Hands-On Review
Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 Review
Solid 18k yellow gold, 44mm, and the most complicated movement Rolex ever mass produced. We put the discontinued 116688 on the wrist and tell you whether it is worth the gold premium.
Shop Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688THE FIRST LOOK
Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 First Impressions
What hits you the moment you pick up the 116688.
The Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 announces itself before you have it out of the box. Pick it up and the first thing that registers is not the size, it is the density. Solid 18k yellow gold is roughly twice as heavy as steel, and a 44mm case wrapped in an equally solid gold Oyster bracelet lands in your palm with a weight that no other watch in the catalog of Rolex watches can replicate. It feels less like a wristwatch and more like a piece of hardware that happens to tell time.
Then the dial does its work. The matte white lacquer is aggressively bright, and against all that gold it creates a contrast that photographs almost cannot convey. The blue Cerachrom Ring Command bezel cuts across the top of the case with its engraved gold countdown numerals, and the blued hands hover over the white like they were borrowed from a different watch entirely. It is loud. It was designed to be loud. Anyone telling you the 116688 is a subtle watch has never held one. What surprises people is how well the parts hang together despite the volume, and how quickly the initial shock of the size gives way to appreciation for how deliberately every element was engineered.
THE WEARING EXPERIENCE
Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 On the Wrist
How the 116688 actually wears, day in and day out.
Quick Specs
The Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 wears exactly as large as the numbers suggest, and the gold makes it wear larger still. The 44mm diameter is the only size this model was ever produced in, and paired with a 16.8mm thickness it produces a wrist profile that sits high and proud. On a 7-inch wrist it looks intentional. On anything under 6.75 inches it looks like the watch is wearing you. We are direct about this because it is the single most common reason a buyer regrets this reference: they bought the movement and forgot to account for the case.
The weight is the other half of the story. At roughly 210 grams on a fully sized gold bracelet, the 116688 has genuine heft, and how you feel about that comes down to temperament. Some owners love the constant reminder that something serious is strapped to their arm. Others find their wrist fatigued by mid-afternoon. What is not up for debate is the cuff situation. This watch does not go under a dress shirt. It goes over, or it goes on a weekend. Balance, at least, is good: the solid gold bracelet counterweights the case well enough that the watch does not roll on the wrist the way some heavy chronographs do, and the Oysterlock clasp keeps it locked in place once you have the sizing dialed.
SHOP THIS WATCH
Shop the Yacht-Master II
Browse authenticated Rolex Yacht-Master II watches available now at WatchGuys.
If the 44mm gold presence and the regatta countdown sound like the right combination, here is what we currently have available. Every piece is authenticated in house and backed by the WatchGuys 2 Year Warranty.
BUILD QUALITY
Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 Specifications
Breaking down the 116688 component by component.
Case
The Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 case is 44mm of solid 18k yellow gold, and the finishing rewards close inspection. The lug tops and the flanks carry a high polish, while the case sides between the lugs are brushed, and the transition between the two is crisp enough that you can catch it with a fingernail. Gold is a soft metal, which means it takes a polish beautifully and also means it marks easily. Expect to see hairlines on any pre-owned example that has actually been worn. The Triplock screw-down crown threads with the reassuring resistance you want, and the two chronograph pushers sit proud of the case with a firm, mechanical action that requires real intent to depress.
Water resistance is rated to 100 meters, which is honest for a watch built for the deck rather than the depths. The caseback is solid gold and screw-down, so there is no view of the Caliber 4161 inside, a decision that still frustrates buyers who paid gold money for the most complicated movement Rolex has ever built and would like to see it.
Dial and Bezel
The Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 dial is matte white lacquer with applied gold hour markers, and it is the brightest, most legible surface Rolex fits to a gold sport watch. The countdown display dominates: a large red triangular indicator sweeps the countdown scale, the blued countdown seconds hand cuts across the center, and the whole layout reads instantly at arm's length. This is the key configuration point for buyers. Early 116688 examples shipped with matching gold stick hands, and Rolex later switched to blued hands for improved legibility. Both are correct and both are collectible, but they look like different watches on the wrist, and you should decide which one you want before you shop.
The bezel is the reason this watch exists. The blue Cerachrom insert carries engraved and gold-filled countdown numerals, and unlike a dive bezel, it does not simply click around a track. The Ring Command bezel rotates against real internal resistance because it is mechanically linked to the movement inside the case. Turning it feels like operating a machine, not adjusting a watch. Rolex has fitted the Ring Command mechanism to only a handful of watches, and the 116688 was the reference that introduced it.
Bracelet
The 18k yellow gold Oyster bracelet on the Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 is the single largest contributor to the watch's weight and a substantial contributor to its price. The links are solid gold, the center links are polished against brushed outers, and it tapers appropriately from the 44mm case down to the Oysterlock safety clasp. The clasp itself includes the Easylink extension, which gives you 5mm of on-the-fly adjustment. That extension matters more here than on almost any other Rolex, because a heavy gold bracelet that is even slightly loose will slide and thump against your wrist bone all day.
The pre-owned buying consideration is stretch. Gold links wear faster than steel, and a 116688 that has been worn hard for a decade will show link play. Hold the bracelet horizontally from the clasp end and look for sag between the links. Gold bracelet repair or link replacement from Rolex is expensive, and it is a cost most buyers do not price in.
What to Check on a Pre-Owned 116688
"On a gold Yacht-Master II, I go straight to the lugs. Gold polishes down fast, and a case that has been through a couple of aggressive services will have soft, rounded lug edges instead of the crisp bevels Rolex cut at the factory. Compare the lug profile against a known-good example. Then check the bracelet for stretch, because a gold Oyster that has sagged is not a cheap fix. Last, work the Ring Command bezel through a full programming cycle before you buy. If it feels loose, notchy, or does not lock, walk away. That mechanism is talking to the movement, and a problem there is a serious problem."
Not Sure If 44mm Is Right for Your Wrist?
The gold 116688 wears bigger than the numbers suggest. Tell us your wrist size and we will tell you honestly whether this is the right reference for you.
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Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 Movement Review
How the movement performs where it matters: on the wrist, every day.
The Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 runs the Caliber 4161, a movement that exists nowhere else in the Rolex catalog and never will again. It is a descendant of the Caliber 4130 that powers the Rolex Daytona, retooled with a programmable countdown and a mechanical memory. Architecturally it is a column-wheel chronograph with a vertical clutch, a blue Parachrom hairspring, and a 72-hour power reserve, certified to Superlative Chronometer standards of -2/+2 seconds per day. The earliest 116688 examples from the 2007 launch carried the Caliber 4160, which Rolex later replaced with the 4161 for improved pusher operation and reliability. If you are shopping the earliest examples, confirm which caliber you are getting.
In daily wear the 4161 does what a Rolex chronograph does: it disappears. Ours has run comfortably inside the +2/-2 window without any fuss, and the 72-hour reserve means a watch left off the wrist from Friday evening survives until Monday morning still running. The rotor is quiet. The pushers have the firm, positive break you want from a column wheel, with none of the mushiness of a cam-actuated chronograph. On service: this is not a Submariner. The 4161 is the most complex movement Rolex ever mass produced, service intervals run roughly 10 years, and a full service on a Yacht-Master II costs meaningfully more than a standard Rolex overhaul because of the Ring Command linkage and the countdown module. Price that in before you buy, and expect the number to climb further as Rolex parts availability for a discontinued caliber tightens over time.
Service Costs for the Caliber 4161
"People buy the 116688 for the movement and then get surprised at the service bill. Understand what you are signing up for. The 4161 is a flyback chronograph with a countdown module and a bezel that mechanically talks to the caliber. That is not a job for the guy down the street. Send it to Rolex or to a watchmaker who has genuinely done one before, and budget accordingly. The good news is that the movement is overbuilt and does not fail often. The bad news is that when it needs attention, it needs the right attention."
THE REGATTA COUNTDOWN
The Ring Command Countdown on the Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 in Use
What the countdown actually does, and what it is like to operate.
The Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 countdown exists to solve one problem: the start of a sailboat race. Sailing starts are governed by a timed sequence, and the boat that crosses the line at full speed the instant the gun fires wins the start. The 116688 lets you program a countdown from 1 to 10 minutes, which is the standard range for a pre-race sequence, and the movement then remembers that duration so you can reset and rerun it without reprogramming. That memory function is mechanical, not electronic, and it is genuinely one of the more impressive things Rolex has engineered.
Operating it is more physical than you expect. You rotate the Ring Command bezel counterclockwise, and instead of the light click of a dive bezel you feel the mechanism inside the case engage. That resistance is the bezel actuating a clutch that hands control of the movement over to the setting mode. The pushers then set the countdown, and rotating the bezel back locks it. The flyback function lets you synchronize the countdown on the fly, so if the race committee's sequence and your countdown drift apart, you can snap yours back into alignment without stopping and restarting. Will you ever use any of this? Almost certainly not, unless you actually race. But operating it is a genuine pleasure, and it is the reason this watch is a mechanical achievement rather than just a large gold Rolex.
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Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 Price
What the 116688 costs right now on the secondary market.
Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 Market Price
Prices reflect complete sets (box, papers, warranty card). Watches without complete sets typically trade 5-15% lower.
The Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 trades between $33,000 and $40,000 in 2026, and where a given example lands inside that band comes down to three variables: completeness, hand configuration, and how hard the gold has been polished. A complete set with box, papers, and an unpolished case sits at the top. A watchless example with soft lugs sits at the bottom, and the spread between those two extremes is real money. There is also a gold floor underneath this watch that does not exist under a steel Rolex. A substantial portion of the 116688's value is the metal itself, and that provides a downside cushion that the steel Rolex Yacht-Master II 116680 simply does not have.
The discontinuation in April 2024 changed the story. Supply is now fixed and shrinking, the Caliber 4161 has no successor, and the Yacht-Master II is the only regatta chronograph Rolex ever built. Historically the model was overlooked precisely because it was niche, and that neglect kept prices reasonable relative to the mechanical content. Now that it is out of production, that calculus is shifting. We have watched interest firm up over the last year, and the yellow gold reference in particular benefits from being the original 2007 launch reference. If you are cross-shopping the broader catalog, it is worth putting the 116688 next to Rolex watches over $20,000 to see how much mechanical complexity your money buys elsewhere at this level. The answer is: not much.
Talk Through the Gold Premium With a Specialist
The 116688 costs roughly twice the steel reference for identical functionality. Whether that math works depends entirely on you. Let's talk it through.
Speak To a RepresentativeHEAD TO HEAD
Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 Comparison
The 116688 against the alternatives buyers actually cross-shop.
Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 vs. Rolex Yacht-Master II 116680 (Steel)
This is the comparison that decides most purchases, and it is a cleaner decision than people expect, because the watches are mechanically identical. Same Caliber 4161. Same 44mm case. Same Ring Command bezel. Same countdown, same flyback, same mechanical memory. You are not buying more watch with the 116688. You are buying the same watch in a different metal, at roughly double the price and nearly double the weight. That framing sounds like an argument against the gold, and for most buyers it is. But the argument for gold is not a functional one. It is that a 44mm regatta chronograph is already an unapologetic watch, and the steel version half-commits to that premise while the gold version goes all the way.
"I have sold plenty of both. Here is the honest split. If you want to wear a Yacht-Master II regularly, buy the steel 116680 and put the difference toward another watch. If you want a gold Rolex that nobody else at the table is wearing, the 116688 is one of the last genuinely interesting ways to do it, because everyone else bought a gold Daytona or a Day-Date. The 116688 is not the practical choice. It was never trying to be. Buy it with your eyes open and you will love it."
| Rolex 116688 (Yellow Gold) | Rolex 116680 (Steel) | |
|---|---|---|
| Case Material | 18k Yellow Gold | Oystersteel |
| Bracelet | Solid 18k Gold Oyster | Oystersteel Oyster |
| Approx. Weight | ~210g | ~130g |
| Launched | 2007 (original reference) | 2013 |
| Secondary Market Price | $33,000 - $40,000 | $15,000 - $18,000 |
| Production | Discontinued (2024) | Discontinued (2024) |
Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 vs. Rolex Yacht-Master II 116689 (White Gold and Platinum)
These two launched together at Baselworld 2007 as the original pair, and they represent the two ways to spend precious metal money on this watch. The Rolex Yacht-Master II 116689 pairs an 18k white gold case with a 950 platinum bezel, and from three feet away it reads as steel. That is either the entire point or a complete waste of money, depending on your worldview. It costs less than the yellow gold on the secondary market, roughly $25,000 to $32,000, largely because the market pays for visible gold. The 116688 is the opposite proposition: it is loud, it is obviously precious, and it makes no attempt to hide. If you want the complication without the announcement, take the 116689. If the announcement is the point, take the 116688.
| Rolex 116688 (Yellow Gold) | Rolex 116689 (White Gold / Platinum) | |
|---|---|---|
| Case Material | 18k Yellow Gold | 18k White Gold |
| Bezel | Blue Cerachrom, gold framed | Blue Cerachrom, 950 platinum framed |
| Visual Impact | Overt, obviously gold | Understated, reads as steel |
| Secondary Market Price | $33,000 - $40,000 | $25,000 - $32,000 |
| Production | Discontinued (2024) | Discontinued (2024) |
Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 vs. Rolex Daytona in Yellow Gold
At this price point, the real competition is not another Yacht-Master II. It is a gold Daytona, and this is where most 116688 buyers hesitate. The Daytona is the more liquid asset, the more universally recognized watch, and the easier watch to sell. It is also the watch that everyone else already bought. The Yacht-Master II 116688 offers a genuinely more complicated movement (a flyback with a programmable mechanical memory versus a straightforward chronograph), a complication nobody else in the Rolex catalog has, and permanent scarcity from the 2024 discontinuation. Trading a Daytona for a 116688 is trading liquidity for individuality. That is a legitimate trade, but you should make it deliberately rather than by accident.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Is the Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 Worth It?
Our final word on the gold regatta chronograph.
Yes, the Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 is worth buying, provided you understand precisely what you are buying and what you are giving up. You are buying the most mechanically ambitious watch Rolex ever mass produced, in solid 18k yellow gold, in a reference that launched the model in 2007 and was discontinued in 2024. You are giving up practicality, cuff clearance, and roughly half your wrist.
This watch is perfect for the buyer who already owns the sensible Rolex and now wants something with actual mechanical substance and a story to tell. It suits a wrist of 7 inches or more, an owner who enjoys the weight rather than tolerating it, and someone who values owning a complication that Rolex will never build again. Skip it if you want a daily wearer, if you work in an environment where a large gold watch is a liability, or if you have a wrist under 6.75 inches. And if the countdown complication is what draws you but the gold does not, buy the steel 116680 instead. It is the same watch mechanically and it costs half as much. The single strongest reason to buy the 116688 is this: the Caliber 4161 is dead, the model is dead, and the supply of solid gold examples is now permanently fixed.
"The Yacht-Master II spent seventeen years being the Rolex nobody talked about. Now it is discontinued, and suddenly people are paying attention. The 116688 is the original, in gold, with a movement Rolex will never make again. It is too big, too heavy, and too loud, and I mean all of that as a compliment. This is not a watch you buy to blend in. If you want to blend in, there are two hundred other Rolex references waiting for you. Buy this one because it is the only one of its kind."
