In spite of being 2mm bigger than the current Yacht-Master 40, the Rolex Yacht-Master 42 is powered by the exact same 3235 movements. Designed and built entirely in-house, the Cal. 3235 represents the latest generation of the brand’s date display mechanical movements and can be found in a number of other date display Rolex replica watches, including such historic classics as the Datejust and Submariner.
The 3235 movements are based on Rolex’s new Chronergy escapement, which features a skeletonized construction for efficiency. When combined with Rolex’s proprietary blue Parachrom hairspring and redesigned gear train and mainspring barrel, the caliber 3235 offers users a 70-hour power reserve, meaning a significant improvement over the 48-hour reserve offered by its predecessor. Moreover, despite this improvement in efficiency, the Rolex Cal. 3235 sticks to the same movement. 3235 adheres to the same strict “Super Chronometer” standards of precision, allowing a maximum timekeeping deviation of -2/+2 seconds per day.
The Rolex Yachtmaster 42 reference 226659 has only been around for several years, so it is still in production and available from retailers and boutiques. However, anyone familiar with Rolex watches will tell you that finding the model you want that is new and available immediately is nearly impossible, and for many highly popular models, there is no way to purchase a brand new Rolex without spending a lot of time on the waiting list.
However, as the white gold Yacht-Master 42 cannot be purchased at the retail level without a wait, the pre-owned price exceeds their new value and if you want to skip the line and add one to your collection today, you can expect to pay a premium of several thousand dollars.
Since the Rolex Yacht-Master 42 ref. 226659 remains in production, you can technically still buy it brand new from fake Rolex retailers and boutiques – as long as you’re willing to wait for the tip. Most popular modern Rolex models are in a similar situation; however, the relatively reasonable premium of a few thousand dollars to skip 226659 Yacht-Master means that buyers often opt for pre-owned examples where availability is immediate and guaranteed, compared to the hefty premiums that many of the brand’s stainless steel sports watches command on the open market.