Its not very often that Rolex does something new.

Indeed, when most people think of a Rolex wristwatch, chances are they are picturing a Datejust, Submariner, GMT-Master, or Daytona. This simple name recognition and model association is part of why Rolex is as successful as they are, and why so many of their watches set the bar for iconography in timepieces. With that said, it makes their "oddball" pieces all the more intriguing!

Along with the Milgauss, the Yacht-Master is one of the few contemporary Rolexes that captures our attention in a meaningful way. Like the current Milgauss, the Yacht-Master is a modern interpretation of a decades-old design, out of production for a considerable amount of time. Furthermore, like the Milgauss, the modern interpretation of the Yacht-Master is virtually nothing like the original (), but stands on its own. 

The Reference 16622 Yacht-Master shares a lot of design cues with its Submariner contemporaries - so many in fact that some enthusiasts have criticized it for being nothing more than a different color way. In many ways, this is an accurate assessment, as its overall design and movement are shared with its deep-diving cousin. However the Yacht-Master features a number of minor variations, including softer shoulders, an Oyster Bracelet with polished center links, and a bi-directionally rotating bezel with raised markers that set it subtly apart. Like the bezel, the Yacht-Master's dial is platinum, and features Maxi hour markers and a red sweeping seconds hand.

So what added functionality do these subtle differences give the Yacht-Master? Nothing. Nada. Zippo. 

So unlike the Milgauss, the modern Yacht-Master has no true purpose or reason for being. Unless of course you count "Just Being Badass" a reason.  

And we do.

For a detailed look at the history of the Rolex Yacht-Master, check out this detailed post over at Jake's Rolex World, .