BY JOVAN
Rolex has never been a brand that needs to shout particularly loudly to get attention, but every now and then they do something that makes even the most familiar Rolex collector stop and look twice. This is one of those occasions, as Rolex has created four unique Cosmograph Daytona watches inspired by the four seasons, each combining precious metals, natural stones and an impressive amount of gem-setting, with all four pieces heading to auction in London later this month.
The watches will be sold as four separate lots by Phillips, with the proceeds going to the Federer Foundation and Re:wild as part of Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative.
It is also quite unusual to see Rolex create and publicly auction four genuine one-off watches like this, making the project interesting not only from a design perspective, but also from a collector’s point of view.
The Four Seasons
Rather than simply changing the dial color or case material, Rolex has given each Daytona its own combination of precious metal, natural stone, and colored gemstones. The idea is fairly simple, but the execution is anything but ordinary, with each watch intended to capture the atmosphere of a particular season.
Rolex Daytona “Spring” 126599 SAVL
Spring is perhaps the most unusual of the four, featuring an 18k white gold case with a chrysoprase dial and counters made from lepidolite. The bezel is set with 36 trapezoid-cut purple sapphires weighing approximately 5.57 carats, while the hour markers use a combination of baguette and square-cut purple sapphires. The lugs and crown guards are also set with 54 brilliant-cut diamonds.
Rolex Daytona “Summer” 126595 SARO
Summer takes a much warmer and more colorful direction. The case is Rolex’s 18k Everose gold, while the dial is made from turquoise with counters in heart-shaped ruby. Pink sapphires are used for the hour markers and bezel, with 36 trapezoid-cut stones weighing around 4.32 carats. Once again, diamonds are set into the lugs and crown guards.
Rolex Daytona “Autumn” 126598 TML
For Autumn, Rolex went with 18k yellow gold and a mookaite dial with chrysoprase counters. Green tourmalines provide the seasonal color, appearing both around the bezel and as the hour markers. It is probably the most earthy-looking of the four, and the combination of yellow gold, mookaite, and green stones works surprisingly well together.
Rolex Daytona “Winter” 126596 SABV
Winter takes things in another direction altogether. The case is made from 950 platinum and surrounds a blue opal dial with lapis lazuli counters. The hour markers are diamonds, while the bezel features 36 trapezoid-cut sapphires arranged in a blue-to-fuchsia gradient. The result is probably the most extravagant of the quartet, but it also feels very much like a winter interpretation of Rolex’s gem-setting capabilities.
Underneath all four watches is Rolex’s calibre 4131, the modern automatic chronograph movement used in the current Cosmograph Daytona. Each has approximately 72 hours of power reserve and carries Rolex’s Superlative Chronometer certification, so despite the very different exterior treatment, the mechanical foundation remains familiar.
What makes the project more interesting is where the money is going. The Federer Foundation, founded by Roger Federer, supports early and foundational education for children in Southern Africa and Switzerland, while Re, co-founded by Leonardo DiCaprio, works to protect and restore ecosystems around the world. Both organizations are closely connected to Rolex through its Perpetual Planet Initiative.
There is no doubt these four Daytonas are going to attract serious attention when they cross the Phillips Auction block in London. Rolex rarely produces true one-off pieces for public sale, and having four of them appear together, each representing a different season, makes this a particularly unusual chapter in the history of the Cosmograph Daytona.
Whether you love the amount of color and gemstones or think Rolex has gone a little too far, these are watches that are difficult to ignore. And in the end, that may be part of the fun. They are not meant to replace the everyday Daytona or become the next mainstream Rolex model. They are four completely unique watches created for a specific purpose, and on September 28, we will find out just how much collectors are willing to pay for them while supporting two very worthwhile causes.
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