Rolex Yacht-Master 116622

Almost every major watch manufacturer has a collection based on the marine or nautical theme - Audemars Piguet, Ulysse Nardin, Omega, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Seiko, Blancpain, Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC, Richard Mille - but none of those watches can match the Rolex Yacht-Master in truly luxury tool watch design and functionality. This deep toned ref. 116622 delighted a lot of people when it was unveiled at the 2016 Baselworld Fair. Since the creation of the series in 1992 these watches have always enjoyed a small but fiercely loyal following of Rolex enthusiasts but this steel rendition with the modern dark rhodium sunburst dial and polished center link Oyster bracelet became an instant classic and opened a lot of people's eyes to the series. What makes any Yacht-Master so special is the combination of established tool watch aesthetics with the unique luxury tidbits - this is a gentleman's Submariner, if you will, and it's gorgeous. The dial is a sporty "maxi" design, but the lume plots are surrounded in white gold, the hands are white gold and all of that is loaded with the blue-glowing Chromalight lume. The writing on the dial is white with the subtle but beautiful exception of the blue "YACHT-MASTER" at 6, which matches the lollipop seconds hand. Of course the major standout with any YM is the instantly recognizable bezel, this one in sand-blasted platinum with polished numerals in relief. Like the Submariner-date, the Yacht-Master runs on the venerated Rolex in-house caliber 3135, and sports the screw-down Triplock crown, which are more than enough. Rolex has long been associated with pioneering adventure, ocean exploration and car racing but the Yacht-Master is a unique piece that in Rolex's own words "reinforced the ties between Rolex and the sailing world." Open ocean sailboat racing is perhaps the most challenging, historic, picturesque, dangerous and sexy gentlemen's sports in modern time. If you're literally racing from one continent to another to honor tradition you have an entirely different take on the world than most people - if you train on the weekends in calmer water on a 24-foot sloop you're the same breed of cat, and this is your watch.