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Marking the single largest consignment ever made to a charity auction, the Phillips sale of four one-of-a-kind Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona watches in London on September 28, 2026, raised a combined $49.5 million for two charities. The Summer Daytona took the top spot at $13.65 million, followed closely by Autumn at $13.52 million and Winter at $13.25 million. Spring brought $9.01 million, rounding out an extraordinary set of results.
Four Seasons of Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona
In the centennial year of its Oyster case, Rolex donated four one-of-a-kind, gem-set versions of the Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona for individual auctioning by Phillips’ senior consultant, Aurel Bacs. Each timepiece nominally embodies a different season using a combination of precious metals, natural stones, colored gemstones, and diamonds to create four distinctly different interpretations of the same iconic chronograph.
All four of these watches are powered by the automatic Rolex Caliber 4131, which boasts a power reserve of 72 hours and is certified as a Superlative Chronometer thanks to both the C.O.S.C. and Rolex’s in-house chronometer-testing process.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Winter Reference 126596 SABV
The case of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Winter (Reference 126596 SABV) was manufactured in 950 platinum. Its dial is crafted in a natural blue opal while its chronograph subdials are in a tone-in-tone lapis lazuli. The hour markers are in actuality eight baguette-cut diamonds and three square-cut diamonds in 18-karat white gold settings.
This watch’s extraordinary gradient-colored bezel is set with 36 trapeze-cut sapphires that range from blue to fuchsia and weigh approximately 5.57 ct, while its case lugs and crown guard are set with 54 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.86 ct) that don’t add to the wonderful play of color but do add to the inherent value of the timepiece.
Individually, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Winter Reference 126596 SABV sold for $13.25 million.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Spring Reference 126599 SAVL
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Spring (Reference 126599 SAVL) unique piece features an 18-karat white gold case and a dial made of chrysoprase with chronograph counters in lepidolite. Its hour markers comprise eight baguette-cut purple sapphires and three square-cut purple sapphires in 18-karat white gold settings, while the bezel boasts 36 trapeze-cut purple sapphires (approx. 5.57 ct). The lugs and crown guard of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Spring are set with 54 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.86 ct).
This timepiece, whose dial-and-bezel colors are wildly reminiscent of the corporate colors of Wimbledon, which Rolex has sponsored since 1978, hammered by itself for $9.01 million.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Summer Reference 126595 SARO
Then we come to the colorful Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Summer (Reference 126595 SARO), whose look easily reminds us of berry-picking season. The case is manufactured in 18-karat rose gold (an alloy Rolex calls Everose).
Its beautiful dial is crafted in natural turquoise (remind you of early blueberries or summer skies?), while its deeply contrasting chronograph counters are made of ruby heart (I see raspberries here!). Matching that, eight of the hour markers are baguette-cut pink sapphires and three more are square-cut pink sapphires, all of which are in 18-karat pink gold settings. The bezel is set with 36 trapeze-cut pink sapphires (approx. 4.32 ct), while the lugs and crown guard boast 54 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.86 ct).
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Summer Reference 126595 SARO sold for $13.65 million, the highest of the four prices paid for these colorful chronographs.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Autumn Reference 126598 TML
Last but definitely not least, we come to the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Autumn (Reference 126598 TML) in 18-karat yellow gold with a dial crafted from a yellowish mookaite, an interesting-looking quartz mineral named for Mooka Creek in Western Australia, where this natural stone comes from, and chronograph counters in a natural green chrysoprase.
The dial’s hour markers are formed by eight baguette-cut green tourmalines and three square-cut green tourmalines in 18-karat yellow gold settings. Its bezel is set with 36 trapeze-cut green tourmalines (approx. 4.32 ct), while its lugs and crown guard are set with 54 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.86 ct).
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Autumn Reference 126598 TML hammered for $13.52 million, the second-highest result of the four.
| Season | Reference | Case Metal & Dial / Gemstone Specs | Hammer Price (USD) |
| Summer | Ref. 126595 SARO | 18k Everose Gold, Turquoise Dial, Ruby Counters, Pink Sapphires | $13,650,000 |
| Autumn | Ref. 126598 TML | 18k Yellow Gold, Mookaite Dial, Chrysoprase Counters, Green Tourmalines | $13,520,000 |
| Winter | Ref. 126596 SABV | 950 Platinum, Blue Opal Dial, Lapis Lazuli Counters, Blue/Fuchsia Sapphires | $13,250,000 |
| Spring | Ref. 126599 SAVL | 18k White Gold, Chrysoprase Dial, Lepidolite Counters, Purple Sapphires | $9,010,000 |
The (Roger) Federer Foundation and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Re:wild
The sale of these four unique timepieces went entirely to benefit two charities. The first is the Federer Foundation, which was founded by longtime Rolex ambassador and iconic Swiss tennis champion Roger Federer in 2003. This charity champions early learning for children across South Africa and Switzerland; Federer himself is a citizen of both of these countries, even though most people only associate him with Switzerland, which makes the regional choices more obvious.
The second charity is Re:wild, which was co-founded by Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who became a Rolex ambassador in February 2025 with the purpose of highlighting the mutual focus on environmental conservation and climate advocacy. The goal of his charity is to protect and restore wild ecosystems around the world.
“This is a historic moment for the world of watchmaking,” said Aurel Bacs, senior consultant at Phillips, in a statement. “We are deeply honored to have played a role in this first-ever charity auction with Rolex and to support the important work of the Federer Foundation and Re:wild. It was a privilege to stand on the rostrum and witness the energy and passion in the room, united by shared values of excellence, craftsmanship and, above all, a commitment to making a positive difference. The extraordinary amount raised will make a meaningful contribution to future generations and to the protection of our natural world.”
What the Four Seasons Auction Means for Rolex
With nearly $50 million raised across four unique Rolex Daytonas, the September 28, 2026 Phillips sale marked an unusual auction moment involving Rolex Daytonas. These were not vintage Daytonas with decades of provenance behind them, but newly created one-of-a-kind watches whose appeal came from their materials, exclusivity, and the charitable cause behind the sale.
For collectors and Rolex enthusiasts, the results offer a fascinating look at how far the Daytona can be pushed when Rolex combines its signature chronograph with exceptional gemstones and natural stones in unique variations.
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