Rolex Finally Releases the Titanium Yacht-Master 42
It’s been a year and a half since Rolex teased us with a titanium Yacht-Master. Back in September 2021 we wrote about Olympic Sailor Ben Ainslie being spotted wearing a titanium Rolex Yacht-Master prototype(?) on his wrist, and we asked the question of whether Rolex was preparing to release a titanium Yacht-Master or any titanium watch at all.
It took a year and half, and another titanium Rolex being released first (the DeepSea Challenge released in November 2022), but we finally got our titanium Yacht-Master, and it actually looks different than the version sported by Ainslie. Unlike Ainslie’s prototype that lacked a date window, Rolex decided to keep it when releasing the final product
THE BASICS:
Brand : Rolex
Model : Yacht-Master 42 Titanium Ref. 226627
Case Material : RLX Titanium
Case Size : 42mm
Water Resistance : 100m
Movement : Calibre 3235
Movement Specs: Automatic, 70-Hour Power Reserve
Strap Options : Titanium Oyster Bracelet
The Juice:
Up until November 2022, we all thought that if Rolex ever released a titanium watch, It would be the Yacht-Master. It turns out that they released the ever so large DeepSea Challenge in titanium first, giving us Rolex’s first ever titanium timepiece, but not one that is actually wearable by 99 percent of the world (due to its size and thickness). Leave it to Rolex to tease us with a titanium watch that basically nobody can or wants to wear.
Well, fast forward 5 months and Rolex has finally released the Yacht-Master 42 in RLX titanium and has finally given the public a titanium watch they can wear. The matte ceramic bezel matches the rest of the Yacht-Master 42 line and fits perfectly on a brushed titanium watch that just screams utility. Instead of opting for the Oysterflex rubber strap, Rolex has put the watch on a brushed titanium Oyster bracelet, which we think works well. If you are going to opt for titanium and its lightweight and strong properties, you might as well feature it throughout the watch and not just on the case.
The watch runs on Rolex’s in-house Caliber 3235 Automatic Movement, and has a respectable 70-hour power reserve. It features the Oysterlock folding safety clasp, which prevents accidental opening (I mean if you are going to go sailing with the watch, that’s a good feature to have). At 42mm it’s a little larger than some of the 40-41mm sport watches available from Rolex but still eminently wearable by most.
How Much Does the Titanium Rolex Yacht-Master 42 COst?
The Rolex Yacht-Master 42 in RLX Titanium Ref. 226627 retails for $14,050 USD from Rolex.
