Should the Yacht-Master II Get the Axe?

[vh2k]

Fun pre-April 7 opinion poll...

Is the YMII a design masterpiece or awkward abomination?

Would you be sad if Rolex axed the YMII?

[sgwatchguy]

I wish they could bring a 41mm version.

It’s a handsome but gigantic piece for a 6.3” wrist.

[gnuyork]

I like it especially in yellow gold, but it's far too big for my wrist. Hate to see it go though.

[Doood]

Definitely liked the older hands, but I like it. Missed an opportunity to pick one up cheap at Costco a few years ago before the craziness.

[Old Expat Beast]

At this point Rolex needs to keep pumping out unpopular models so that ADs at least have something to put on display.

[kieselguhr]

I think it’s a solid watch and a staple in the catalog. It may not be popular on the forums or social media but I have seen it more on people’s wrists than I have seen Daytonas.

[sleddog]

Hope not, but I have mine..

[iLLGT2]

Gorgeous in my eyes, yes I’m bias I have my yellow e hands and steel blue hands, and a ton of other Rolex in my collection

Ymii is my fav over all of the others

[faz]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

At this point Rolex needs to keep pumping out unpopular models so that ADs at least have something to put on display.

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[faz]

Two tone with rose gold is my favorite watch, something I would like to pick up someday. How am I going to use the functionality? No clue, but I love it’s looks.


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[Itchingforarolex]

It’s next on my list and yes, I’d be super bummed if it went away...
Mad at myself for not grabbing a new one in SS back when they could be had for like 14k grey.

[HogwldFLTR]

Originally Posted by sgwatchguy

I wish they could bring a 41mm version.

It’s a handsome but gigantic piece for a 6.3” wrist.

My sentiments exactly; too large for a 6.5" wrist!!!

[Brew]

Is it possible that Rolex's rising tide can't raise the Yacht-Master? There's a bit of irony.

[sgwatchguy]

Originally Posted by Brew

Is it possible that Rolex's rising tide can't raise the Yacht-Master? There's a bit of irony.

Good one

[1William]

If this watch goes away I would not notice or care.

[Driver8]

I'm all for Rolex offering something slightly different to the swathes of three-handers in the collection, but the YMII has always looked a bit of an awkward oddity to me. Too many design elements that just don't quite gel for me.

It's never been on my radar, so it's make no difference to me if it went or not, although personally I wouldn't mind the movement staying and ending up in something a little more aesthetically pleasing.

[Mystro]

Absolutely my favorite Rolex model and I have owned most all of them. It’s a masterpiece of design and movement engineering. It shows what Rolex can really do beyond the basic movements. It was never intended for the mass Rolex market but aimed at the advanced enthusiast and it’s high msrp reflected this. The average Rolex buyer won’t even understand how sophisticated and robust it is but that’s another of its appeal. It’s NOT main stream, status quo Rolex look and most won’t see beyond that. But if you are a movement snob or into high horological complications, the YMII will satisfy like very few at any price point.

Because of its complicated movement it has always been a low-volume production model which Rolex doesn’t need to sell a lot of so it sits in a very different place in the catalog than most other models. The 4161 movement has been reliable and still cutting edge so I don’t see the model going anywhere.

On a personal note, it wears like a large Daytona closer to a Sub and no where near like my DSSD JC. The YMII case design is elegant and thin so it doesn’t have any of the negatives as dive models usually do at 44mm with comfort or daily wear. The dial to bezel ratio is also spot. I questioned the YMII when it first came out but quickly fell in love with it once I got to handle one. It’s expensive msrp kept me away for years until I had to own it and it became a grail status piece. Nothing in my collection of watches I have owned can touch the YachtMaster II as it has the look, build quality and movement that puts it in another league.

Here is the movement.
https://youtu.be/-MoNYR86-U8


My YMII review:
https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=779629







Since we didn’t go on a vacation because of Covid, I allowed myself to make a long time grail purchase in 2020 as I watch prices keep going up like all professional SS models.

Past 3 year YMII trend.

[1978]

No, it’s a popular watch

Originally Posted by vh2k

Fun pre-April 7 opinion poll...

Is the YMII a design masterpiece or awkward abomination?

Would you be sad if Rolex axed the YMII?

[1995akcoop]

I absolutely love it! Hope it stays and I cannot afford at the moment. Plus, aside from the Daytona, there aren’t too many white dial offerings.... please stay


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[JSolution]

Very much like the YG one when I tried it on. Lots of other I would prioritise over it though.

[samson66]

Love the YMII. Keep it but bring back the blue hands. Still haven't warmed up to the mercedes hands on this model.

And no they shouldn't reduce the side. This model stands apart from the sports line. We don't need yet another 40 mm to blend in with the endless dive/gmt 40 models already available.

[Sothy]

I def hope that it stays. I wonder if it could use a bezel with 5, 10, 15, etc. markers and perhaps individual min. indications between 45 and the triangle (0/60 (like an inverted sub bezel)) though. The 10 to 0 markers are already on the dial (no extra info) and they could write yacht master II in red on the dial instead.

But I really like the watch. So a small refresh to the bezel perhaps, but why cancel it? It’s the “real” yacht master in a way in that its complication is specially designed for racing yachts/dinghies.

[Sothy]

Could they even shrink it? We know that the DSSD and the OP 36 basically have the same movement (date module aside). But the YM2 has a movement designed just for it.

[Mystro]

Originally Posted by Sothy

Could they even shrink it? We know that the DSSD and the OP 36 basically have the same movement (date module aside). But the YM2 has a movement designed just for it.

It is relatively small thin and compact considering how complicated the movement is inside. It has a Command Ring bezel that moves and is connected directly to the movement and pushers that don’t require a screwed down design all still being 100m WR. Pretty amazing.
The 44mm size is one best balanced models you will find on the wrist. It wears like a 42mm. The beauty of the YMII Rolex design is they thankfully didn’t use a blocky super case. The case back is also flat and doesn’t protrude down so it spreads its size evenly over your wrist. All day comfort feels just like a Sub.

The thinness difference is even more than the pic shows.

[garyk]

Originally Posted by Mystro

It is relatively small thin and compact considering how complicated the movement is inside. It has a Command Ring bezel that moves and is connected directly to the movement and pushers that don’t require a screwed down design all still being 100m WR. Pretty amazing.
The 44mm size is one best balanced models you will find on the wrist. It wears like a 42mm. The beauty of the YMII Rolex design is they thankfully didn’t use a blocky super case. The case back is also flat and doesn’t protrude down so it spreads its size evenly over your wrist. All day comfort feels just like a Sub.

The thinness difference is even more than the pic shows.

I’ve considered this watch recently mostly due to Mystro’s photography of his. I also saw this watch with a blue Everest strap and thought I would like to go that route. Awesome watch!

[vh2k]

Originally Posted by Mystro

It is relatively small thin and compact considering how complicated the movement is inside. It has a Command Ring bezel that moves and is connected directly to the movement and pushers that don’t require a screwed down design all still being 100m WR. Pretty amazing.
The 44mm size is one best balanced models you will find on the wrist. It wears like a 42mm. The beauty of the YMII Rolex design is they thankfully didn’t use a blocky super case. The case back is also flat and doesn’t protrude down so it spreads its size evenly over your wrist. All day comfort feels just like a Sub.

The thinness difference is even more than the pic shows.

Thoughtful and passionate contributions, Mystro. Thank you.

[Mystro]

Originally Posted by vh2k

Thoughtful and passionate contributions, Mystro. Thank you.

You are very welcome. The watch can be misunderstood and I once had many of the negative viewpoints when the PM models first were released. Now I feel like a kid that once picked on the “different kid” on the playground only to find out the kid was a genius and his parents owned an amusement park. Seriously, the YMII is a watch still ahead of its time. Rolex owners are getting more sophisticated and taking an appreciation of what’s inside the watch more so than the label itself so I suspect once the YMII gets “discovered” in the right time frame, it will hopefully be still close to msrp. I was ahead of the curve with the SS Daytona and LVC when they were dismissed as a odd novelty.

[Tensai]

I think it is a cool watch, and will very likely increase in value and become more appreciated in the future.

[imsayingthough]

Never have been a fan of this reference.

[Gab27]

I voted 'I don't know' because it doesn't fit my wrist and I have no idea how the hell this thing works. It looks like a spaceship and its operation is elusive to me. Is it powered by a movement or a tritium reactor? Not clear. What does it measure? Possibly time, but who knows. Are you required to own a yacht in order to buy one? Probably. What do the buttons do? They might time something or they might be a remote start mechanism for that yacht to turn the yacht's air conditioning on. No one really knows.

There are a lot of unknowns here so I had to take the nonsubstantive option.