As the start draws near, the skipper’s pulse quickens. Already visualizing the action of the race, he manoeuvres as close as possible to the line. The Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II embodies all of the intense emotion a regatta arouses. By its impressive size, evocative power and sleek design, this unique regatta chronograph echoes directly the Maxi Yachts built to brave the oceans. The new version is the first Professional watch in the Oyster collection to be available in Everose Rolesor – an exclusive combination of the 904L steel superalloy and 18 ct Everose gold.

Equipped with a programmable countdown with a mechanical memory, the Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II is an innovative and pioneering watchmaking complication, based on interaction between the movement and the bezel. It allows the skipper to programme a regatta countdown sequence from 1 to 10 minutes. Once the countdown has been launched, the skipper can, if necessary, synchronize his chronograph to the official race countdown. Thanks to the Yacht-Master II, experienced sailors and yachting enthusiasts have at their disposal an efficient tool to assist in crossing the starting line at the very moment the horn sounds.

With its numerous innovative watchmaking features, the Yacht-Master II model, launched in 2007, is the epitome of the brand’s creative force and technology. Its functions depend on a major innovation: the exclusive Ring Command bezel, designed and developed by Rolex. Rotatable through 90° and interacting with the movement, it serves to initialize and then lock the countdown programming.

The model’s 4160 movement, entirely designed and developed by Rolex, is fitted with a Parachrom hairspring, 10 times more resistant to shocks and insensitive to magnetic fields. The countdown is operated by a column wheel and a vertical clutch. A number of microcomponents in this unique movement are produced by UV-LiGA – a new technology, entirely mastered in-house by Rolex, which enables the production of components whose fineness or geometry makes them impossible to manufacture by traditional means.

The Yacht-Master II’s case, stamped from a block of 904L steel extremely resistant to corrosion, offers all the qualities of waterproofness that have made the reputation of Oyster watches. Not least thanks to its Triplock winding crown, which screws down tightly against the case like the hatch of a submarine. The pink gold of the bezel and the bracelet’s centre links is 18 ct Everose gold, an exclusive alloy developed by Rolex and manufactured in its own foundry. The blue Cerachrom bezel insert, virtually impervious to scratches, corrosion-resistant and non-fading, is also patented and manufactured by Rolex.

The excellent legibility of the Yacht-Master II’s dial demonstrates the constant attention to functionality in the Oyster Professional collection. The red countdown minute and seconds hands are readable at a glance against the graduations on the dial or bezel.

The bracelet, in 904L steel and 18 ct EVEROSE, is fitted with an EASYLINK 5 mm comfort extension link and an Oysterlock clasp with a safety catch, two further Rolex innovations. The horn has sounded. The course is set. The Yacht-Master II forges ever forward, sailing towards new horizons.

The Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II is the ultimate reference chosen by professionals who sail the world. And those whose passion for innovation knows no limits.

The Yacht-Master II, designed to meet the needs of professional sailors, is the world’s first complication built with a patented programmable countdown and mechanical memory. This ensures perfect synchronisation with the start of any regatta.

The 44 mm Yacht-Master II, presented here in 18 ct yellow gold, features a bezel inlaid with a virtually scratch-resistant blue Cerachrom disc.

The Yacht-master II is the world’s first regatta chronograph to offer a programmable countdown featuring a mechanical memory. Whether you are at the helm or observing from the dock of the yacht club, the Rolex Yacht-Master II is an indispensable tool that draws you into the race and enables you to propel yourself, with confidence and elegance, full force towards the finish line.

Unequalled, like every Rolex before it, the Yacht-Master II is a product of legendary crafstmanship. At its core lies the 4160 movement, the result of 35,000 development hours and 360 individual components. Technically brilliant, on or off the water, its signature complication is a programmable countdown with mechanical memory. With a column wheel that extends through the main plate, both sides of the movement are connected. This ingenious design enables the perfect synchronisation between the different elements of the countdown. The result? Racers can now set their watch to the exact regatta starting sequences.


The Triplock winding crown

To protect the movement from water and dust,
Rolex invented the Oyster case in 1926. And then, in 1954 created and patented the Triplock winding crown to ensure even greater protection. The Triplock consists of 10 different elements crafted from the most reliable materials. Once assembled, it screws down onto the Oyster case as tightly and securely as a submarine hatch.

Rolex gold

By operating its own exclusive foundry, Rolex has the unrivalled ability to create new and unique alloys, holding each to the very highest of standards. Rolex’s goal: Absolute purity. Yacht-Master II’s case, bracelet and components are painstakingly crafted for exceptional durability, colour and beauty. Rolex’s commitment to excellence begins at the source.

The Ring Command bezel

Rolex achieved perfection when it turned its attention to redefining the purpose and functionnality of the bezel. Typically, a bezel operates independently from the internal mechanism, however, the Ring Command bezel in the Yacht-Master II regatta chronograph operates in conjunction with it. A mechanical component that is linked to the movement, the bezel literally acts as the key to the programmable countdown, allowing it to be set and synchronised to the sequence of race start times. Complex in design, but simple in use, it is functionally beautiful.

Rolex FARR® 40 World Championship - Sydney, Australia - February 23^rd to 26^th, 2011

For 96 hours, the Rolex Farr® 40 Worlds turns the Tasman Sea into an ocean of sameness. In a championship where yacht owners must skipper their own craft, and rules require that boats and total weight be equal, teams must work together perfectly, ready to exploit any opportunity the wind and sea provide. A mere split second – something the ocean can give and take away pretty quickly – may be all that’s needed to win.

Paul Cayard

Tactician. Skipper. Rock. Leads by example. First American skipper to win the Whitbread Round the World Race. Star World Champion. Likes to break new ground. On water.

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Every year, on Boxing Day, the world’s most daring raise their sails in a heroic tradition. Sydney Harbour, brimming with excitement, offers no sign of the difficulty that lies ahead. But it awaits. At 628 nautical miles, the charted course of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race runs directly through Bass Strait, one of the most unpredictable stretches of ocean in the world.

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