Rolex has announced it will put under the hammer four one-of-a-kind Cosmograph Daytona watches, with proceeds split between the Federer Foundation and Re:wild, the conservation charity co-founded by Leonardo DiCaprio.
Each watch corresponds to one of the four seasons and was created using Rolex’s gem-setting expertise, a discipline the brand rarely applies to fully unique pieces. The four pieces are cased in 18ct yellow, Everose or white gold, or in platinum, with dials cut from natural stone and hour markers set in coloured gemstones or diamonds. Each bezel carries its own coloured gemstones, while the lugs and crown guards are diamond-set. Rolex says the combination of stones, colours and finishes on each watch is meant to reflect the character of its season.
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The sale will be held on 28 September in London, in partnership with Phillips.
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The Federer Foundation, founded by Roger Federer in 2003, funds early-years education programmes in Southern Africa and Switzerland. Re:wild backs ecosystem restoration projects run with indigenous communities and local conservation groups.
Jean-Frédéric Dufour, Rolex’s chief executive, said the initiative reflected the brand’s view that ‘true excellence is measured not only by the quality of our products, but also by the positive impact we can have on the world.’
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For collectors, the sale is especially notable for its rarity, as Rolex only very occasionally confirms a watch as a genuine one-off, and a set of four is unusual even by that standard.
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The watches are expected to draw significant interest when they go under the hammer, though final estimates from Phillips have yet to be published.
