The Rolex Yacht-Master II: A Milestone for Regatta and Boating Enthusiasts
Certain events tell you and the world that you have reached a significant stage in your life. For some, it is a personal best at golf, shooting big game or conquering a mountain. For others, it is achieving a lifestyle. How often have you heard stories about leaving the corporate world for a life of leisure, sailing the globe?
For the lucky few who achieve that dream, there are badges that quietly let the world know of their illustrious status.
The Rolex Yacht-Master is one of those badges. It is symbolic of the strong ties that exist between Rolex and the lifestyle that this luxury watch so aptly represents since the later part of the twentieth century.
The Yacht-Master was introduced in 1992 by Rolex, who used their popular Submariner watch line as inspiration for its design. The company intended this model to be a cross between a sport watch and a dress watch. Success was instantaneous and this model quickly became a favorite of Rolex enthusiasts.
The original offering of the Yacht-Master included a rugged case and a bezel durable enough to handle practically any outdoor activity. Initially, the watch was available only in 18k yellow gold. Since that time, Rolex has expanded their models to include stainless steel, two-tone (stainless steel and gold) and Rolesium (a Rolex patented stainless steel and platinum finish combination).
The watch carries its nautical theme handsomely, asserting its significance both on and in the water. Central to its design is an Oyster case and bracelet. Rolex guarantees each Yacht-Master is waterproof up to a depth of 100 meters.
The latest manifestation of this masterpiece, the Yacht-Master II, surfaced in 2007. It sports a triplock winding crown that drastically improves waterproofing and employs a bidirectional, rotatable 60-minute bezel. The watch contains a parachrom hairspring that is unaffected by magnetic fields and able to absorb shocks more than 10 times greater than traditional oscillator hairspring designs - increasing the watch’s accuracy to a level only a Rolex can enjoy.
The Yacht-Master II is bestowed with precise synchronization for use in regatta countdowns of up to ten minutes. This time function is important, as ten minutes is how much time racers have to prepare their yachts before starting a race. Rolex made this possible using an advanced interaction between the bezel and the movement.
The timepiece is available in a 44-mm case and has a depth rating of 100 meters - just like the original model. Its blue ceramic bezel contrasts the body of the watch beautifully. New for the 2013 model is a 904L stainless steel case with a blue Cerachrom bezel (see footnotes 1 and 2).
Even if you do not own a yacht, wearing a Rolex Yacht-Master can easily put you into the spirit of sailing or boating. When others get a peek at this jewel, they cannot miss the words Yacht-Master emblazoned on a rich, blue bezel – staring right back at them. This causes many to quickly glance away, making one wonder if they feel it's disrespectful to stare while trying to guess if the owner parks a yacht in his backyard.
Just wearing a Yacht-Master can change your posture and your bearing. Your gait is confident and as you walk; your back is straighter. Sometimes, just for a moment, the wearer envisions himself at the helm of a yacht, bringing it about as it gently rides the swells of tropical waters.
This luxury watch is a favorite of the sailing set based in South Beach (including members of the historic Miami Yacht Club at MacArthur Causeway) - men and women that have announced their arrival into the mariner's life by strapping a Yacht-Master onto their wrists.
Footnotes:- 904L is a superior grade of stainless steel that is relatively tougher and more resistant to corrosion.
- Cerachrom is a colored ceramic patented by Rolex and used in the bezels of their modern watch models. During preparation, it is heated to 1500 degrees Celsius to remove impurities and increase its strength, then bombarded with gold atoms. It is resistant to corrosion and ultraviolet rays which can cause discoloration.
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