American football player Patrick Mahomes spotted wearing a Rolex

Patrick Mahomes was photographed wearing a stainless steel Rolex Yacht-Master II ref. 116680 shortly after signing what became the richest contract in professional sports history — a ten-year, $503 million extension with the Kansas City Chiefs. The choice of watch was, intentionally or not, a fitting one: the Yacht-Master II is itself a statement of mechanical ambition and serious investment.

The Rolex Yacht-Master II ref. 116680 measures 44mm in Oystersteel and is powered by the Calibre 4161, a COSC-certified movement developed entirely in-house. Its defining feature is a programmable mechanical countdown — adjustable between 1 and 10 minutes — built around Rolex's patented Ring Command bezel. Rotating the ceramic bezel physically engages the movement's regatta timing mechanism, allowing the wearer to set the sequence without touching the crown or pushers. This is not decorative complexity; it is a genuine sailing-class complication, and Rolex holds the patent. The movement runs at 28,800 vph and offers approximately 72 hours of power reserve.

Launched in 2007, the Yacht-Master II replaced the original single-pusher Yacht-Master II concept and quickly earned a reputation as one of the most technically serious watches in Rolex's sports lineup. The ref. 116680 in steel, introduced at Baselworld 2013, brought the model to a broader collector audience — the yellow gold and Everose versions existed prior, but the steel reference democratized it within the Rolex ecosystem. Collectors value it as a true one-brand, one-patent complication that sits outside the more crowded Daytona and Submariner conversation.

Mahomes has become one of the most visible watch collectors in American sport, regularly photographed in high-end references. His affinity for substantial, technically credible pieces rather than purely decorative jewelry watches aligns with the Yacht-Master II's character — a watch that rewards those who understand what they are wearing.

On the secondary market, the steel Rolex Yacht-Master II ref. 116680 trades at a premium over retail, driven by steady demand and the model's relative scarcity compared to the Submariner or GMT-Master II. It occupies a respected, if niche, position in the collector market — exactly the kind of watch a $503 million athlete wears when he wants substance over spectacle.