Rolex is auctioning off four exclusive Daytona 'Four Seasons' for the Federer Foundation and Re:wild.

On September 28th, in London, Phillips will offer four one-off Cosmograph Daytona watches inspired by the seasons. This project, developed by Rolex in collaboration with Roger Federer and Leonardo DiCaprio, will benefit the Roger Federer Foundation and Re:wild.

Rolex is certainly not a brand accustomed to chasing the buzz of auctions. Precisely for this reason, the news of the four Cosmograph Daytona "Four Seasons" watches has left everyone pleasantly surprised. On September 28th, in London, Phillips will auction four unique pieces, each dedicated to a season of the year and crafted with a unique combination of precious metals, natural stones, and colored gemstones.

The initiative is a collaboration between Rolex and two of its most famous Testimonials, Roger Federer and Leonardo DiCaprio. All proceeds from the sale will go to the Roger Federer Foundation, which supports children's education in southern Africa and Switzerland, and to Re:wild, the organization founded by a group of conservation scientists and the American actor to protect and restore natural ecosystems. 

If Rolex creates a unique piece

The Cosmograph Daytona 'Four Seasons' are four unique pieces declared as such by Rolex itself and designed specifically for a charity auction.

It's an exceptional move for the Geneva-based manufacturer, traditionally very restrained in the way it presents its creations and decidedly reluctant to use uniqueness as a narrative lever. In this case, however, Rolex takes the language of the Cosmograph Daytona into the realm of fine jewelry through four interpretations linked by a single chromatic narrative.

The movement, case, and every component remain those of the Maison's most recognizable sports watch, but each piece radically changes personality thanks to the metal of the case, the natural stone dial, the contrasting counters, and the selection of gems.

All share 54 brilliant-cut diamonds, approximately 0,86 carats, set on the lugs and crown guards. The bezels, however, abandon the traditional tachometric scale to house 36 trapezoid-cut stones, selected in shades consistent with the season represented.

Spring: chrysoprase and purple sapphires

Spring is interpreted through an 18-carat white gold case and a chrysoprase dial, whose intense green hue is accompanied by lepidolite counters.

The bezel is set with 36 trapezoid-cut purple sapphires, for approximately 5,57 carats, while the indexes are composed of eight baguette-cut and three square-cut purple sapphires, set in white gold chatons.

It is perhaps the most immediately floral configuration of the four: the bright green of the natural stone and the purple of the gems create a bold, almost painterly contrast that transforms the Daytona into a celebration of rebirth and color.

Summer: turquoise and “heart of ruby”

For summer, Rolex chooses 18-karat Everose gold. The dial is made of turquoise, while the three subdials are crafted from a stone the Maison describes as a "heart of ruby."

The bezel features 36 trapezoid-cut pink sapphires, totaling approximately 4,32 carats. The same hue is repeated in the eight baguette-cut indexes and the three square indexes, set in rose gold chatons.

The result is the sunniest and most openly exuberant of the four interpretations. The blue of the dial evokes clear skies and crystalline waters, while the pink of the gems and the red of the subdials add a warm, almost tropical energy.

Autumn: mookaite and green tourmalines

Autumn adopts an 18-karat yellow gold case and a mookaite dial, a natural stone characterized by earthy hues and variations capable of making each surface unique.

The chrysoprase counters introduce a bold green contrast, echoed by the 36 trapezoid-cut tourmalines on the bezel, totaling approximately 4,32 carats. Eight baguette-cut green tourmalines and three square-cut ones mark the hours, housed in yellow gold chatons.

This is probably the model with the most complex palette: the warm tones of the mookaite interact with the bright green of the stones, conveying the image of a nature that changes without losing its vitality.

Winter: blue opal and a gradient of sapphires

The final chapter is entrusted to 950 platinum. Winter features a blue opal dial with lapis lazuli counters, combined with a bezel composed of 36 trapezoid-cut sapphires arranged in a gradient from blue to fuchsia, for approximately 5,57 carats.

Unlike the other three pieces, the indexes do not match the coloured gems on the bezel: Rolex has chosen eight baguette-cut diamonds and three square-cut ones, set in white gold chatons.

The composition is cool and luminous, but not austere. The chromatic transition of the bezel evokes the nuances of a winter sky at sunset, while the opal makes the dial change depending on the light.

Federer, DiCaprio and two foundations

The project brings together two worlds that Rolex has long supported. Roger Federer has been associated with the brand since 2006, and his foundation, established in 2003, works to provide children with better opportunities for learning and growth.

Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the most recognizable figures in contemporary environmentalism. Re:wild works with indigenous peoples, local communities, and local organizations to protect biodiversity and regenerate natural habitats.

The theme of the four seasons thus becomes more than an aesthetic expedient. On the one hand, it evokes the cycle of nature and the need to protect it; on the other, it suggests the idea of ​​time as an opportunity for growth, with a direct reference to the new generations supported by the Federer Foundation.

An auction destined to leave its mark

What makes the auction particularly significant is the combination of three elements that are difficult to replicate: the direct provenance from Rolex, the official status of one-of-a-kind pieces, and the entire proceeds going to charity.

The Daytona already holds a central place in the history of collecting, and some of its variations have achieved epochal success on the market. The Four Seasons, however, belong to a different category: they are contemporary creations conceived from the outset as unique pieces.

On September 28th, all eyes will be on London. Not only to see which of the four seasons will fetch the highest bid, but to witness one of the very rare moments when Rolex deliberately transforms its most celebrated watch into a unique piece. Or rather, into four.