Rolex sets sail with new gold Yacht-Master 42 watch

While Rolex has been synonymous with the world of sailing for 60 years, the brand’s ever-popular Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master was introduced just 30 years ago, designed especially for navigators, skippers and others who might revel in regattas.

But the classic waterproof design clearly appealed to a wider audience, most notably on shore. Accordingly, it’s evolved and innovated over the years to accommodate the needs of its growing fan base.

The latest iteration makes the Yacht-Master 42 mm available for the first time in 18-karat yellow gold. It retains many features of the original, including a bidirectional rotatable bezel and Chromalight display.

It’s also equipped with Calibre 3235, a movement the company introduced seven years ago in Rolex’s then-new Datejust Pearlmaster 39, protected with 14 patents.

It’s been fitted on the Yacht-Master 42 since 2019, and watch aficionados nerd out on many technical aspects of this movement, but for mere mortals the headline is: Power reserve of about 70 hours.

No doubt this new design will be spotted on many wrists on and offshore during several Rolex-sponsored yachting events this year, which draw sporty jet-setters who like to personally witness the action on the high seas.

The Rolex Middle Sea Race takes place Oct. 22 to 29 in Valletta, organized by the Royal Malta Yacht Club. It’s considered one of the most scenic and tactically challenging courses in the world: a 606-nautical-mile route that takes racers past the confined Strait of Messina, Stromboli’s active volcano and the buzzy island of Pantelleria (where Giorgio Armani has a home).

Those eyeing a holiday getaway might consider Australia, where the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, organized by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in collaboration with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, takes place from Dec. 26 to 31.

The 628-nautical-mile race was first held in 1945; it starts in Sydney Harbor and finishes in Hobart, the capital of the island state of Tasmania.

What better way to celebrate the first seemingly “normal” holiday season after several stressful years — and perhaps indulge in a sporty new Yacht-Master 42 as a memento?