The fact that Rolex watches are expensive isn’t news to anyone. After all, they’re luxury watches and have always been associated with class and prestige. A few thousand watches are sold yearly at very high price points.

Rarity is the ultimate price driver for modern Rolex watches. As a coveted status symbol, the manufacturer produces limited quantities of each model yearly, leading to lengthy waiting lists and a high price tag. But even vintage Rolex watches produced years ago can be very expensive in the secondary market (sometimes more expensive than new ones).

The staggering prices of older Rolex watches can be attributed to their timeless appeal, historical significance, and sentimental value. These factors allow their value to appreciate over the years, fetching millions at auction when they’re eventually sold.

In this article, we’ll provide a list of some of the most expensive Rolex watches ever sold, exploring their captivating histories and exceptional qualities that set them apart and made them so valuable when they were sold.

Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona ref 6239 – Sold for $17.8 million in 2017

When Rolex became the official timekeeper for the Daytona International Speedway race in 1962, the brand developed a unique Reference 6234 chronograph wristwatch, which was nicknamed Daytona after the race.

As history shows, the original series, which was produced in small numbers between 1963 and the 1980s, didn’t catch on right away. However, in 1968, famous actor Paul Newman’s wife, Joanne Woodward, purchased a Daytona ref 6239 for him when Newman developed a keen interest in motorsports.

The watch was engraved with the words “Drive Carefully Me,” and Newman wore it like a lucky charm as he pursued his racing career. The watch appeared in several photographs, promotional materials, and even documentary footage featuring the Actor.

All of these popularized the Daytona series. Soon, the series’s watch with the reference numbers 6239, 6241, 6262, 6263, 6264, and 6265 were nicknamed after Paul Newman. They were all characterized by an “exotic dial” featuring contrasting outer seconds track with squarish-looking 1-12 indices, funky modern typeface, and block indices for the sub-dials.

Close to five decades later, Paul’s very own ref 6239 watch (which he gifted to his daughter’s boyfriend in 1984) was sold at a Phillips auction for a whopping $17.8 million price tag. The high price wasn’t surprising considering the watch’s unique history and association with Newman’s passion for speed and racing, which sealed its place in the Hall of Fame’s legendary timepieces.

Rolex Daytona ref 6265 ‘Unicorn’ – Sold for $5.9 million in 2018

The Rolex Daytona ref 6265 ‘Unicorn’ lives true to its nickname. The vintage watch is the only white gold Cosmograph Daytona Wristwatch ever produced by Rolex. The watch was produced in the 70s as part of the Daytona series, which was quite popular then.

Stainless steel or yellow gold cases were the norm for the manual winding Daytona models in the 70s, which is why the unicorn was unique when it was released. Rumour has it that the watch was a special order for an exclusive German client at the time.

The watch’s luxurious appeal was enhanced by its white gold casing, which made it exclusive and rare. The ref 6265 ‘Unicorn’ was destined to fetch a generous return in the secondary market thanks to its unique design and high market demand due to its rarity.

In 2018, the rare Daytona ref 6265 was sold for an impressive price of $5.9 million during a Phillips auction. The watch was in the possession of famed collector John Goldberger and was donated to the Phillips auction house. All proceeds from the sale went to the Children’s Action Charity Foundation.

Rolex ‘Bao Dai’ ref 6062 – Sold for $5.1 million in 2017

The Rolex ‘Bao Dai’ is a truly unique timepiece sold at auction for $5.1 million in 2017. The hefty price is worthy of a truly valuable one-of-a-kind wristwatch whose original owner was His Majesty Nguyễn Phúc Vĩnh Thụy, the Last Emperor of Vietnam’s Nguyen Dynasty.

The watch’s nickname is a reference to the Emperor’s title of “Bao Dai,” meaning the Keeper of Greatness. He was a wealthy ruler known for his opulent lifestyle and love for luxury items, including high-end wristwatches.

The yellow gold Rolex reference 6062 was already unique in itself. The watch, which was produced in the early 1950s, was one of three Rolex models with black dial and diamond marker sets. To further set this watch apart from other models, it had diamond markers at the even hours instead of odd hours like the other two.

So when the Bao Dai strolled into a luxury watch store in Geneva (the Chronometrie Philippe Benguin) and requested the rarest and most precious Rolex watch ever made, the ref 6062 was the perfect candidate. Ironically, the convention the Bao Dai attended in Geneva would split his country into two and seal his place as the Last Emperor of Vietnam, further boosting the imperial provenance of the wristwatch he purchased on the trip.

Unsurprisingly, the record sale of this watch in 2017 isn’t the first time it would fetch a hefty price at auction. The Royal family had the Rolex Bao Dai sold at auction for the first time in 2002, where it fetched a whopping CHF 370,000, making it the most expensive Rolex ever sold at the time. Fifteen years later, the Bao Dai broke the record again and was Rolex’s most expensive timepiece for a few months.

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 6263 ‘The Legend’ – Sold for $3.8 million in 2018

For several decades, the yellow-gold Paul Newman Daytona wristwatch only existed in Legends. Rumors that this ultra-rare watch exists were passed around in collector and scholar circles but were never confirmed by anyone. Even Rolex kept mum about it for years, raising the watch’s mythical status. So popular was this myth that the elusive wristwatch was nicknamed “the legend.”

So when the rare Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 6263 was discovered to be real in 2013, and it unsurprisingly caused a stir in the world of watch collection. The watch fetched a huge price of $3.8 million at auction when it was eventually sold in 2018.

This vintage Rolex Daytona was made back in 1969, in the early days of the reference’s production. Experts believe it is one of two examples of the yellow gold ‘Paul Newman’ Daytona. The watch was created at a time when Rolex was experimenting with dial configurations, which explains its unique design.

The most attractive attribute of this timepiece is its unique dial. The creamy lemon green shade of the dial contrasts sharply with the ivory-black dials commonly seen in stainless steel Paul Newman watches. The Legend also features a black outer seconds track and a black bezel. The eye-catching appearance of this watch and its unique provenance and rarity combine to create one of the most important Paul Newman ever sold.

Rolex Antimagnetique ref 4113 – Sold for $2.5 million in 2016

The Rolex Antimagnetique ref 4113 is an extraordinarily rare timepiece. Produced in 1942, this 44mm watch was Rolex’s only split-second chronograph Rolex ever made. Only 12 copies of the Rolex Antimagnetique were ever made and never released to the public. Instead, Rolex gifted them to famous racing teams and drivers. One of the people that got this watch was Ettore Bugatti.

The split-second chronograph complication featured in this watch was highly sought after in the 40s and 50s, but this was only one of many factors that made this watch unique and valuable. Another interesting attribute of this timepiece was that it was made from stainless steel material during a period of horological history when luxury watches were mostly crafted from rare metals.

Based on this combination of factors, the ref 411 is considered one of the rarest Rolex watches in existence. It was sold at a Phillips auction in 2016 for nearly $2.5 million, setting a record for the most expensive Rolex sold at the time.

Notable Mentions

In addition to the pricey and extremely valuable timepieces above, other notable mentions include:

●   Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 6240 “The Neanderthal” – Sold for 3.01 million in 2018

●   Apocalypse Now’ Rolex GMT-Master – sold for $1.95 million in 2019

●   Rolex Daytona Oyster ‘Albino’ ref 6263 – Sold for $1.5 in 2015.

●   Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 6264 “John Player Special” – Sold for $1.54 million in 2020

●   The platinum-cased Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 16516 – sold for $3.14 million in 2022

Conclusion

The common denominator with these expensive Rolex watches is that they were not necessarily expensive when they were first produced. They were some of the most understated pieces whose current value is tied to their unique history and provenance. They demonstrate the fascinating way Rolex timepieces tend to gain value with time, proving their worth as impressive collectible pieces and valuable stores of value for many years to come.