2017 Stainless Steel Rolex Yacht-Master II (photo: Rolex)

The updates made to the Yacht-Master II model in 2017 left some enthusiasts scratching their heads after its re-introduction at Baselworld. The modifications are minimal but ultimately benefit the wearer in the end. The 12 o'clock hour marker was swapped from a small square to a larger triangle. The 6 o'clock marker is now rectangular and the hands were changed to the Mercedes-shaped luminescent hands seen on other models form the Professional collection.

Lume Shot Deepsea (left) and Previous YM2 (right)

In the photo above, the previous Yacht-Master II configuration is shown to the right of the Deepsea. In the dark, the small hour markers and minimally luminescent hands are difficult to distinguish from each-other. The 2017 Yacht-Master II is shown in the lume shot below with the improved display. The hour and minute hands are far more visible now and the hour markers are easier to distinguish from each other with 12 and 6 o'clock in different shapes.

2017 Rolex Yacht-Master II Lume

The changes made to this model echo the ones made to the Explorer last year. It seems that the watchmaker is prioritizing the Chromalight luminescence of their timepieces now more than ever. For more information on the stainless steel Yacht-Master II (Reference # 116680) visit rolex.com. To check out all of their 2017 model configurations, check out my post with live pics from Baselworld 2017.

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