Rolex vs Rolex comparisons are a watch buyer’s favorite pastime! This episode of Versus pits the discontinued Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust Turn-O-Graph 116264 against the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master midsize 268622. Both of these Rolex sports watches combine the company’s vaunted 904L stainless steel with a white precious metal in case sizes that fit well on wrists of any size. Rolex vs Rolex begins!
The Rolex Turn-O-Graph arrived in 1953 as the first mass-produced Rolex sports watch with a rotating bezel; it preceded the legendary Rolex Submariner by a handful of months. The original Turn-o-Graph reference 6202 was a dedicated model intended for use as a pilot’s watch or a frequent traveler’s watch. By the late 1950s, the Turn-O-Graph had been integrated into both the Datejust watch family and the U.S. Air Force’s Thunderbirds flight demonstration squadron. The latter connection gave rise to the Turn-O’s nickname, “Rolex Thunderbird.”
Datejust reference 116264 featured in this comparison was part of a new generation of Datejust watches that launched at Baselworld 2005. By 2011, this, the most recent of the Turn-O-Graph models, had been discontinued. Its 36mm stainless steel case matches the size of a standard men’s Datejust, but the bi-directional white gold pilot’s bezel marks the watch as part of the Turn-O-Graph family. A Rolex Oyster bracelet with Oyster Clasp and 5mm Easylink quick-adjustment mechanism is standard equipment.
Although blue, black, and white dials were available in “White Rolesor” (steel and white gold), today’s Datejust Turn-O-Graph includes the chalk-white dial with red accents on the nameplate, seconds hand, and full-red date disc (it’s not a roulette date). Hour indices and hands are white gold, and Super LumiNova is used to ensure visibility at night. Additional models 116261 and 116263 were available with steel-Everose rose gold and steel-yellow gold, respectively. Each Turn-O-Graph matches the 100-meter water resistance of the standard Datejust thanks to a screw-down Rolex Twinlock crown.
Inside the Rolex Thunderbird of this generation sits a Rolex manufacture caliber 3135 automatic movement. Its 48-hour power reserve is metered by a free-sprung balance on a full balance bridge; the balance oscillates at 28,800 vibrations per hour. The movement includes a Quickset date, hacking seconds (stop seconds), and COSC certification as a Swiss chronometer.
The Rolex Yacht-Master midsize 268622 may be the most overlooked and underrated sports watch in the Rolex watch catalog. At 37mm, it is properly sized for a man who prefers more discrete or traditionally sized watches. The stainless steel case is matched by a solid platinum bi-directional bezel (“Rolesium, in Rol-ese”) that can be used for timing the countdown to a regatta match start. This generation of the Yacht-Master was launched at Baselworld 2016.
Rolex’s 268622 Yacht-Master mid-size is a substantial watch that achieves handsome scalling of the Yacht-Master 116622 down to smaller dimensions. All features from the Cyclops Eye date magnifier to the Oyster bracelet’s clasp have been scaled so that the mid-size Yacht Master appears indistinguishable from the 40mm model unless placed side-by-side with the larger watch. This version of the Yacht-Master includes a dramatic dark rhodium sunburst dial with cyan blue accents, Rolex Chromalight lume, and white gold hands and indices.
The Rolex Oyster bracelet and clasp are smaller than those of the 116622, but the construction and style are identical. Unlike the Turn-O-Graph, this Yacht-Master includes an Oyster clasp with both a lift-lock and a clamshell lock for additional security against accidental deployment. Easylink is present, and like the Datejust, the clasp of the 268622 includes three internal mounting slots that permit relocation of the bracelet’s anchoring within the clasp.
Rolex caliber 2236 launched at Baselworld 2014 in the ladies’ Pearlmaster, but that low-key debut underplays the advances of this movement. The automatic caliber 2236 includes Rolex’s first production silicon hairspring (“Syloxi”) and an upgraded 55-hour power reserve; the Datejust has only a 45-48-hour power reserve. Rolex retains its COSC Swiss chronometer certification and adds its in-house “Superlative Chronometer” certification to the caliber 2236. A quickset date and hacking seconds lever are standard equipment; the movement includes the caliber 3135’s full balance bridge, free sprung balance with Microstella bolts, and 31-jewel architecture.
Rolex Datejust vs Rolex Yacht-Master starts now!
The Rolex Datejust Turn-O-Graph features a 40mm stainless steel case with a platinum bezel surrounding a rhodium dial and measures 11.6mm in thickness and 44.3mm from lug-to-lug.
The Rolex Yacht-Master features a 36mm stainless steel case with an 18k white gold fluted bezel surrounding a white dial and measures 10.9mm in thickness and 43.6mm from lug-to-lug.