Just a year ago, the mere notion of a titanium Rolex seemed like a distant fantasy. A glimpse of a prototype on the wrist of British competitive sailor Sir Ben Ainslie had circulated online for so long that doubt crept in regarding whether the watch would ever become a reality.
However, in less than five months, Rolex has surprised us with not one, but two watches encased in RLX Titanium (grade 5 titanium). The first was last year's 50mm Deep Sea Special, a remarkable dive watch that shattered water-resistance records. And now, just this week, we have the Yacht-Master 42, a timepiece designed to be comfortably worn by ordinary individuals unlike its larger counterpart.
It's undeniably significant. Yet, when compared to Daytona models with transparent casebacks, Day-Dates featuring emojis, solid-gold GMT-Master IIs, and an entirely new line of elegant dress watches, the introduction of a titanium Yacht-Master barely registers as a surprise or cause for excitement.
In some ways, it seems appropriate not to be overly enthused. After all, practically every other watchmaker has already released a titanium watch, ranging from affordable Citizens with colorful bezels and dials to Jean-Claude Biver's $500,000 minute repeater tourbillon unveiled just last Sunday.
This 42mm timepiece, with its robust appearance, feels unbelievably lightweight. It's titanium in action. Yet, there's still a lingering sense of disbelief that this watch is real, on multiple levels.
For anyone who has ever tried on a steel Submariner (which includes anyone with even a passing interest in Rolex), it's quite amusing to discover how conditioned your brain is to expect the substantial weight of a 42mm steel Oyster case, round indices, and Mercedes hands.
According to Rolex, weighing in at approximately 100 grams, the titanium Yacht-Master is so light that it defies your expectations.
Rolex's proprietary grade 5 "RLX Titanium" possesses the unique ability to be brushed satin or polished, resulting in sharp, shiny chamfers that beautifully contrast the dark grey, relatively matte metal. This combination complements the more subdued and textured dial, along with the contrast provided by the raised black numerals against the matte ceramic bezel insert, which unmistakably identifies it as a Yacht-Master.
The price, listed at $14,500, is somewhat inconsequential, as the average collector will likely struggle to acquire it at retail anytime soon. However, the new Yacht-Master 42 represents more than just a solid release. It serves as a testament to the possibilities of titanium, a wearable piece that hints at future experiments with this captivating material.
