it during the race.

What is a regatta watch?

First of all, what is a regatta watch? The Rolex Yacht-Master II’s countdown timer is used to time events that involve boats or other competitive pursuits, such as sailing races, chariot races, and even football matches.

The goal of these events is to get from point A to point B in the fastest amount of time possible. To do this, teams will use the count-down timer on their watches to measure their progress and determine whether they should increase their speed or slow down if they are falling behind.

You’re probably wondering why you would need a watch with such an advanced feature if you aren’t partaking in regatta activities yourself. Well, there are plenty of instances where having the ability to time something accurately can be useful. Even everyday tasks like boiling your eggs perfectly or recording the length of timeouts count! The possibilities are endless.

How to Set your Countdown Timer on a Rolex Yacht-Master II

The countdown timer on the Rolex Yacht-Master II is an elegant and useful feature. You’ll need to set it up though before the beginning of the regatta to start the countdown at the appropriate time.

To set the countdown timer:

1. The timer needs to have stopped. If it is still going, push the upper pusher on the right hand side of the dial/case to stop the timer.

2. Once the timer is stopped, you need to turn the bezel to the left, or counterclockwise, a quarter turn. It will stop at a quarter as that’s as far as it can go, and it will click into place for you.

3. Push the bottom pusher on the right hand side of your case. When you push this button, it will stay pushed down. This bounces the second hand to zero or the 12 o’clock mark. The minute hand will also return itself back to wherever you previously had it set. Having the lower pusher depressed blocks you from pressing the upper pusher.

4. Unlock the crown by turning it counterclockwise. The crown is the center knob at the 3 o’clock position on the right hand side of your case. Turn the crown clockwise setting it to the minute that you need.

5. Once you’ve set the duration of your preferred countdown, you’re going to return to the bezel. Turn the bezel this time in a clockwise direction until the click, or a quarter turn. This action unlocks the upper pusher and lets go of the lower one.

6. Push your crown back in and rotate it clockwise until it locks. This ensures that your watch keeps its water resistance.

How to Use the Countdown Timer on your Rolex Yacht-Master II

The countdown timer on the Yacht-Master II is used to display how much time has passed in a race (or other endeavors). Many people use this feature when they’re tracking their own races, but it’s also useful for non-sporting activities.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Your top or upper pusher starts and stops your countdown. This is similar to other traditional Rolex complications like what you’d find on the Daytona . The lower pusher resets the timer.

2. The difference with the Yacht-Master from other chronograph watches is that you can jump forward or backward to the closest minute with a one touch to the lower button. There’s no need to reset the counter, wasting valuable time in a race.

3. To use the fly-back or fly-forward functions mentioned above, while the timer is running, give one quick press to the lower pusher. The timer resets itself to the closest minute while still running. This allows you to instantly start measuring the next duration, with no time lost.

Timing a Regatta Race using the Rolex Yacht-Master II

Ok, so your timer is set, and you know how to run it, but what are you supposed to do with it during a regatta race?

Regatta Racing (photo: Rolex)

1. If you’re unfamiliar with why you need a timer in a regatta, this isn’t unusual. A gun and a wave of a flag signal the countdown to the start of the race. When you see or hear this, then press the top pusher that starts the timer. If you did your job, your timer was set at the needed number of minutes ahead of time. At this point, the second hand is tracking the elapsed time since you started. The minutes hand will move every 60 seconds tracking the time until it hits the finish or zero. End of a countdown.

The Rolex Yacht-Master II in Steel and Everose Gold (photo: Rolex)

2. There may be a point where you’ll have to pause and resync your timer. You’ll want it to maintain sync with the official clock. Being on-time is important in a regatta. This is easy to accomplish. When you hear the second or third prep signals, the official ones, press the lower pusher. This resets the second hand back to the beginning, or zero, synchronizing the minute hand back to the closest minute, thus syncing with the official clock.

3. At this point, the race has begun. Your personal countdown has finished and you’re off. Now you can restart your timer by pressing the top pusher to stop it and then the bottom pusher to reset it to the last programmed setting.

How to Use Your Rolex Yacht-Master II: Final Thoughts

Now you know how to use your Rolex Yacht-Master II in a regatta race. It’s a great watch that will make timing your races much easier and more accurate. Better yet, use your timer for anything you need a countdown for.

On the market for a Rolex Yacht-Master? Check out our wide selection of Rolex Yacht-Master watches at SwissWatchExpo.com.

The Watch Of The Open Seas: History Of The Rolex Yacht-Master

Instagram: @rolex

In the year 1992, Swiss watchmaker Rolex would debut a new model line at the Baselworld show that was strikingly similar to the already-popular Submariner. It featured the same 40mm Oyster case with a rotating bezel, the same chronometer-certified caliber, and the same Oyster bracelet.

Seemingly the only difference between the two was the white dial of that first Yacht-Master, a style which has never been an option on a Sub, and the inferior depth rating of 100m when compared to the Sub’s 300m.

Yet, the Yacht-Master was well-received upon launch, and with the passing of time, the yachting-inspired model has evolved and pioneered its own path within Rolex’s catalog.

Read on with us as we go back to the beginning and track the catalysts that paved the way for the most recent Yacht-Master release, the Yacht-Master 42 (226659), to become one of the hottest sports timepieces of the year.

History Of The Rolex Yacht-Master

We’ve broken down our overview of the Yacht-Master into the following segments:

• Release Of The Yacht-Master

The Submariner/Yacht-Master Theory

• Mid-Size & Ladies’ Yacht-Master
• Platinum (Rolesium) Yacht-Master

The Maxi Dial Yacht-Master

• Two-Tone Rolesor Yacht-Master

The Yacht-Master II

• Six-Digit Yacht-Master

The Oysterflex Yacht-Master

Keep scrolling to read this guide from its beginning, or use the links above to jump down to a specific point.

Browse Bob’s Watches Rolex Catalogue

The Release Of The Yacht-Master

The first Yacht-Master watch was launched in 1992 under reference number 16628. It featured a yellow gold case, a bidirectional graduated bezel, and a matching full-gold Oyster bracelet. Its dial was white with black hour indices, while at center were gold Mercedes hands, and beating inside was the 3135 movement.

Rolex ref. 16628. Instagram: @m_j_watches

Previous to the Yacht-Master’s introduction, Rolex had not released a new model line in a quarter century. So, why did they go with the Yacht-Master, a design that risked being a detractor from their existing Submariner? Let’s take a look at the inspiration.

The sport of yachting is one which demands precise timing and extreme coordination of the entire crew for optimal performance, particularly in offshore competitions.

Prototype Daytona Yacht-Master ref. 6239. Image: Christies.com

Rolex believed their waterproof and chronometer-grade timepieces to be more than qualified to handle the knocks of a regatta and keep ticking accurately. The brand is also notorious for their marketing prowess, which led them to act quickly in establishing an association with the sport.

Beginning in 1958 with their first sponsorship of a race, the relationship has endured until today, when the brand sponsors over a dozen international yachting events.

Nevertheless, it’s hard to deny that there exists a large gap between first contact in 1958 and the release of the yacht-inspired timepiece in the early ’90s. Why wasn’t the Yacht-Master released earlier on?

Well, Rolex played around with the idea of yachting chronograph early on, though it never materialized. All that’s left of these trials are an extremely limited number of Daytona ref. 6239 chronograph prototypes with a 39mm case (vs standard 36mm) and modified regatta dials.

Unfortunately, the Yacht-Master concept was scrapped and would not reappear until decades later.

When it did return, none of the previous Yacht-Master’s DNA was there. Furthermore, the 1992 Yacht-Master was bizarrely similar to the 16610 Sub of the time.

Interestingly enough, Rolex folklore tells of a time in the ’80s when the brand sought to update their Submariner . What resulted was less of an update and more of an overhaul, manifested as what we know now as the first Yacht-Master.

Apprehensive of the repercussions that making such aggressive design changes to their staple offering could bring, the brand chose instead to release the watch intended to be a new Submariner as the reborn Yacht-Master instead.

The move worked, and the new Yacht-Masters started flying off the shelves. The Yacht-Master was perceived as a more luxurious Sub, though its bidirectional bezel proved useful for on-the-fly countdowns which are critical in sailing competitions. The waterproof nature of the Oyster case further cemented the Yacht-Master as the ideal first mate.

Mid-Size & Ladies’ Yacht-Master

In 1994, just two years after the debut of the 16628, Rolex would introduce the same design but in smaller case sizes. These were:

• Ref. 68628: Yacht-Master “Mid-Size” in 35mm
• Ref. 69628: Yacht-Master Ladies’ in 29mm

This marked the first time that Rolex ever offered one of their sports models in a smaller case size; all previous instances of case size changes were increases as opposed to reductions. It has been speculated that the smaller cases were intended for the Asian market.

Yacht-Master ref. 16628. Instagram: @thewatchcentre

In the same year, Rolex also offered the same 16628 but this time with a deep blue dial. Blue dials tend to make for broadly-liked watches, and coupled with the gold case and bracelet, the new version was once again a hit.

The Platinum (Rolesium) Yacht-Master

The next update to the model line would come in 1999 with yet another home-run: the Rolesium Yacht-Master. The new watch featured a stainless steel case and bracelet with a platinum dial and platinum-insert bezel. Rolesium, a term registered by Rolex back in the ’30s for a combination of steel and platinum in a watch, was finally put to use.

The new platinum Yacht-Master ref. 16622 was not only more accessible than the previous all-gold varieties, it was also more versatile. This would lead the 16622 variety to become the face of the Yacht-Master line.

In fact, many online resources erroneously label it the first Yacht-Master ever; this should offer an idea of how emblematic it is in the watch industry.

The 16622 also presented a new dial and hand style that would mark Rolex as a whole through to the modern day. The new Yacht-Master boasted what is now recognized as the “maxi dial”.

Rolex Yacht-Master 16628 w/ maxi dial. Instagram: @kellokonttori

The maxi dial is characterized by oversized hour indices as well as larger hands at center. To the untrained eye, the difference may be difficult to spot, though experienced collectors will note the change instantly.

The maxi dial became the style of choice for all modern Rolex sports watches, though it got its start in the 1999 platinum Yacht-Master. A Submariner would first feature a maxi dial in 2003, with the release of the 50th anniversary Rolex Submariner “Kermit” (16610LV).

All versions of the Yacht-Master produced after the introduction of the maxi dial would also feature the new dial design. This included the blue, gold, and white dial versions from years past.

The Two-Tone (Rolesor) Yacht-Master

Six years after the Rolesium Yacht-Master came to be, Rolex would once more put on display their mixed-metal Rolesor style in the two-tone Yacht-Master 16623.

Yacht-Master ref. 16623. Instagram: @v.davidofftimepieces

The 2005 debuts possessed a 40mm steel case, a yellow gold bidirectional bezel, and a two-tone Oyster bracelet. As far as dials, many of the previous styles were also available like the black-on-white, though mother of pearl version were also introduced.

It was during Baselworld 2007 when Rolex would introduce the Yacht-Master’s younger and much larger sibling, the Yacht-Master II. Whereas the original Yacht-Master was very close functionally to the Sub, the Yacht-Master II was completely the opposite.

It can be said that the only overlap between the YM and the YMII is be the name, as the second iteration looks like a whole new watch. This time, though, it’s clear that the watch has been designed with the needs of yachting professionals in mind.

The first Yacht-Master II were marked by a 44mm Oyster case, an Oyster bracelet, a white dial,  and a blue Cerachrom (ceramic) Ring Command bezel. The first two references, 116688 and 116689, were made of yellow gold and white gold, respectively.

Powering the YMII was another innovation – Rolex’s in-house calibre 4161. It features the COSC-chronometer certification and 72-hour power reserve that are today’s standard, though they were industry-leading at the time. Most notable, though, was the 4161 movement’s functions.

The new caliber boasted a “ programmable countdown with mechanical memory and on-the-fly synchronization. ” Naturally, the programming of the movement required the use of the Ring Command bezel, a feature which had also never been encountered on a Rolex watch before.

In later years, Rolex would go on to release Rolesor and full-steel versions of the Yacht-Master II, both of which have been relatively successful. The Yacht-Master II has certainly earned a spot in the brand’s catalog, and is sure to stick around for next couple of decades.

The Six-Digit Yacht-Master

Yacht-Master 116622

Twenty years after it debuted as the 16628, the Yacht-Master would see in 2012 the modernization that had been sweeping Rolex’s other model families.

Aside from receiving a new six-digit reference number (116622), subtle aesthetic changes were also present, as was an outstanding new dial option – the Cobalt Blue dial.

The case was now a “super case”, which retained the 40mm diameter but was styled differently. The bezel was now completely platinum, where previous versions were made of steel with a platinum insert. The Oyster bracelet had likewise been upgraded.

A platinum bezel / platinum dial option was still part of the collection and therefore received the same upgrades. Unfortunately, this iconic “albino” look would be completely discontinued in 2017.

The subsequent and most recent significant change to the Yacht-Master family took place in 2015, when Rolex first introduced the Everose Yacht-Master 40 ref. 116655.

Rolex Everose Yacht-Master on Oysterflex bracelet

The newest iteration of the YM possessed some new features. The case was made of Everose, and the bezel now boasted a black Cerachrom insert. Securing the watch to the wrist was another Rolex first – the Oysterflex rubber ‘bracelet’.

Before the 116655, no Rolex watch had ever sported a rubber band. The brand still refers to it as a bracelet given the metal elements within the band, but these are not obvious even with the watch in the hand.

This same style of Yacht-Master would receive the next update in 2019, when Rolex introduced the Yacht-Master 42 in white gold.

What’s Next?

With the recent changes that the Yacht-Master line has had, it is clear that Rolex intends to keep this model family alive and well for years to come. Consumers are likewise responding to each new release, offering plenty of feedback with their pocketbooks.

If you’d like to read up on any of Rolex’s other model families, make sure to check out some of our extensive watch guides below:

• History Of The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona
• Overview Of The Most Luxurious Pilot’s Watch: The GMT-Master
• How Did The Day-Date Become The President’s Watch?
• Review Of Rolex’s Longest Running Watch Model
• Rolex Watches That Could Become The Investment Of A Lifetime

"I have always been a fan of the Yacht-Master, but I had no idea that it didn't exist until the 1990s. Thanks for the information, and thanks for keeping it entertaining. Well done!"

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Yearning for an Oysterflex but Rolex hasn’t granted your wishes yet? There are plenty of others to choose from

Since the 2015 release of the Oysterflex, Rolex fans have yearned for the Crown to put their favourite pieces on the new rubber bracelet. For reasons only known to Rolex, it limits the watches that the supple strap is allowed to be fitted to from the factory, such as precious metal Daytonas and Yacht-Masters, leaving the rest of the range somewhat bereft of options. That’s not to say the bracelets on Explorers, Submariners, GMT Masters, etc, aren’t great; they’re some of the best on the market. However, if you would prefer your Rolex on rubber , your factory options are limited. That is unless you start to explore aftermarket options. Arguably, watches like the underwater-themed Submariner is crying out to be hooked up to a rubber strap, so until Rolex agrees, what options are out there for you?

Delugs is a brand made and run by watch enthusiasts for watch enthusiasts. Prior to focusing on watch straps, Delugs was exclusively a leathercraft brand, crafting and experimenting with handmade bags, pouches, wallets, and belts. The brand’s love of watches meant that of course, they were making straps for themselves and their friends, which quickly developed into an opportunity to branch out professionally into the watch scene in 2018.

In 2022, Delugs released its own range of rubber straps, some of which are specific for Rolex, however many of its other rubber straps will fit any Rolex given the lug width is correct. The colour options are diverse but curated, and not quite as in-your-face as other brands’ offerings. Delugs also offer its own clean looking folding clasp, which includes the CTS (cut-to-size) fitment , allowing for each strap to be perfectly sized to your wrist simply by being cut down to whatever size you need. This does limit adjustability on hotter days, so be aware of that. Explore fabric and leather Delugs options in the T+T Shop, with prices starting from US$30

Tropic Straps

Given how rubber straps have hugely taken off over the last ten years or so, you’d be forgiven that it was a modern phenomenon, but there’s one brand that has been pushing the benefits of vulcanised rubber for decades. Tropic is the rubber strap company, producing straps since the 1960s, and is probably one of the most famous of all. While they’re not specifically designed only to fit Rolex, they can fit anything with a 20mm or 22mm lug width.

Tropic straps use a specific vulcanised rubber which is hypoallergenic, optimised for tensile strength, offers UV resistance, and is largely immune to adverse effects from extreme heat or cold. Perhaps that’s why Marlon Brando chose to use one on his iconic GMT Master , worn in his 1979 war epic Apocalypse Now – or perhaps it was the lovely tinge of vanilla scent. If it was good enough for Colonel Kurtz, then it’s good enough for the Time+Tide Shop. Price: starting from US$100

A brand that’s has been around for about ten years is Miami-based Horus. Founded by Mark Margulies as a side business while at college, the brand has since gone multinational, with 120 authorised retailers around the globe. While Horus offers straps for a multitude of other brands, the Rolex lineup is impressive, catering to pretty much every model in the catalogue.

It also offers direct Oysterflex replacements, and offer either Rolex clasp fitment or Horus pin buckles. Part of the success comes from their approach to customisability, with a multitude of colours and patterns to choose from. In fact, there’s around 40 different choices per model, so if customisation is your bag, Horus is definitely worth checking out. Price: starting from US$129

Everest is one of the leading aftermarket rubber strap brands out there. With over a decade of experience in the field, it has meticulously improved its straps over time to perfect fit, function, and comfort. It offers a wide range of straps to specifically fit certain models, and this is the important part because, unlike many others, each strap type is moulded to the case design. The lug ends of the straps are curved in such a way as to fit inside the lugs properly, following the contours of each case.

On top of this, there are specific strap types to be able to use the clasp from your Rolex, or you can opt for a pin buckle variation. Everest is a slightly more premium option when it comes to rubber, however the straps offer extremely high levels of quality and comfort, which is just what you need. One limitation is that there are only a handful of colours on offer, so if you love to really push the boat out with customisation, you may want to dig a little deeper. Price: starting from US$220

Switzerland-based strap brand Rubber B is the only alternative rubber strap brand to feature the words “Swiss Made” on its straps. 100% made in their factory in the foothills of the Alps, it takes their description of “the ultimate rubber strap” very seriously. The design is meticulously detailed to ensure that the straps do not move around inside the lugs, hugging the case nicely, and the vulcanised rubber is infused with carbon fibre during the injection moulding process to increase strength and stress resistance, all while remaining supple, comfortable, and light.

As a result, they are on the more expensive side, but as a premium brand, Rubber B offers a huge choice of Rolex-specific fitments, from Submariners to Air Kings, there’s one for everyone. Also, there are a few different colour choices, but the brand also offers a wider choice of strap designs and clasps, such as Rolex clasp fitment to velcro or tang buckles. Price: starting from US$220

Rolex Oysterflex

We can’t have this list and not mention the king of the Rolex rubber straps, the Oysterflex. In 2015, Rolex shook the market by introducing its first ever rubber strap, and in usual Rolex style, gave it a name befitting of any other Rolex product, the Oysterflex bracelet. Originally only available on the Daytona, it was introduced later to the Yacht-Master and the Sky-Dweller , all only in precious metal. This has been a bone of contention for Rolex fans for a long time because, of course, everyone would love to see the option rolled out across other models, such as the Submariner or GMT Master II. In true Rolex style, it’s not just a simple rubber band.

The Oysterflex features an internal titanium strip to help the strap retain its shape and give it additional strength, and also has subtle fins on its underside that keep the head of the watch elevated off the wrist to keep things cool and comfy on hot days. Lastly, all new Oysterflexes feature Rolex’s brilliant Glidelock clasp, allowing for on-the-fly adjustments. The fun part is, while you can’t buy an Oysterflex directly from Rolex, they do occasionally come up for sale on the secondary market, and they can be fitted to 20mm lug width Subs and GMTs with very little hassle.

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Rolex Bezels: How to use the Yacht-Master II Bezel

In this installment of the How-To Bezel Series, we will teach you how to use the Yacht-Master II bezel as the other functions that accompany it. Developed in 2007, the Yacht-Master II has been on the market for a little over 10 years and can be found in yellow gold, white gold, Oystersteel, or two-tone Everose variations.  A new Rolex calibre 4161 perpetual movement beats within the case and was developed by Rolex to include a Regatta countdown, which can be accessed by the 10-minute ring command bezel.  The bezel itself is designed to countdown, as opposed to other chronograph watches that count up. The case is always waterproof up to 100 meters and is topped with either a Cerachrom ceramic bezel or a platinum bezel.

The Yacht-Master I vs. the Yacht-Master II

While the Yacht-Master II looks somewhat similar to its predecessor, it’s actually a very different watch.  For starters, the Yacht-Master II’s ring command bezel is a highly sophisticated function that is built into the movement itself.  One of the first watches to offer a bezel that is directly built into the movement, the Yacht-Master II is, in its own right, an innovation in Rolex design.  The bezel can be found with a Cerachrom or platinum insert as well as a 10-minute scale. The original Yacht-Master I ’s bezel is much more straight-forward and boasts a bi-directional design and 60-minute graduations.  The Yacht-Master II also offers chronograph functions, which can be accessed via the side pushers. This feature is obviously lacking from the Yacht-Master I.

How To Use the Yacht-Master II Bezel & Chronograph functions.

To access the chronograph functions, the top and bottom side pushers will be used.  To start and stop the chronograph seconds hand on the dial, press the top pusher. It will then begin to sweep clockwise around the dial.  To reset the seconds hand to the 12 o’clock position, press the bottom pusher.

To access the programmable Regatta countdown function, unscrew the crown and turn the ring command bezel counterclockwise until it clicks into position (90 degrees).  You can then press the bottom pusher to set the bezel. Using the screw-down crown, you can now set the dedicated triangle hand to coordinate with the 10-minute counter that circles the center of the dial.  To countdown from 5 minutes, set the hand to the 5 position, and so forth. Rotate the bezel clockwise back into its original position and screw the crown back into the case. Press the top pusher to start or stop the countdown.  

Pressing the bottom pusher while the chronograph functions are in use activates the “Flyback” function, which automatically moves the countdown back to the most recent minute.  The Regatta chronograph also features a mechanical memory. By resetting the time via the bottom pusher, the triangle hand will automatically return to whichever minute it was initially set at before the countdown began.

Learning how to use the Yacht-Master II bezel has endless applications in everyday life and is not just for professional sailing.  What’s more, is the Yacht-Master II boasts a variety of metal options , making it easy to find the perfect reference to suit your lifestyle, whether you’re participating in a Regatta or heading into the office.

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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The Golden Age of Rolex Movements Part II: Rolex gets Complicated with Innovations and Patent Registrations

by  Tim Mosso

From the public’s perspective, Rolex’s surge into its movement revolution began with the now anachronistic-sounding Basel 2000 World Watch, Clock, and Jewelry Show. But the evidence of a long-term engineering campaign was mounting at the patent office and in the dealers’ showrooms.

Consider the 2005 Cellini Prince, highlighted previously in The Golden Age Of Rolex Movements Part I: Sowing The Seeds Of Greatness .

Rolex made the Cellini Prince an early recipient of the Paraflex shock system, a tangible sign of Rolex’s progress internalizing the movement production of all components. Achieving proprietary shock protection is an extraordinary feat; only massive firms such as the Swatch Group and Seiko Epson or single-purpose suppliers such as KIF Parechoc produce these subassemblies.

Rolex Cellini Prince Caliber 7040 (photo courtesy WatchBox)

Meanwhile, at the patent office . . .

Components such as shock springs are as significant to the Rolex watchmaking revolution as the rock-star movements themselves. And Rolex often telegraphs its next moves – and movements – with patent applications.

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For example, trace the Rolex patent breadcrumb trail to a June 1998 application for U.S. patent number 5881026, “A self-compensating spring for a balance-spring . . . made of a paramagnetic Nb-Zr alloy containing between 5% and 25% by weight of Zr.”

Just like that, Rolex dropped the Parachrom alloy for its future nonmagnetic hairsprings.

U.S. patent number 6329066 requested in March 2000 specified “a self-compensating spring for a balance-wheel oscillator . . . and process for treating this spiral . . . the oxide layer which forms has a thickness of the order of 50 nm, giving the spiral a blue color.” As in this fashion, the current Parachrom Blue hairspring was born.

Fitting a Rolex balance wheel and Parachrom Blue hairspring to a movement

Rolex [Yacht] masters high complications

Look back even farther, and one begins to grasp just how long certain ideas gestate inside the Rolex fortress.

In January of 1989, Rolex filed for U.S. patent number 4866684 to protect its concept of a “Chronometer for starting races, particularly regattas.” Details of the application text include mention of a dedicated ten-minute countdown scale.

Granted, this project also included mention of an electronic drive system, but the bug had been planted: Rolex was thinking about a dedicated regatta chronograph three years before the first time-only Yacht-Master broke at the 1992 Basel Fair.

Look back even farther, and it becomes evident that Rolex prototyped a Yacht-Master chronograph during the late 1960s.

A 2007 Rolex Yacht-Master II in precious metal (photo courtesy WatchBox)

Baselworld 2007 witnessed the end of this extraordinary incubation cycle in the form of the Yacht-Master II. At the time, the watch was the most complex Rolex product ever sold. Caliber 4160 comes on strong: the Daytona’s 70-hour reserve, ball-bearing rotor, vertical clutch, column wheel, and robust architecture carry over from the 4130 movement.

To this functional core, Rolex added a programmable countdown system with a memory capability that resets to its specified interval without fail until reprogrammed. The Yacht-Master II is designed to act as a flyback and fly-forward chronograph to center on the nearest minute when actuated.

Finally, all programming is performed with a “Ring Command” bezel that doubles as part of the movement itself.

Rolex Caliber 4161

For the first time, Rolex began to offer public insights into advanced industrial procedures used in the fabrication of its movements. Contemporary press dispatches from Geneva boasted of employing the micro-manufacturing technique “Lithographie, Galvanoformung, Abformung” – better known as LIGA profiling, which sees nickel-phosphorus components “grown” on a substrate for perfect geometry – for the most sensitive and tolerance-intensive mechanical components.

Considering how niche the regatta timer function was in 2007 and remains today, the level of engineering investment was stunning. But the new movement wasn’t perfect.

Caliber 4130 was more sensitive to maintenance intervals and more susceptible to rough handling than previous Rolex movements. Reset action and the flyback/fly-forward function often developed lag or stalled entirely, and given the quantum leap of complexity for Rolex calibers this wasn’t shocking.

A 2013 stainless steel Rolex Yacht-Master II (photo courtesy WatchBox)

A reboot of sorts occurred in 2013 with the arrival of the long-awaited stainless steel Yacht-Master II. The undercard of this marquee launch was the revised Caliber 4161. More robust and more consistent, the 4161 brought the Yacht-Master II on par with the Daytona’s reliability and crisp pusher feel.

Rolex Sky-Dweller: the sky is the limit

But 2013’s detail revisions to Caliber 4161 barely registered amid the aftershocks of Rolex’s 2012 engineering quantum leap, the Sky-Dweller annual calendar GMT. Even with eight years’ worth of hindsight, the Sky-Dweller remains perhaps the least expected and most ambitious Rolex engineering project of the twenty-first century.

A 2012 Rolex Sky-Dweller in gold (photo courtesy WatchBox)

While stunning, the arrival of the Sky-Dweller could have been anticipated via diligent reading of Rolex’s U.S. patent applications. As far back as 2003, U.S. patent number 6744696 described an annual calendar system based solely on wheels and pared down to the minimum necessary parts count.

The elegant system was described as a solution for a “clock,” but a quick review of Rolex’s sparse modern clock portfolio suggests that this was little more than a smokescreen.

More insight arrived in April 2005 via U.S. patent number 7242640. The original statement of intent to develop an annual calendar moved into the product-engineering phase. No longer posing any pretense of clockmaking, the 2005 patent application specified the following:

“An annual date mechanism for a timepiece movement comprising a 31-toothed date runner, a jumper in mesh with its toothset, a months satellite . . . designed for twelve for the months comprising less than 31 days, a fixed planetary toothset coaxial with the date runner and in a direct-drive relationship with the months satellite.”

Rolex Sky-Dweller (photo courtesy WatchBox)

Another piece of the Rolex roadmap appeared in June 2011, less than a year before the launch of the Sky-Dweller, when Rolex filed U.S. patent number 8328414 for a bezel-based function selector by which “the function and/or indication which is to be adjusted is selected using a rotating bezel. Because of this the number of functions and/or indications which are to be adjusted can be high, as the bezel can rotate through 360 degrees.

Rolex Sky-Dweller Ring Command Bezel

“Advantageously, the setting control comprises a two-position stem, one position of which is a winding position and the second position of which is an adjustment position. Thus, a single two-position stem can be used to adjust a number of functions and/or time indications which is substantially greater than its single adjustment position.”

The Ring Command bezel is easy to use on the Rolex Sky-Dweller

In hindsight, Rolex was trying to protect itself ahead of a major product launch, but rarely have Rolex patents so explicitly and thoroughly previewed the consumer product to follow.

And what a product. The Sky-Dweller’s Caliber 9001 is a monster comprising the most individual parts of any Rolex movement past or present.

With 380 components, the 9001 narrowly eclipses the regatta chronograph, and the simplicity of the Ring Command bezel interface cloaks the fearsome mass of moving parts within; the bezel system alone accounts for 60 parts.

Perhaps chastened by growing pains with the Caliber 4160 regatta timer, Rolex seems to have taken great pains to ensure the mammoth Caliber 9001 lived up to Rolex levels of toughness.

Rolex Caliber 9001

The Rolex annual calendar system, dubbed “Saros” after celestial phenomena, can be set bidirectionally without damaging the movement. As with the Ludwig Oechslin annual calendars designed for the MIH watch , Zenith and Ochs und Junior, the Rolex system is designed and constructed with usability and reliability in mind.

Peripheral features include a 70-hour power reserve, winding-rotor bearings, a niobium-zirconium oxidized non-magnetic hairspring, and a free-sprung balance with a full bridge.

To put the complexity of Rolex Caliber 9001 in perspective, consider that Audemars Piguet’s modular chronograph in the Royal Oak Offshore (3126/3840) includes 365 parts and the Patek Philippe 5370P’s split-second chronograph Caliber CH29-535PS includes 312 parts, both exceptional haute horlogerie movements.

Rolex Sky-Dweller Reference 326934 in white gold and stainless steel (Rolesor) launched in 2017

Moreover, Rolex democratized the Sky-Dweller in 2017 with a – mostly – stainless steel model priced at less than one-third of the original $48,850.

For those who love movements but are reluctant to pay a precious-metal premium, Rolex prices the $14,400 Sky-Dweller 326934 within shouting distance of the $12,400 Daytona.

Rolex: the brand comes first, model families second, movements third

Although new models steal headlines, and no watch brand self-promotes with the gusto and grandeur of Rolex, the segment juggernaut tends to steer buyer attention away from movement engineering.

Despite the arrival of two monstrous complications in the space of five years, Rolex refused to redefine itself as a company or a brand. Ongoing innovations occurred as a sub-text to celebrity ambassadors, event sponsorship, and mainstream media campaigns.

The tension between Rolex’s movement innovations and branding exercises contribute, in part, to blame for watch collectors’ tendency to overlook Rolex watchmaking.

Part III of this series will explore the primacy of branding at Rolex and its impact on the company’s public reputation for movement innovation.

For more information, please visit www.rolex.com/watches/yacht-master and/or www.rolex.com/watches/sky-dweller .

Quick Facts Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II Reference 116680 Case: 44 x 13.9 mm, stainless steel Movement: automatic Caliber 4161, 70-hour power reserve, 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency, officially certified C.O.S.C. chronometer Functions: hours; minutes; hacking seconds; programmable regatta countdown timer with memory in 0-10 minute range; flyback chronograph Production: This model went out of production in 2024 and has been updated with new models Price: $18,750 in steel; steel/gold and full precious metal available at varying prices

Quick Facts Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller Case: 42 x 14 mm, stainless steel with white gold Ring Command bezel Movement: automatic Caliber 9001, 70-hour power reserve, 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency, , Parachrom hairspring, Paraflex shock absorption, Superlative Chronometer certification (C.O.S.C. and Rolex certification after casing) Functions: hours, minutes, hacking seconds; second time zone, annual calendar with date and month Price: $15,500 (silver, blue, or black dials); full precious metal optional at varying prices

*   Tim Mosso  is the media director and watch specialist at  The 1916 Company . You can check out their very comprehensive YouTube channel at  www.youtube.com/@the1916company

* This article was first published 15 April 2019 at The Golden Age Of Rolex Movements Part II: Rolex Gets Complicated With Innovations And Patent Registrations

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