Rolex and Phillips have set a new benchmark for charity watch auctions after four unique Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona watches sold for a combined $49,467,260 USD (£37,300,000 GBP) in London.
The special sale, conducted by auctioneer Aurel Bacs, brought together four watches created exclusively for the charity event. Each piece was offered individually, but together they formed the “Four Seasons” collection, with every Daytona representing a different season through its materials, colors and gemstones.
The total makes the sale the highest amount ever raised through a watch charity auction, adding another major milestone to the long-running connection between luxury watchmaking and philanthropy.
Rather than producing four identical watches with different colors, Rolex gave each Daytona its own distinct identity. The collection combines precious metals with rare hard-stone dials, gem-set bezels and detailed sub-dials, creating four completely different interpretations of the same iconic chronograph.
The first watch, representing “Winter,” is housed in 950 platinum and features a blue opal dial. Its sub-dials are made from lapis lazuli, while the bezel is decorated with sapphires that transition from blue to fuchsia.
The Winter Daytona sold for $13,262,000 USD (£10,000,000 GBP), making it one of the standout results of the evening and demonstrating the strong demand for highly exclusive Rolex pieces with unusual materials and gemstone work.
The “Spring” edition takes a lighter approach with an 18 ct white gold case. Its dial is made from chrysoprase, while lepidolite is used for the counters. Purple sapphires complete the gemstone treatment around the bezel.
The Spring Daytona achieved $9,018,160 USD (£6,800,000 GBP), adding another multimillion-dollar result to the collection and helping push the combined auction total toward the record-breaking figure.
The “Summer” Daytona produced the highest individual result of the four. Crafted in 18 ct Everose gold, Rolex gave the watch a turquoise dial along with heart of ruby sub-dials and pink sapphires.
That combination helped the Summer model reach $13,659,860 USD (£10,300,000 GBP), making it the most expensive watch sold during the Four Seasons auction.
The final piece, “Autumn,” uses an 18 ct yellow gold case and features a mookaite dial. Its counters are made from chrysoprase, while green tourmalines provide the gemstone detailing.
The Autumn Daytona sold for $13,527,240 USD (£10,200,000 GBP), bringing the four individual results together to a final total of $49,467,260.
Despite their different appearances, all four watches share the same mechanical foundation. Each Daytona is powered by Rolex’s in-house Calibre 4131 movement, connecting the highly customized designs to the brand’s modern chronograph technology.
The mechanical specification also reinforces the idea behind the collection. While the watches were created as individual works with their own materials and colors, they remain part of the same iconic Daytona family.
The auction was organized specifically to raise funds for charitable causes, with 100% of the proceeds being divided between two organizations.
One portion will support Roger Federer’s Federer Foundation, which focuses on early childhood education across Southern Africa and Switzerland.
The remaining proceeds will go to Leonardo DiCaprio’s Re:wild initiative, an organization focused on restoring ecosystems and supporting conservation efforts around the world.
The involvement of both foundations gave the auction a purpose beyond collecting and luxury watchmaking, turning the sale of four exceptionally rare timepieces into a major fundraising event.
The watches were sold individually through Phillips in London on September 28, 2026. Their one-off status, elaborate use of gemstones and connection to two major charitable initiatives helped make the Four Seasons collection one of the most significant watch auctions in recent history.
With a combined result of nearly $50 million, the Four Seasons Daytonas have now added another record to the history of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona while demonstrating how high-end watchmaking can be used to generate substantial funding for global charitable causes.
