Our final live auction of the spring 2025 season, the New York Watch Auction: XII, takes place on 7-8 June, at our Manhattan headquarters. The auction includes 140 of the world's finest watches – and though we are loath to boast, we truly think it’s one of the best catalogues we've ever put together. We'll highlight several of the most interesting lots and stories featured in the sale over the next few weeks, including the watches highlighted in this article.
– By Logan Baker
In the world of Rolex sports watches, two recent releases stand out for how they push the brand’s boundaries in material, design, and legacy: the Yacht-Master 42 in titanium and the Daytona Le Mans in 18k yellow gold.
Both watches signal Rolex’s evolving approach to contemporary watchmaking and underscore its deep-rooted ties to sports and endurance.
Let’s start with the Yacht-Master 42. Initially introduced in 1992 as a sailing-centric luxury watch, the Yacht-Master has taken on numerous forms over the past three decades, including stainless steel, platinum, and gold configurations. But the 2023 release of the ref. 226627, made from Rolex’s proprietary RLX titanium alloy, marked a significant shift. Until now, titanium was an uncharted territory for the brand, relegated only to prototypes and the gargantuan 50mm Deepsea Challenge (released only five months before the Yacht-Master).
At 42mm, the Yacht-Master Titanium strikes a balance between functionality and wearability, with its matte black Cerachrom bezel and raised numerals maintaining the quintessential Yacht-Master aesthetic. The fully brushed titanium bracelet incorporates Rolex’s 5mm Easylink extension system. At a mere 100 grams, the watch feels almost alarmingly light. For a brand that’s long championed heft as a hallmark of luxury, the RLX titanium’s featherweight profile is a deliberate and significant departure.
Inside, the calibre 3235 keeps time with all the precision expected of a Rolex movement – COSC certification, Chronergy escapement, and a 70-hour power reserve. While the movement itself remains unchanged, the focus here is undeniably on the material. Rolex’s RLX titanium is a grade-5 alloy that is stronger than the grade 2 used in Tudor’s Pelagos, allowing for a combination of polished chamfers and satin finishes that elevate its visual complexity. It’s also a watch with a compelling backstory – a prototype version was seen on the wrist of competitive sailor Sir Ben Ainslie back in 2022, a year before the retail version surfaced.
The present example, offered at the Phillips New York Watch Auction: XII (lot 2), represents the first public appearance of the ref. 226627 at auction, and it comes in exceptional, like-new condition with its complete set of accessories.
Now, let’s turn to the Daytona Le Mans – a watch with a more flamboyant narrative arc. Rolex dropped the first iteration of the watch at the 100th running of the famed Le Mans endurance race in 2023, as a nod to the Daytona's racing origins. The ref. 126529LN, cased in white gold, was an immediate hit, boasting a "Paul Newman"-inspired dial with exotic sub-dials, a red ‘100’ marking on the bezel, and, notably, an exhibition caseback – a first for any Daytona outside of platinum. Phillips recently sold one of the 18k white gold examples for USD $228,600 in December 2024, during the New York Watch Auction: XI.
Yet, in a move that caught even seasoned collectors off guard, Rolex abruptly discontinued the white gold version in early 2024, replacing it with the off-catalogue 18k yellow gold ref. 126528LN. The current example coming up at the Phillips New York Watch Auction: XII (lot 97) is one of these early yellow gold models, which carries forward the signature red ‘100’ bezel and vintage-inspired sub-dials while adding a bolder, more ostentatious presence. It’s still equipped with the calibre 4132, the updated chronograph movement that replaces the standard 12-hour counter with a 24-hour counter – a functional nod to the 24-hour Le Mans race.
The exhibition caseback reveals a gold rotor and attractively finished bridges with Geneva stripes. While Rolex movements have long been more functional than decorative, the 4132 is clearly intended to be looked at. It’s a subtle shift in direction for the brand.
It's rumored that the yellow gold Daytona Le Mans ref. 126528LN was similarly discontinued after one year at the start of 2025 and has since been replaced by an 18k pink-gold variation, but Rolex has yet to acknowledge this publicly.
So, what do these two watches say about Rolex’s current trajectory? On one hand, the Yacht-Master 42 Titanium demonstrates that the brand is willing to step outside its comfort zone, embracing a material more commonly associated with Tudor and other tool-watch brands. On the other hand, the Le Mans Daytona shows Rolex leaning into its historical narratives, but with a modern, collector-friendly twist.
One is stealthy and light, the other bold and heavy – yet both embody the relentless evolution of the world’s most recognizable luxury watchmaker.
You can learn more, place a bid, and view the entire New York Watch Auction: XII catalogue right here.