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Boxer Billy Joe Saunders spotted wearing Rolex

At a BoxNation press conference table, British boxer Billy Joe Saunders sat quietly while a distinctly loud piece of horology made the statement for him. On his wrist: a Rolex Yacht-Master II in 18ct yellow gold with the signature blue Cerachrom bezel — one of Rolex's most technically sophisticated sport watches, and a piece that demands a closer look.

The Yacht-Master II ref. 116688 is built around the in-house calibre 4161, a movement Rolex developed specifically for this model over several years of R&D. Its headline feature is a mechanical, programmable regatta countdown timer with a 10-minute range, controlled by a push-piece on the crown at 10 o'clock. The synchronisation mechanism — allowing the countdown to be reset and reprogrammed even while running — is a genuine horological achievement executed entirely in mechanical logic. The 44mm case in Oystersteel yellow gold sits broad and purposeful on the wrist, and the white dial with blue sub-registers and red regatta hand creates a nautical palette that reads cleanly at distance.

From a collector standpoint, the 116688 occupies an interesting position. It is not the most traded Rolex reference on the grey market, but its complexity and full-gold execution give it a gravity that more casual sport Rolex references lack. The blue ceramic bezel version launched in 2013 replaced the earlier rubber insert bezel, markedly improving both durability and visual refinement. Collectors who appreciate mechanical depth over brand cachet tend to respect this reference more than the wider market reflects.

Saunders, the unbeaten WBO super-middleweight champion with a style-over-power boxing philosophy, has always projected a certain swagger outside the ring. The Yacht-Master II in yellow gold fits that persona precisely — technically serious, visually dominant, and unmistakably expensive.

At UK RRP of approximately £30,000 and a US list price in the high $30,000s, the 116688 sits at the upper tier of the Rolex sport catalogue. Grey market premiums on full-gold Rolex sport references remain modest compared to steel sports models, making this one of the more acquirable exotic Rolexes for buyers willing to pay near retail.