Entrepreneur Terje Høili spotted wearing a Rolex

Terje Høili, one of Norway's most prominent entrepreneurs and investors, was recently photographed wearing what appears to be a Rolex Yacht-Master II reference 116688 in 18k yellow gold. The piece is clearly visible on his wrist, its distinctive blue ceramic bezel and gold case unmistakable even in a casual lounge setting. For a man known for high-stakes business decisions, the choice of a watch built around a mechanical regatta countdown timer feels entirely fitting.

The Rolex Yacht-Master II ref. 116688, introduced at Baselworld 2013, is among the most complex watches Rolex has ever produced. It runs on the manufacture Calibre 4161, a self-winding movement featuring a programmable countdown function with a mechanical memory — a Ring Command bezel that physically interacts with the movement to set countdown intervals between 1 and 10 minutes. The white lacquer dial with gold applied indices, paired with the vivid blue Cerachrom bezel, creates one of the more visually dramatic combinations in the Rolex sports range. The case measures 44mm and the bracelet is the five-link Oyster in solid 18k yellow gold — a serious weight on the wrist and a serious statement of intent.

From a collector standpoint, the all-gold Yacht-Master II occupies an interesting niche. It lacks the cult status of the gold Daytona or the Pepsi GMT-Master II, but its technical pedigree is arguably superior. The regatta timer complication is unique in Rolex's lineup and underappreciated relative to its engineering complexity. For collectors who appreciate mechanical substance over marketing narrative, the 116688 rewards closer inspection.

Høili's background in Norwegian real estate and investment puts him squarely in the demographic that gravitates toward gold Rolex sports references — functional enough to wear daily, prestigious enough to signal serious wealth without ostentation. The Yacht-Master II sits at that intersection neatly.

On the current grey market, the ref. 116688 trades in the $43,000–$45,000 range, broadly in line with its official retail positioning. Unlike the stainless steel sports Rolex references, the all-gold Yacht-Master II has not experienced the same speculative inflation, making it arguably one of the more rationally priced full-gold Rolex references available today.