Quick answer
The Yacht-Master 116655 is a real Rolex reference. Case size is 40 mm. Case metal is Everose gold, an 18k pink gold alloy with platinum. The bezel is bidirectional and rotatable with a black Cerachrom insert and raised polished numerals. Rolex sold it on an Oysterflex bracelet. It used caliber 3135 and rated to 100 m of water resistance. Rolex introduced it in 2015 and later replaced it with reference 126655, which uses caliber 3235. Replicas of the 116655 exist. In the United States, making, importing, or selling them is a federal crime.
The real 116655: key numbers
- Case: 40 mm, 18k Everose gold
- Bezel: bidirectional rotatable, black Cerachrom insert, raised polished numerals
- Crystal: sapphire with Cyclops lens over the date
- Dial: black, Everose gold hands and hour markers
- Movement: caliber 3135, automatic, 48-hour power reserve
- Rate: Superlative Chronometer, minus 2 to plus 2 seconds per day
- Water resistance: 100 m (330 ft)
- Bracelet: Oysterflex, elastomer over a titanium-nickel alloy blade
What replica versions of this reference are
Most replicas start as stainless steel. A layer of gold plating or PVD coating covers the case. Plating thickness runs from about 3 to 10 microns on the versions sold by name. That layer wears at the crown guards, lug edges, and caseback. Real Everose gold is solid through the metal, so a scratch stays pink. A scratch on plating shows the steel underneath.
Dial printing differs in font weight and in the date magnification. Genuine Yacht-Master hands and markers are gold. Replicas use brass or plated base metal. The lume compound has a short glow time.
Bracelet and movement
The Oysterflex is not plain rubber. Rolex holds patents on the design. It is an elastomer shell over a flexible titanium-nickel alloy blade. Replica straps are FKM or silicone rubber with a metal insert or no insert at all. They stretch and crack.
Caliber 3135 is a 31-jewel automatic movement with a 48-hour reserve. Replica movements come from Chinese factories. Common types are copies of the ETA 2824 and decorated 3135 clones. Finishing marks are stamped, not cut. Power reserve and rate fall outside the chronometer spec. Rolex service centers do not service replica watches.
Legal status in the US
18 U.S.C. Section 2320 covers trafficking in counterfeit goods. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine for an individual. A second offense carries up to 20 years. Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit watches at ports of entry. The $800 de minimis exemption does not apply to merchandise that bears a counterfeit mark. Rolex holds the Yacht-Master trademark and enforces it.
Checks a watchmaker uses
- Open the caseback. The movement type and the finish decide the question. The 116655 has no display back, so this step needs a watchmaker.
- Read the rehaut. On this reference the model number sits at 12 o'clock and the serial sits at 6 o'clock.
- Look at the bezel insert. Genuine Cerachrom is matte black ceramic with raised numerals. Replica inserts use printed or painted numerals.
- Check the gold hallmark. Solid 18k Everose carries the 750 mark and the Rolex crown stamp.
- Weigh the case. A plated steel case has less heft than solid 18k gold at this size. Weight alone is not proof.
Cost gap
A replica sells for a few hundred dollars. A genuine 116655 sells in the tens of thousands. The gap reflects the material difference: plating over steel against solid 18k gold, and a Chinese movement against a Swiss chronometer movement.
This page does not rank sellers or list sites. The facts above cover the reference, the replica trade, and US law.