Bi-metal Yacht-Master II. Rolex's releases this year will bring about a lot of discussion. The new 42mm Rolex Explorer II, will make the aficionados wonder whether this will start a new trend of Rolex releasing the GMT Master II, Submariner and Daytona in the same sizes over the next few years. The CERACHROME bezel of the new 2011 Daytona will make many wonder whether this is a one off, or if we will see the new ceramic bezel filter its way down to the two-tone and stainless steel Daytona's over the next two or three years. Still I suspect, the third Rolex sports watch released at BaselWorld 2011 will evoke as much discussion, even if there really is nothing all that new about it.
Rolex has release their Yacht-Master II, in a bi-metal rose gold and stainless steel combination. On the one hand, there is really nothing unusual about this. The Daytona, GMT Master II and Submariner all have two-tone models. The only real question is, why now.
Rolex's usually releases the bi-metal model the year after the all gold version. The stainless steel version is released two years earlier. But for their flagship watches, they are released only purely in precious metal cases and bracelets. For the past few years, the Day-Date and the Yacht-Master II have held the distinction of being Rolex's flagship models sine they were only released in all gold variants.
The Yacht-Master II was release in 2007. Ordinarily, a bi-metal variant would have been released in 2008. For whatever reason, it is here now, in 2011, and it's presence raises the question of whether a all stainless steel version will arrive in the future. To those who have been wanting this watch, the bi-metal model presents a substantial reduction in the cost of entry.
Complication watch. The Yatch-Master II was designed for regatta (boat racing) events featuring a programmable 10 minute countdown timer to keep track of the time that skippers have to get their boats into position before the start of the race.
The Yacht-Master II is Rolex's only true production complication watch, with a "Command Bezel" to control the countdown timer. Rotating the bezel 90 degrees counter clockwise and pulling out the crown to the first position will allow you to use the crown to set the countdown time. The watch can be set to countdown from 1 minutes to 10 minutes. When set on zero, the watch does not countdown. Once the countdown timer is set, the bezel is rotated back to its original position and the button at 2 o'clock can be used to start and stop the countdown timer which uses the main second hand and the short hand with a red and while triangle at the head. The button at 4 o'clock is used to reset the main second hand.
About Rolex. Rolex SA is a Swiss manufacturer of wristwatches and accessories founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis. Rolex is the largest single luxury watch brand by far, producing over 2000 watches per day. Rolex is the best known and most sought after watch brand in the world.
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