THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: ROLEX
MODEL: 16622
YEAR: 2001
BOX/PAPERS: YES/YES
CASE DIAMETER: 40mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

The Rolex Yacht-Master 16622 was born at the turn of the millennium, a sports model, but not in the same vein as its tool-watch cousins such as the Submariner and Sea-Dweller. Instead, the Yacht-Master was designed for someone who’d done well during the dot-com boom and wanted a utilitarian Rolex that suited a more bougie lifestyle.

The 16622 set the template for Yacht-Masters that followed (which, for reasons unclear to us, still haven’t caught up to their sportier siblings in popularity, even some 30 years later despite being among the best-looking modern Rolexes, in our opinion). The watch features a 40 mm case that wears slimmer than both the GMT-Master and Submariner, paired with a platinum bezel, matching platinum dial, and subtle red accents that give it just the right amount of swagger. With softer lines than a Submariner, it’s supremely comfortable and works just as well with a T-shirt as it does under a cuff.

For a long time, the 16622 lived in the shadow of more overt sports models, but that’s precisely what makes us love it so much today here at Falco. It offers precious metal, neo-vintage charm, and classic Rolex proportions without the noise or hype. The movement arrived in great health and is running at +2 s/day, with an amplitude of 291° and a beat error of 0.1 ms. The watch comes in a later Rolex box with its wallet, booklet, papers and translation book. The bracelet will accommodate a 19cm wrist.

A wonderful throwback to some of our favourite years.