Rolex Yachtmaster Review
Made to be the less rugged Submariner, originally debuted in full yellow and never really got the following Rolex intended which is a shame really because not everyone can wear a maxi case. I wasn’t pleased with Swiss watches back in 2018 and wrote an article on which Rolex would I go for if I don’t already have one. Unsurprisingly, I chose the Yacht Master for all the reasons that make it unpopular. Guess I finally put my money where my mouth is since I brought one home so are there any regrets?
The YM is highly unlikely to be the masses’s ideal Rolex and that’s exactly why I got drawn, one in rose gold paired to an Oysterflex to be exact. The asking price for one of that goes into the holy trinity’s waters so it was quickly forgotten but one in steel has always been in the mind. Everyone who has some interest in watches would have a clue as to how insane the climate is now where a base Daytona will fetch over three times its retail price which is unacceptable in any circumstance. With the help from a certain virus, the madness has spread to every single Rolex.
With that out of the way, let’s get back to the Yacht-master. It is pretty clear as to why it does not have a strong following as one doesn’t grab attention like bi-colour bezels or reflect as much light like a fluted one. This steel version has used a precious material that’s usually reserved for the ultimate expression of Rolex watches, platinum although a lesser version called Rolesium is used here where steel has been thrown into the mix. As much as Pt is difficult to handle, this addition neither brings about any benefit nor garners anyone’s attention.
YM’s silent clicking bezel is unlikely to come into use other than being played with when the wearer is already done scrolling on the iPhone. Lastly, of all colours in the world this got grey for its dial which I dare say plagues the Yachtmaster 37. Thing is, I have been liking grey in recent years. If I were to buy a Kia Stinger, I would have gone for grey and if I struck the lottery, a grey GT3 hence there was a lot for me going the Yacht Master 37’s direction.
The inception of the Yachtmaster was to up the ante of the Submariner which means something to me because a Sub was what I wanted but ultimately caved in due to its size. Seeing a 268622 for the first time evokes quite a different feeling as smaller watches in this price bracket have a finer look to them. It sat well on my 15 cm wrist and a fun fact is this has a narrower lug width of 17 mm than my 34 mm Air King. Although fit is not as comfortable as things can be, the 37’s proportion looks better with thinner lugs?
It is not wrong to assume that the 37 was put together in a rush to fill a void but Rolex have actually put some engineering into the smaller Yachtmaster because everything is proportionally scaled down from the 40 mm version since no cosmetic bits have been recycled. Without the two of them side by side, they are not all that easy to tell apart.
There’s a reason as to why the Yacht-master is not as popular as the rest of the Rolex sports watches and that is not having a recognisable face. Furthermore, it is more expensive than both the GMT and the Submariner. Adding salt to the wound, the wrist presence of a Yachtmaster is nowhere close to its siblings. Aside from rose gold models, it does not have a ceramic bezel that prevents scuffing so watch out while having one on the wrist. Another reason it may not be appealing is its yesteryear looks especially in pictures.
When it comes to user experience, it wears more top heavy than an Oyster Perpetual as it is heavier yet has skinnier lug width. Surprisingly, the YM 37 has a smaller dial aperture than an OP 34 hence with broad hour markers and a date window squeezed in, telling time is more difficult at a glance. This could be the very reason watchmakers prefer not to reproduce their larger watches on a smaller canvas as there is only so much to work on. As much as I want the Yacht Master to succeed, it does not get my full blessing.
In a world where watches are no longer made for its utilitarian uses, what to like about the Yacht Master is its under appreciation. You won’t be noticed with this watch as it flies under the radar. Call it the Rolex that no one wants, call it the one that doesn’t double when you leave the shops but I am glad Rolex has made a ‘diver’s’ watch for smaller wrists.
Rolex Yachtmaster Review
Yes
No
- Uncommon Sight
- Lume
- Smudge Magnet
- Bracelet Comfort
Cars. Watches. Others? theCWO.com
Good review, do you happen to know the lug to lug on this? I could open a new tab and search myself.... but another tab and my PC will probably die!
When I tried a 40mm YM on at my AD whilst we were chatting about other topics, it's was nice, yes... but I didn't feel the need to jump on the list and buy one. It's OK, but for me the grey dial is just not me.
im expecting a little high score on this to tell you the truth 😂. few weeks ago i watch one of my client wear yachtmaster 1 with blue dial and i guess i look at his watch while speaking to him, its beautiful. but everybody have their opinion 🍺. thx for the review
This Yachtmaster with grey rhodium dial and the touch of light blue is my all time favorite Rolex - period of all the ones I own. You keep stating it is unpopular - I rather disagree but would phrase it differently:
This is actually the Rolex for Rolex lovers who do not want to follow the endless crowd of Submariner, Batman and Batgirl wearers and rather prefer to go their own way. It is much more distinctive and uber-cool without being flashy (or trashy). It will wear perfectly everywhere, at work, at play and on the beach. On an Italian beach especially on a blue rubber strap.
Less rugged than a sub? Why? I for one will not be going down much lower than 20 meters, if that...No need for 200 plus meters in any case 😝. And I would add: a watch's water resistance rating says absolutely nothing about its movement quality.
And about the bezel: Rolesium is not a mixture of metals. It is Rolex's cute marketing talk labeling the combination of a 950 Platinum bezel together with a steel case.
Don't want to argue with you, it is all about taste anyway, but if you are going grade a watch online how do you give a '3' for such a cool dial color, almost unique amongst Rolexes? A '3' for quality? Why? What makes it so different from a Submariner? Smudge magnet? How? It smudges less than a Daytona exactly because of the raised numbers on the rotating bezel..
I suppose you have your reasons, but I for one cannot follow what you are saying.
One thing I do agree with is that the bracelet should perhaps be more adjutsable with a few more 'steps' for adjustment.
Thanks for the review. I’m a fan of grey and less shiny ‘luxury‘ watches and thus if I were to choose a Rolex, this would be on my list. As I have an 18.4 cm wrist, I’m guessing the larger would be better, so I appreciate the size comparison.
Honestly my biggest gripe with this watch, albeit silly but absolutely real, is that it’s called the yacht-master.
36/37mm = 💯; I wish there would be a 37mm Daytona
im expecting a little high score on this to tell you the truth 😂. few weeks ago i watch one of my client wear yachtmaster 1 with blue dial and i guess i look at his watch while speaking to him, its beautiful. but everybody have their opinion 🍺. thx for the review
I too was surprised to end up not liking it.. 😕 could be due to mine being a 37mm
Good review, do you happen to know the lug to lug on this? I could open a new tab and search myself.... but another tab and my PC will probably die!
When I tried a 40mm YM on at my AD whilst we were chatting about other topics, it's was nice, yes... but I didn't feel the need to jump on the list and buy one. It's OK, but for me the grey dial is just not me.
Thanks for stopping by 😎 Not a problem, the 37's 17mm and the 40's 20mm.
This Yachtmaster with grey rhodium dial and the touch of light blue is my all time favorite Rolex - period of all the ones I own. You keep stating it is unpopular - I rather disagree but would phrase it differently:
This is actually the Rolex for Rolex lovers who do not want to follow the endless crowd of Submariner, Batman and Batgirl wearers and rather prefer to go their own way. It is much more distinctive and uber-cool without being flashy (or trashy). It will wear perfectly everywhere, at work, at play and on the beach. On an Italian beach especially on a blue rubber strap.
Less rugged than a sub? Why? I for one will not be going down much lower than 20 meters, if that...No need for 200 plus meters in any case 😝. And I would add: a watch's water resistance rating says absolutely nothing about its movement quality.
And about the bezel: Rolesium is not a mixture of metals. It is Rolex's cute marketing talk labeling the combination of a 950 Platinum bezel together with a steel case.
Don't want to argue with you, it is all about taste anyway, but if you are going grade a watch online how do you give a '3' for such a cool dial color, almost unique amongst Rolexes? A '3' for quality? Why? What makes it so different from a Submariner? Smudge magnet? How? It smudges less than a Daytona exactly because of the raised numbers on the rotating bezel..
I suppose you have your reasons, but I for one cannot follow what you are saying.
One thing I do agree with is that the bracelet should perhaps be more adjutsable with a few more 'steps' for adjustment.
I share all your thoughts on the Yachtmaster but this is the 37 and things are quite different to the 40. That aside, I actually like the YM for its unpopularity.
The rating on quality is due to having a constant screech in its bracelet that could use some lubrication. For a brand new watch, that's a bit underwhelming. That aside, the bezel is not aligned to its minute track which really doesn't go with what Rolex is known for.
Thanks for the pointer on Rolessium 😀 Good one!
Dial rating? Things are crowded on the 37mm diameter. With the bezel factored in, the dial is actually quite small and is hard to tell time with a quick glance. Not something I noticed while trying it out at the boutique but days later into ownership.
Yes the smudging complaint applies to all Rolexes with polished centre links, Daytona and GMT included.
To conclude, all my gripes are mostly (if not all) is on the YM 37 and am suggesting for people to just go for the 40 even though they may have a smaller wrist. As much as we like Rolex, they can sometimes get it wrong. My objective is to put this out there so people know what they are getting into should they choose the 37 over the 40mm YM 💪
Thanks for the review. I’m a fan of grey and less shiny ‘luxury‘ watches and thus if I were to choose a Rolex, this would be on my list. As I have an 18.4 cm wrist, I’m guessing the larger would be better, so I appreciate the size comparison.
Thanks for stopping by Rob! Yes please go for the larger sized one 😎
Honestly my biggest gripe with this watch, albeit silly but absolutely real, is that it’s called the yacht-master.
Hahahahhaa 🎯
36/37mm = 💯; I wish there would be a 37mm Daytona
You're not the only one 🤝
I am very impressed with your review. I think for all of us here on WatchCrunch, if we do write up a review, it is a review of one of our own purchases. And, at that point, obviously, all objectivity flies out the window. For example, I know without a doubt that there are, objectively, many, many, many issues with a bunch of the watches in my collection. And, yet, were I to try to write a review of any of them, I think my biases would immediately kick in, and I would give them all a score of 5.0!
It is very refreshing to see someone objectively scoring their watch and talking through its short-comings realistically. Bravo!
I am very impressed with your review. I think for all of us here on WatchCrunch, if we do write up a review, it is a review of one of our own purchases. And, at that point, obviously, all objectivity flies out the window. For example, I know without a doubt that there are, objectively, many, many, many issues with a bunch of the watches in my collection. And, yet, were I to try to write a review of any of them, I think my biases would immediately kick in, and I would give them all a score of 5.0!
It is very refreshing to see someone objectively scoring their watch and talking through its short-comings realistically. Bravo!
Thanks for saying that Omeganut!
As much as these things are acquired out of love, I try to stay objective 🤣
Great point about the scratching. I was interested in this model because of the platinum but totally forgot that meant giving up the hardness of ceramic.
Great point about the scratching. I was interested in this model because of the platinum but totally forgot that meant giving up the hardness of ceramic.
Yes, got to be careful while walking in tight spaces 😂
Yes, got to be careful while walking in tight spaces 😂
It’s crazy what we notice as watch wearers. One person mentioned watching out for cuff links and now I’ll never forget. The other day I scratched my bracelet on an airplane seatbelt buckle, so now I will always wear the seatbelt under my shirt :D
It’s crazy what we notice as watch wearers. One person mentioned watching out for cuff links and now I’ll never forget. The other day I scratched my bracelet on an airplane seatbelt buckle, so now I will always wear the seatbelt under my shirt :D
Yup, I got one from a table and I will remember that for the rest of time 🥳
Thanks for stopping by 😎 Not a problem, the 37's 17mm and the 40's 20mm.
He is asking lug to lug. Not lug width. Lug to lug on a Yacht-Master 37 is 43.7mm.
Good review, do you happen to know the lug to lug on this? I could open a new tab and search myself.... but another tab and my PC will probably die!
When I tried a 40mm YM on at my AD whilst we were chatting about other topics, it's was nice, yes... but I didn't feel the need to jump on the list and buy one. It's OK, but for me the grey dial is just not me.
Lug to lug on Yacht-Master 37 is 43.7mm
As somebody who owns this exact Yacht-Master 37, I’ve always said that it is one of the more under appreciated Rolex’s and it’s perfect for a true watch lover, who is unwilling to pay the current market prices for Rolex sport models. There are some downsides, but I picked it because it’s unique and perfect for my 15.24cm or 6inch wrist. It’s perfect for all those Itty Bitty Wrist Commitee members who need something under 40-41mm. Cheers!! 🥂
As somebody who owns this exact Yacht-Master 37, I’ve always said that it is one of the more under appreciated Rolex’s and it’s perfect for a true watch lover, who is unwilling to pay the current market prices for Rolex sport models. There are some downsides, but I picked it because it’s unique and perfect for my 15.24cm or 6inch wrist. It’s perfect for all those Itty Bitty Wrist Commitee members who need something under 40-41mm. Cheers!! 🥂
Hey~ same reasons here 🙏
Thanks for sharing this review! Would you ever consider swapping the original bracelet for an OEM strap?
Thanks for sharing this review! Would you ever consider swapping the original bracelet for an OEM strap?
Hi Roy, probably not this watch 😀
36/37mm = 💯; I wish there would be a 37mm Daytona
Daytona is actually 38mm
Terrible review
Daytona is actually 38mm
Wrong, its 40mm
Wrong, its 40mm
have you ever measured one with calipers?