The 5 Most Expensive Rolex Watches Ever Sold

By Charlie Dunne

The world of record-breaking Rolex watch prices is evolving and always exciting. An article focused on the five most expensive Rolex watches ever sold publicly will be subject to many updates over the following years. At this time, it also appears that the five most expensive Rolex watches ever sold are each categorized as vintage Rolex watches. These watches have in some instances influenced collector trends, while others achieved great results because of their provenance and period of sale. Interestingly, the first Rolex to ever surpass $1M dollar was the reference 4113 in 2011 at Christie’s.

There are plenty affordable vintage watches out there (read about my top 10 affordable watches here). Are the watches covered in this list my favorite watches ever sold? Not necessarily. If you would like to read about [in my view] the “best” vintage Rolex watches to collect, certainly look into this article here.

Note: We are not including the Rolex “Unicorn” Daytona reference 6265 in 18k white gold as it seems clear that the watch was not in its original condition. Honorable mentions go to the Rolex Split-Seconds Chronograph reference 4113 that sold for CHF2,405,000 in 2016, a similar Rolex Split-Seconds Chronograph reference 4113 that sold for for €3,284,000 in 2024, a Rolex “Zenith” Daytona reference 16516 with lapis lazuli dial that sold for 25,375,000 HKD or $3.27 million USD at Sotheby’s in 2020, the platinum Rolex Yacht-Master 16620PT (Former Property of Patrick Heiniger) that sold for €2,316,800 in 2023, the Rolex ”The Legend” Paul Newman Daytona Reference 6263 in 18K Yellow Gold sold for CHF3,414,000 at Christie’s in 2022.

5) Rolex” The Legend” “Paul Newman” Daytona Reference 6263 in 18K Yellow Gold (CHF3,722,000 or approximately $4,180,000 USD in 2017)

Any Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona - defined as the four-digit Daytonas with exotic dials made by Singer featuring small boxes in the registers for easier legibility - is a desirable and expensive watch. Even examples in extremely poor condition sell for north of $100,000. At the top of the food chain for Paul Newman Daytonas - outside of those with exceptional provenance - is the reference 6263 (a model with a black acrylic bezel and screw-down pushers) in 18k yellow gold. Only a few are known in gold and they feature a yellowish “lemon” dial with black registers and white graphics and numerals in the registers. This example sold for an equivalent of over $4 million USD in 2017.

https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080117/237

4) Rolex Daytona Diamond-Pavé Dial, Sapphire Indexes, Baguette Diamond-Set Bezel Reference 6270 ( CHF3,690,000 or $4,122,905 USD in 2023)

The Rolex Daytona reference 6270 is the highly influential and rare model that rarely appear. It could be argued that the 6270, along with the 6269, were the first true “luxurious” Daytonas. While collector’s were aware of these watches, this his example seemingly put on the map in 2019 by John Mayer’s Talking Watches Part 2 on HODINKEE. The high-profile sale of this watch in 2023 saw the highest value achieved for diamond-set Daytona models. Dating to the late 1980s, these remain some of the most attractive diamond-set watches ever made.

https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080123/102

3) Rolex “Bao Dai” Reference 6062 (CHF5,066,000 or $5,060,427 USD in 2017)

Of the watches on this list, the 6062 is interesting in that it is the only “complicated” Rolex. More often, the record breaking watches will consist of Rolex Daytonas, while Submariners and GMT-Masters remain “affordable”. The 6062 was among the most complicated Rolex watches produced, incorporating calendars and moonphases which are a theme in many of the highest performing Patek Philippe watches from the same era.

First consigned at Philips in 2002, it sold $235,000. This was a very strong price for the era, yet it would go on to sell for $5,060,427 in 2017. At the time, this was the the most expensive Rolex ever sold at auction! The bracelet was interestingly added before the second auction, as it was initially sold at auction in 2002, as well as depicted in John Goldberger’s book, on a strap.

https://www.phillips.com/detail/ROLEX/CH080117/93

3) Marlon Brando’s Rolex GMT-Master 1675 (CHF4,582,500 or $5,124,783 in 2023)

The Rolex GMT-MAster reference 1675 is truly an iconic watch and one of my favorite wristwatches ever produced. There’s no other watch like the Rolex GMT-Master reference 1675. 1675s are incomparable to any other watch as the variety of dials and beautiful bezels can be profoundly different across years of production and manner in which they have aged over time. Interesting to note, many collectors are highly influenced to purchase a GMT by amazing colors of the bezel insert. Yet, the most expensive Rolex GMT-Master reference 1675 sold publicly was absent of a bezel all together! Marlon Brando’s famous GMT worn in the film Apocalypse Now initially for $1.952 million in 2019 (this same auction featured golf legend Jack Nicklaus's Day-Date reference 1803 which sold for $1.22 million). Just four years later, Brando’s GMT-Master reference1675 would go for over $5,124,783 with buyers premium at Sotheby’s. This GMT - and the following two watches - are great examples on the value of provenance.

To learn more about the steel Rolex GMT-Master 1675, read our collector’s guide.

https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6446731

2) Paul Newman’s Rolex “Big Red” Daytona Reference 6263 ($5,475,000 in 2020)

In 2020, actor, philanthropist and wristwatch icon Paul Newman’s personal “Big Red” Daytona reference 6263 would come to auction. Paul wore his Big Red during the 1980s, and would eventually wear a Zenith Daytona in the 1990s. Riding high off of the record breaking 6239 auctioned 3 years earlier, the watch would achieve an outstanding result of $5,475,000.

https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/NY080120/38

1) Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona “Paul Newman” Reference 6239 ($17,752,500 in 2017)

We arrive at the top of the food chain. Paul Newman’s Paul Newman. Paul seemingly wore his “exotic” 6239 Daytona for the longest period of the three Daytonas he owned from around 1969, when he received the watch as a gift from his wife Joanne Woodward while he was filming the movie Winning, into the 1980s when he gifted it to the boyfriend of one of his daughters while building a treehouse in his backyard in Connecticut. In 2017, Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona reference 6239 came to auction and marked a historical sale of $17.8 million USD. Paul Newman’s personal Rolex became the most expensive vintage Rolex watch ever sold. At the time, it was also the most expensive wristwatch ever sold, only eventually surpassed by a unique Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime reference 6300A at the 2019 Only Watch auction that sold for CHF31,000,000.

https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/NY080117/8

A special acknowledgement to Eric Tortella and Gabriel Tortella of Tortella and Sons - as we double checked this list before publishing and noticed an update was needed.