Rolex Brings Back the Yacht-Master II — And It's Better Than Ever

The Yacht-Master II is back. After being discontinued in 2024, Rolex has relaunched its regatta chronograph at Watches & Wonders 2026 as ref. 126680 in Oystersteel and ref. 126688 in 18k yellow gold. Both keep the 44mm Oyster case. Not much else stayed the same.

For the uninitiated: the Yacht-Master II is a regatta timer, not a conventional chronograph. A regatta timer counts down to the start of a sailboat race, letting competitors synchronize precisely with the starting sequence. It's a niche complication, and deliberately so — this has always been one of Rolex's most specialized watches.

What Changed

Outgoing Rolex Yacht-Master II ref. 116680 (left) vs new Rolex Yacht-Master II ref. 126680 (right)

The original ref. 116680 set its countdown via the Ring Command bezel, a mechanism that coupled the rotating bezel to the movement. Clever engineering, but it crowded everything. The bezel carried a 10-minute countdown scale. The dial carried a dedicated countdown subdial. Two displays doing related jobs, neither giving the dial room to breathe.

Rolex fixed this by rethinking the operation entirely. If you read our pre-show articles, you know that we called this based on a 2023 patent (you're reading the right outlet!). The Ring Command bezel is gone. Countdown programming now happens through the pushers. That single mechanical change cascaded into every visual improvement the new reference has to offer.

The Dial

New Rolex Yacht-Master II ref. 126680

With the bezel no longer needing to carry a countdown scale, it reverts to a clean 60-minute dive graduation on a blue Cerachrom insert. With the dial no longer needing a dedicated countdown subdial, the regatta scale moves off the dial surface entirely onto a newly profiled sloped flange at the perimeter. The matte white lacquer dial that's left — with applied gold hour markers and Chromalight hands — has actual room. At 44mm, the previous generation somehow felt cramped. This one doesn't.

Movement and Pricing

Rolex Yacht-Master II ref. 126688 yellow gold

The updated cal. 4162 brings the Chronergy escapement in line with Rolex's current movement generation, with a 72-hour power reserve. The Oysterlock clasp is slimmer than before, with the standard Easylink 5mm comfort extension.

Pricing is $20,300 for the steel ref. 126680 and $57,800 for the yellow gold ref. 126688.

The Yacht-Master II was always a more interesting watch than its reputation suggested. This version makes the case more clearly than any before it.

Watches & Wonders 2026 is underway in Geneva, and we're covering every Rolex release as it happens. Check back on the Everest Journal daily — we'll be going deeper on each of these references as the week unfolds, and there's plenty more to come.