The Rolex “Cotton Candy” Yacht-Master from 2022
Glamorous gem-covered watches entered the Rolex lineup in a big way in the 1980’s, in the form of the Crown Collection. That collection was gone by the early 2000s, but Rolex continued to make rare models set with sapphires, rubies, diamonds and occasionally emeralds. And I’m not just talking about diamond hour markers or bezels. Since about 2019 in particular, Rolex has been annually releasing exotic “off-catalog” watches that only last about one year in production. The “Cotton-Candy” Rolex Yacht-Master 40 from 2022, with pastel-hue trapezoidal sapphires on the bezel, is one of the most interesting of these off-catalog releases.
Rolex is usually secretive about their ultra-expensive off-catalog offerings, like the 2023 Icy Coke GMT and 2024 Rainbow Daytona, but surprisingly there was a press release announcing the Rolex Cotton Candy in 2022. “Cotton Candy” is one of many unofficial Rolex nicknames used by collectors. Here are all the details:
Cotton Candy Yacht-Master 40 Specs
| Model Name | Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 40 “Cotton Candy” |
| Year Introduced | 2022 |
| Reference Number | 126679 SABR |
| Case Dimensions | 40mm diameter 11.7mm thickness 47.3mm lug-to-lug |
| Case Material | 18k white gold |
| Movement Caliber | Calibre 3235 (Automatic, 8 beats per second) |
| Power Reserve | Approximately 70 hours |
| Water Resistance | 100 meters |
| Bracelet/Strap | Oysterflex bracelet |
| MSRP (2022) | $80,350 (Black dial) |
Pricing and Availability
The Cotton Candy Rolex Yacht-Master 40, ref. 126679 SABR, was only produced from 2022-2023 in limited numbers (although I have seen one listing with 2024 papers). It now sells secondhand for around $150,000 with a black dial–almost double its 2022 suggested retail price. The pave diamond dial version is closer to $180,000.
The Cotton Candy Rolex Bezel
The bezel is really what the Cotton Candy Rolex is all about. It features a repeating sequence of five trapezoidal gemstones: diamond, purple sapphire, dark blue sapphire, pink sapphire, and light blue sapphire. Rolex bezels with multi-color gemstones like this are exceedingly rare.
If the gems were rectangular, when arranged in a circle there would be gaps between each one. So Rolex uses trapezoidal diamonds and sapphires, which have the precise taper needed to form a perfect circle together. Angular gems thus require more labor than round ones (with round ones you just need to match the size/shape/clarity and start setting) and command higher price tags.
The blue sapphires on the Cotton Candy Yacht-Master look rather purple in Rolex press photos but real-life pics tend to look more blue. There can be some variance in coloration between examples, because Rolex uses natural stones, but on any given watch there will be no color variance. The pinks will all be the same pink, etc.
With coloured gemstones – rubies, sapphires and emeralds – Rolex takes particular care in ensuring that all the stones on a given watch are of the same hue. This requirement is met through a careful sorting process carried out by hand, stone by stone, in the Rolex workshops.
–Rolex.com
Although gem-set rare Rolex watches trickle out each year, not all of them pique collector interest like the 126679 SABR has. Blingy off-catalog Day-Dates can languish in display cases for years. The most comparable off-catalog Yacht-Master–the colorful Haribo Yacht-Master–sells for about $25,000 less than the Cotton Candy Rolex. There’s something special about the colors of that bezel.
More on Rolex:
What is the Best Entry-Level Rolex?
How to Spot a Fake Rolex: The Ultimate Guide
The Most Popular Rolex Watches
The Rolex v. Beckertime Lawsuit Implications
Guide To Rolex Wimbledon Watches
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