Rolex Yacht-Master Ref. 16628 - White 'Onyx' Dial Unpolished

Rolex Yacht-Master Ref. 16628 - White 'Onyx' Dial Unpolished

Name: Rolex Yacht-Master Ref. 16628 - White 'Onyx' Dial Unpolished
Brand: Oliver & Clarke
SKU: OC2875
Price: 25750.0 USD
Availability: InStock

$25,750.00 USD

In the late 1980s, Rolex had all but completely shifted gears to achieve the market position that they have today, and leave their pure and utilitarian roots behind. Rumor has it that this shift in direction (much like Porsche during this era looking to cease production of their flagship car, the 911) would even entertain discontinuing the Submariner. An unthinkable action...

Thankfully, this did not happen. But, Rolex did end up producing the model that they saw as a replacement to the Submariner: The Yacht-Master.

Rather clearly, it was based on the Submariner, with the same proportions, a rotating timing bezel, and a crisp legible dial inside. Initially all Yacht-Masters were constructed out of solid yellow gold and it would be years before stainless steel examples showed up.

The example that we have here is a very early example, which features a 'straight' lug case design, very closely resembling that of a Submariner, GMT-Master, Explorer II, etc. before eventually altering its profiles and lugs slightly to be more rounded and soft, which is the design that endures until this day.

Dating to circa 1993, this first generation Ref. 16628 is offered in simply fantastic overall condition. The Oyster case is very-likely unpolished, with thick and symmetrical lugs at all four corners, and a matching solid yellow gold Oyster bracelet with a fliplock clasp. Unlike a Submariner from this era, this utilized a bi-directional rotating timing bezel crafted out of solid yellow gold, which also remains in excellent overall condition. In the unlikely chance that you are reading this and have not seen a Yacht-Master already, this probably sounds an awful lot like a yellow gold Submariner Date, and you'd be right, but it is the dial within that really differentiates the Yacht-Master from its Submariner siblings. Rather than stark black or nautical blue, the early Yacht-Masters feature a crisp glossy white dial with both applied 'onyx' indices and small triangular Tritium plots. The dial we have here is in impeccable, seemingly-flawless condition, with evenly patinated Tritium plots and a perfectly matching handset.

Now around for over 30 years, the Yacht-Master has just began to be appreciated by collectors and consumers, and this first generation model is probably the most sought after.

Yellow Gold 1993 Unpolished, Caseback Sticker Automatic 40mm

Condition Report & Details

Condition:

Case: Likely unpolished, retaining thick and symmetrical lugs at all 4 corners with sharp edges and 3 clear hallmarks on the underside of the lugs. Shows normal signs of wear throughout with a few small impressions present on the lower left lug. The factory caseback sticker remains intact with legible reference number and shows some edge wear.

Bezel: Seemingly unpolished and shows light wear throughout.

Dial: Immaculate, seemingly flawless with no visible signs of wear or imperfections. The Tritium plots remain fully-intact and exhibit an attractive and uniform patina. Applied onyx-set yellow gold indices. The handset matches perfectly to the naked eye and under UV inspection.

Movement:

Automatic-winding chronometer certified caliber by Rolex.

Bracelet/Strap:

Rolex yellow gold Oyster bracelet with 10 links and signed fliplock clasp stamped 'S4.' Unpolished and shows matching normal signs of wear with one small impression on one of the links on the 12:00 side and no stretch. Sized for ≈7.25" wrist.

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Every Oliver & Clarke timepiece comes with a one-year mechanical warranty starting from the date of delivery. We ensure all watches are in wonderful working condition and are ready for daily wear. Many have been fully serviced by our team of watchmakers.

Please note:

Due to the vintage or antique nature of many of our watches, they may not keep time as accurately as when new, nor as precisely as quartz or electronic devices.
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