Rolex Yacht-Master II 44 Oystersteel — White Dial with Blue Regatta Countdown | Ref. 116680B

The Yacht-Master II occupies a unique position in the Rolex catalogue: it is the only watch in the collection engineered specifically around the demands of competitive offshore sailing. Reference 116680B houses the 44 mm Oystersteel case — substantial enough to command presence on the wrist over a foul-weather jacket — and pairs it with the bidirectional Ring Command bezel, a mechanism whose ceramic Cerachrom insert is inscribed with a 0-to-60 minute scale in vivid blue. Rotating the bezel while pressing the crown at specific positions programs a regatta countdown directly into the movement without disrupting the time display.

The matt white dial is organised around the regatta function's demands: large hour and minute hands in blue lacquer contrast sharply with the white ground for immediate readability at distance, while a dedicated small-seconds counter at 6 o'clock — also rendered in blue — provides a continuous visual reference. The programmable countdown timer, displayed through a subsidiary mechanism, synchronises precisely with the yacht club's starting gun, allowing the skipper to time their approach to the line without consulting a separate instrument.

Powering the Yacht-Master II is the exclusive Calibre 4161, a mechanical movement developed solely for this reference and never shared with any other Rolex model. Its architecture incorporates a column-wheel chronograph mechanism integrated with the programmable countdown complication, a feat of engineering that required Rolex's movement designers to invent several new component geometries. The Oystersteel Oyster bracelet, secured by an Oysterlock safety clasp with a 5 mm Easylink comfort extension, ensures the watch remains fixed to the wrist in the most demanding sea conditions. Water resistance extends to 100 metres, appropriate for any racing deck.