Yacht-Master II / Blue Hands

2013 marked a notable development in the history of the Yachtmaster II, as prior to that year’s Baselworld fair, the nautical sports model was produced solely in yellow gold, white gold with platinum, and two tone stainless steel and Everose, referred to as “Rolesor” by the brand. With the introduction of the all stainless steel reference 116680, Rolex not only brought the complicated yachting timepiece to a wider market, but also laid the framework for advancing the line as a whole. Swapping its self winding caliber 4160 movement with the updated caliber 4161, the new stainless steel variant was the first to include the latest of Rolex’s mechanical innovations, including the blue Parachrom hairspring. Also blue is the reference’s Cerachrom bezel insert, which pairs perfectly with its blue seconds subdial surround, hands, indices, and countdown timer track for a cohesive seafaring aesthetic.