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The Top 5 Watches to Take on Vacation: The Rolex Yacht-Master 42 in RLX Titanium
Until very recently, the only contribution titanium had made to the marathon Rolex story was in the case back of the enormous Deepsea dive watch.
Released in the dim and distant past of 2008, that model, containing a cocktail of ultra high-tech materials, hit on titanium for the component due to the metal’s laundry list of ideal watchmaking attributes.
Key among them were its superior resistance to seawater corrosion, its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, its hypoallergenic nature and its incredible lightness; massively outperforming in every one of those metrics even the 904L stainless steel Rolex habitually uses.
So the question as to why the brand didn’t just bite the bullet and produce an entire watch in this what-can-only-be-described-as perfect metal was one which filled up many-a forum board.
In truth, the answer most likely boils down to the last of those properties; its weight. Rolex is the maker of luxury products first and timepieces second. And luxury product consumers have been conditioned over many years to equate said luxury with a certain amount of heaviness, especially in their wearable indulgences. A titanium watch, even one costing thousands of dollars and which in every other respect was a genuine extravagance, simply would not have the right sort of heft. Luxury watch wearers want to knowthey’re wearing a luxury watch.
However, starting just a few years ago, attitudes have apparently begun to change. In quick succession, Rolex launched a preposterously gigantic new diver called the Deepsea Challenge measuring 50mm and rated down to a ludicrous 36,090ft, followed by a discreetly handsome and far more wearable model for the seafaring crowd, one slipping easily into an already generously stocked collection, the Yacht-Master 42—both cast in the manufacture’s very own grade 5 titanium alloy, RLX.
What Makes Titanium So Ideal?
Rolex has been uncharacteristically late to the game as far as titanium is concerned. A huge proportion of other brands, from budget to haute horlogerie, have embraced the metal for years. Even sister company Tudor launched the Pelagos—a fully titanium-cased model—as far back as 2012.
For a marque which really built its reputation off the back of overcoming the cruelest conditions of the world’s oceans, it is something of a surprise just how behind the curve they’ve been.
But now they are taking some tentative first steps, let’s have a more detailed look at what makes the material so special.
In 1985, Rolex started the switch from the industry-standard 316L steel to 904L, at enormous expense, to take advantage of the latter’s greater resistance to corrosion. While very tough, 316L does eventually show signs of pitting, crevice corrosion and stress corrosion cracking if exposed to seawater for very extended periods. Would that affect the average Submariner wearer? Probably not, unless their watch fell into the boardroom aquarium and they forgot about it.
Nevertheless, Rolex did a study on older examples of their dive watches, found evidence of deterioration and began the arduous process of moving over to 904L. This alloy, with its higher nickel, molybdenum and copper content, was even more resistant to corrosion from seawater.
Yet, while it may be used extensively in the oil and marine industries, forming the basis for offshore platforms and undersea piping, even 904L cannot compete with titanium.
Titanium’s corrosion rate in seawater is almost zero. It naturally forms its own protective oxide layer which not only makes it immune to chloride-induced corrosion, it is also self-healing if scratched. If 904L steel can last decades underwater, titanium can survive literal centuries. Studies suggest its longevity is roughly ten times that of even the toughest steel, even in warm, oxygen-rich waters.
That oxide layer is key to titanium’s hypoallergenic properties as well. Because of it, the metal itself doesn’t actually touch the skin. This, coupled with the fact titanium contains no nickel, leaves it as what is known as biocompatible. i.e. it doesn’t react with the body’s tissues or fluids. It’s also the reason titanium is used extensively in implants, prosthetics, and dental work.
Then there is the question of strength. In tests, the grade 5 alloy used by Rolex (Tudor uses grade 2 on the Pelagos, fyi) had nearly twice the tensile strength (the amount of pulling stress it can take before breaking) of 904L steel and as much as four times the yield strength (its resistance to deformation).
Similarly, it has twice the hardness and is 80-90% more impervious to indentation.
And on top of all that, titanium is roughly 45% lighter than 904L, leaving it with close to a four times greater strength-to-weight ratio. That ratio is even twice as good as aluminum.
The Rolex Yacht-Master 42 RLX Titanium
Originally released in 1992, the Yacht-Master series has somewhat taken over from the Datejust as the Rolex test-bed watch.
Any time a new innovation is dreamt up in Bienne; a new type of bracelet, a new metal, a new size or whatever it is, chances are it will be rolled out on the Yacht-Master first.
So it was that the collection became the first in the brand’s sports watch range to be offered in three sizes—initially 29mm, 35mm and 40mm; now 37mm, 40mm and 42mm.
It was also the first to wear Rolex’s debut attempt at a rubber strap, the Oysterflex, and it was the first, and so far only, model to come in Rolesium, a mix of steel case and platinum bezel.
It should not be surprise, then, that it was the one selected as Rolex’s first realistically sized titanium watch.
The ref. 226627 arrived in 2023 but there had already been plenty of buzz going on before then. Laser-eyed afficionados spotted a prototype version sported by seafaring legend Sir Ben Ainslie three years previously as he competed in one of his sailing-very-quickly races (I’m not actually a sailor). Soon, the rumor-verse was in overdrive wondering if this could be that much anticipated titanium Rolex tool watch.
The fact it took so long from prototype to realized product tells the tale of another possible reason the brand has not produced models in the metal before now—it is notoriously difficult to machine.
Because it is such a hard material, it takes a great deal more effort to drill and shape than even 904L, and as it has relatively poor thermal conductivity, it produces a huge amount of heat during the process. That heat tends to leave surface damage and cause tools to wear quickly. Additionally, it ‘work-hardens’, meaning the metal strengthens while being cut, making a tough job even tougher.
All of that leads to manufacturers having to invest in specialized and highly expensive machinery, and even with it, working with titanium is a tricky and time-consuming business.
Happily, Rolex persevered and when the ref. 226627 landed it was to a very enthusiastic audience.
It became only the fourth in the set of 42mm models in the collection, a perfectly sized family for the modern age and joined two white gold and one yellow gold pieces, all on Oysterflex bands.
The titanium version, meanwhile, sits on a titanium Oyster bracelet and, unlike Ainslie’s prototype, comes with a date function. It has a look completely at odds with the generally accepted Rolex aesthetic. There is a muted, subdued aura, the satin brushed metallic elements left an attractive grey tone. It is a world away from the unique shine of the marque’s steel pieces, their near sole use of 904L in the industry leaving a matchless gloss. The almost grainy appearance of the titanium seems well suited to a tool watch, even one intended to be worn by that not-at-all working class pursuit of competitive yacht racing.
It is also incredibly light, even by comparison with other titanium models. Whatever Rolex has put in or taken out of their Grade 5 alloy, the YM’s 100g weight makes it about 30% lighter than equivalent pieces from other brands.
Inside, the powerplant is right up to date. The Cal. 3235 had big shoes to fill when it replaced the legendary Cal. 3135 in 2015. A significant upgrade, the new caliber offers a 70-hour power reserve, along with the enhanced efficiency of the Chronergy escapement. And it far exceeds the COSC chronometer requirements and is guaranteed accurate to within Rolex’s own Superlative Chronometer certification of between -2/+2 seconds a day.
Final Thoughts
As with so many of the Yacht-Master models, the ref. 226627 is something of an outlier. It is about as understated as a Rolex sports watch can be these days, even though it is certainly at the larger end of the scale for the company, diameter-wise.
But it has proved itself an exceptionally popular addition, with many hoping that it marks the start of a new direction—the first in a wide-ranging series of titanium Rolexes.
Featured Photo: Mixed art by Oriol Mendivil for BKT Archive.
