Life’s short and living it the way you dream is fantastic, especially if you have the financial means. Some like to spend their money on traveling around the world, whereas others want to pay it both for traveling and the miscellaneous they need when taking out their yacht.
Joke aside, there are watches out there that are a piece of art as the craftsmanship, the mechanisms, the movement, and the high-quality materials make them exquisite and luxurious. Many of us may never get the chance to buy one, but that doesn’t mean that we cannot take a look if only to see what we’re missing.
Everybody knows about Rolex. Right?
Rolex is a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer that has the base in Geneva, Switzerland. Its history began in 1905, but it was 1915 when the brand name became Rolex Watch Co. Ltd.
In 2018, Forbes placed Rolex as the world’s 71st most valuable brand around the world. Three of the priciest watches ever sold at auctions are from Rolex. To give you a number, Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona is the most expensive wristwatch and the second most expensive watch that was ever sold at auction with 17.75 million US dollars in 2017.
A thing or two on Rolex Yacht-Master series
The Yacht-Master series is one of a king. As most Rolex sports watches out there, the series was designed for the nautical adventures and regattas. Rolex did create other collections for the sea (the Sea-Dweller and the Submariner), but the Yacht-Master series has never been designed to be only an instrumental watch like the other ones.
However, it shares some similar features and design details with the Submariner. It’s more of a nautical watch that you can sport on the deck, but not below the sea-level.
It was 1992 when the very first Rolex Yacht-Master hit the market, even though the name was used by Rolex also in the 60s. It was a chronograph that only makes it as a prototype and never got to be sold in any way.
The first model was the 16628, a Yellow Gold watch with black hour indexes and white dial. The new model resembles it, which only makes it even more representative for the Yacht-Master series.
What’s the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42 in a nutshell?
The new model comes with a 42mm white gold case and bidirectional rotatable bezel. The bezel rocks Cerachrom insert in matte-black ceramic what was enhanced by 60-minute graduation. Made from 18ct white gold, the Yacht-Master 42 marks the use of the high-end metal on the Yacht-Master series. The light reflections on the side sides and lugs put the whole profile of the Oyster case under a great light.
Just like any other Rolex watch, the Yacht-Master 42 stands out with the extreme legibility in all situations and the dark thanks to the Chromalight display. The clock comes with the Superlative Chronometer certification which provides astonishing performance on the wrist. The certification testifies that the watch has been taken all the tests conducted by Rolex in its laboratories, considering their criteria. However, the requirements go beyond the typical norms and standards. The certification is for the whole assembled watch, after casing the movement and guarantees the fantastic performance when it comes to power reserve, accuracy, self-winding and waterproofness. The accuracy of a Rolex Superlative Chronometer is -2/+2 seconds per day or more than double that an official chronometer has to present. The Superlative Chronometer status comes as a green seal for every Rolex watch, along with an international five-year guarantee.
It’s the largest within the Yacht-Master series, and it includes on a new movement and Oysterflex rubber strap, resulting into one expensive watch with the fresher vibe.
Let’s see the detailed look
The bidirectional rotating bezel has impressive details with raised graduations and numerals that initially were molded into the ceramic and only afterward polished. The whole dial includes hands, indexes, and inscriptions that are in crisp white, which leads to an intriguing juxtaposition against the black face. You’re going to be able to read the watch in poor light conditions as the hands and the hour markers are filled with the luminescent Chromalight material.
The maxi indexes and hands look nice, and both the style and the proportions remind one of the old models. There are no hints of color on the dial, which leads to the sleek feel on the watch.
Inside the watch, we’re noticing the caliber 3235 movement, which is entirely new for the Yacht-Master series. It’s a self-winding mechanical movement that comprises the Rolex’s new patented Chroenergy escapement. It’s made of nickel-phosphorus, and it’s affected by magnetic interference, which only improves efficiency and accuracy. The Caliber 3235 comes with self-winding module via the Perpetual rotor. The barrel architecture and the escapement’s precisions ensure the power reserve of the caliber 3235. Therefore, the watch stands out with the 70 hours of power reserve (give or take).
The movement includes a blue Parachrom hairspring, which is made by Rolex in an exclusive paramagnetic alloy, which makes it ten times more accurate than the typical hairspring in case of a shock. The blue Parachrom hairspring features a Rolex overcoil that sustains the regularity in all positions. The oscillator comes with high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers that improve the shock resistant of the movement.
The combination used on the Yacht-Master 42 is quite a premier as the watch includes the raised track on the bezel, polished on a matter background that is common for the Yacht-Master series, but they come in black ceramic for the that is common for the Yacht-Master series, but they come in black ceramic for the Yacht-Master 42.
The bracelet is somewhat sporty and different from the classic metal bracelets of Rolex watches. It features metal blades inside the rubber-like composition and the reliable Rolex’s Glidelock extension system. It’s a matte black Oysterflex (rubber) bracelet that takes intense use.
The watch has 100-meter water resistance.
What’s our final take?
Some of you may hope that the watch is a bit more accessible, but you couldn’t be any further than the truth. The watch comes for an impressive CHF 26,500, so many are just going to like it from a distance.
RESOURCES
Baselworld 2019 – Rolex Yacht-Master 42 ref. 226659 White Gold (Specs & Price)
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42: Learn About it Here
A new-generation Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master – FHH Journal
