Rolex watches are anything but cheap. But compared to timepieces from other exclusive brands, the prices can seem downright modest. Nevertheless, watches from the Genevan manufacturer still manage to make headlines with record-breaking sums at auctions. But which models are so coveted that people are willing to spend millions on them? We’ve compiled the ten most expensive Rolex watches in the world for you.
How much does the most expensive Rolex cost?
Based on the MSRP, the majority of Rolex watches cost between $6,000 and $20,000. But the problem is that Rolexes are hard to come by from authorized dealers. Supply isn’t much of an issue on the secondary market, but availability comes with a hefty premium. Even standard models can cost more than twice the MSRP. These enormous increases mean that Rolex watches are increasingly seen as lucrative investments, which only further boosts demand.
Models With the Highest Prices
Before we get to the Rolex watches that have fetched millions at auction, let’s take a quick look at the models that have the highest new prices. The most expensive watches in the 2024 Rolex catalog are as follows:
- Rolex Lady-Datejust ref. 279459RBR, list price: approx. $155,000
- Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 126595TBR, list price: approx. $140,400
- Rolex Day-Date 40 ref. 228396TBR, list price: approx. $128,000
In the past, the luxury watch giant has offered far more expensive series models. Some examples include:
- GMT-Master II “Ice” ref. 116769TBR, list price: approx. $475,000
- Day-Date ref. 18956BRIL, list price: approx. $275,000
- GMT-Master II ref. 126755SARU; list price: approx. $240,000
The 10 Most Expensive Rolex Watches in the World
Let’s now turn our attention to a few Rolex watches that make the above models look like bargains. These are unique pieces, some of which come from prominent previous owners and were sold at auction for incredible sums. Here are the 10 most expensive Rolex watches ever:
9th and 10th Place: Two Rolexes for $1.22 Million Each
Two watches start our list with a price tie. The first is an Oyster Perpetual from 1949, which was auctioned by Christie’s in 2014. The model has a gold case on a leather strap and features gold star indices. However, the real highlight is the colorful cloisonné enamel dial designed by artist Marguerite Koch. The watch fetched just under $1.22 million at auction. $1.22 million is also the price of a rather simple 18-karat yellow gold Day-Date (ref. 1803) with a diameter of 36 mm and a champagne-colored dial. It dates back to 1967 and was a gift from Rolex to the legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus, also known as the “Golden Bear.” Not a day went by without him wearing the Rolex – but always off the golf course. Then, in 2019, Jack Nicklaus’ 1967 Rolex Day-Date came up for auction at Phillips London. When Nicklaus received the watch at the time, its retail price was just $300, which corresponds to roughly $2,800 today.
8th Place: Eric Clapton’s Daytona for $1.4 Million
This watch graced the wrist of none other than British blues and rock guitarist Eric Clapton. He opted for a 1971 Cosmograph Daytona (ref. 6263) “Albino.” Clapton’s rare and highly coveted vintage Daytona Albino was first auctioned in New York in 2003 for just over $500,000. It almost tripled in value by the Phillips auction in 2015, with a final hammer price of $1.4 million. The watch earned its nickname due to its all-white dial, which stands out among related references with a black dial.
7th Place: The “Paul Newman” Daytona Oyster Sotto for $1.66 Million
The next watch is one of the rarest variants of the Rolex Daytona: the “Paul Newman” Daytona Oyster Sotto ref. 6263. Some of you may be thinking: The Paul Newman Daytona is only the seventh most expensive Rolex? That can’t be right. However, we can assure you that it is the case. This is not a watch owned by Newman himself, but a Daytona model with a special exotic dial. The Rolex Daytona shown here, which was sold at Phillips in 2016 for $1.66 million, dates from 1969. Its dial differs from other watches with an exotic dial in that the inscription “Oyster” is not placed between “Rolex” and “Cosmograph,” as is usually the case, but below it. Rolex is believed to have produced less than 20 examples of this version. As a result, the Daytona Oyster Sotto is highly coveted by collectors.
6th Place: Daytona “John Player Special” for $2.6 million
The Daytona “John Player Special” ref. 6241 takes sixth place on our list. The watch was auctioned by Sotheby’s in mid-2023 for $2.6 million. The lofty price can be explained by the fact that only a handful of this exact variant of the ref. 6241 exist. The watch has an 18-karat yellow gold case, pump pushers, and a black dial with gold subdials. The watch owes its nickname to its color scheme, as it is reminiscent of the packaging of the cigarette brand of the same name. The example was in very good condition – according to Sotheby’s, nearly original condition.
5th Place: Tie Between a Rolex Split-Seconds Chronograph and Rolex GMT-Master for $3.5 Million
Do you like vintage chronographs? Then the Rolex Antimagnetique Split-Seconds Chronograph (ref. 4113) from 1942 would certainly have appealed to you as much as it does its current owner. This vintage heavyweight measures 44 mm across, making it one of the largest Rolex watches ever built. It was also produced in a run of just twelve pieces. The watch is made even more exclusive by the fact that these models could never be bought, as they were produced solely as gifts for winning motorsport teams. With a rattrapante mechanism and telemeter scale, the Rolex Split-Seconds Chronograph 2024 achieved a sales price of just under $3.5 million at an auction in Monaco. The same price was achieved in 2016 by a GMT-Master from 1958 auctioned by Phillips, which at first glance does not appear very spectacular. The watch is made of 18-karat yellow gold and has a champagne-colored Bakelite bezel. The watch does not have any striking features or prominent previous owners. So why the high price? Quite simply, the watch was in mint condition, which is extremely unusual for a timepiece that’s almost 60 years old.
4th Place: “The Legend” for $4.18 Million
Another Daytona “Paul Newman” (ref. 6263) in the ranking of the most expensive Rolexes? This model is a chronograph made from solid yellow gold. The dial is a so-called lemon dial in a very light gold tone and with an ROC (Rolex Cosmograph Oyster) inscription. The pushers are also screwed on. Only three (!) specimens of this version of the Daytona are known of. Thus, it is rightly nicknamed “The Legend.” The rare piece was worth $4.18 million to one collector at auction.
3rd Place: The Rolex of the Last Emperor of Vietnam for $5.1 Million
Third place among the most expensive Rolex models goes to a watch that combines all of the above: high-quality materials, a prominent wearer, and a limited edition. To be precise, it is the only Rolex of its kind. Known as the “Bao Dai Rolex,” the watch from 1954 is essentially a solid gold Oyster Perpetual with a black dial, diamond indices, an annual calendar with a rotating pointer date, and a moon phase display at 6 o’clock. Made for Bao Dai, the last emperor of Vietnam, this watch was auctioned for the first time in 2002 for $235,000. Fifteen years later, it changed hands for $5.1 million at a Phillips auction and went down in history as one of the most expensive Rolex models ever sold.
2nd Place: The “Apocalypse Now” Rolex for $5.37 Million
In second place, we find another watch from a former celebrity. This time, it’s Marlon Brando’s GMT-Master ref. 1675, which the American actor wore in the film “Apocalypse Now.” Brando removed the blue and red GMT bezel himself because he thought it was too flashy. He also carved “M. Brando” into the case back of the watch. The GMT-Master was first auctioned at Phillips in 2019 for a whopping $1.95 million. Four years later, the watch reappeared and fetched $5.37 million at a Christie’s auction.
1st Place: Paul Newman’s Cosmograph Daytona for $17.8 Million
And that brings us to the frontrunner. Here it is, the most expensive Rolex in the world: the one and only Paul Newman Daytona from 1968. This watch, which gave all the other models with an exotic dial their nicknames, was long thought to have disappeared. Newman had received his Daytona as a gift from his wife and passed it on to James Cox, his daughter’s college boyfriend at the time. There was no trace of the watch for a long time. Collectors finally discovered the lost model on Cox’s wrist. He decided to put the watch up for auction in New York in October 2017. The starting bid of one million dollars was immediately increased tenfold by the first bidder, whereupon only two bidders drove the price up to a record sum of $17.8 million in an intense bidding battle lasting a heated twelve minutes. Newman’s Daytona was neither made from special materials nor produced in particularly small numbers. The only thing that makes this watch so interesting for collectors is its history. This is why it’s not only the most expensive Rolex to date, but also one of the most expensive watches in the world.
