The Paul Newman Daytona, the most costly Rolex ever, takes the first place of this list. Of course, Daytona "Paul Newman" dials take their name from a once-unfashionable exotic dial worn by the famous actor and racer. It's known with the nickname of "Panda" because of its off-white matte dial, which stands out against the black subsidiary dials and outer chapter ring. The current sample is brand new on the market and thus qualifies as a trophy watch for vintage watch collectors.

Because of the configuration and print of the inscription, collectors refer to the dial as a "Mark I.75." The luminous hour markers have aged to a lovely caramel color and are still in good condition. The lettering is in an art deco design, and the hash marks with little squares on the subsidiary dial are typical of "Paul Newman" dials. Screw-down pushers for better water resistance are another feature of the reference. A Rolex Daytona with a "Panda Paul Newman" face is a dream in the world of antique watches, where one is a must-have.

Price: 16.5 million Swiss francs ($17.7 million)

Another fascinating name is the Ref. 6265. The Rolex Daytona ref. 6265, dubbed "The Unicorn," is the world's only known white gold vintage Daytona, and Phillips will have the honor of selling it on behalf of its well-known owner, John Goldberger.

This 1970 white-gold Cosmograph features a black "SIGMA" dial and a stunning bark-finished bracelet unlike any other. The style was originally designed for a German shop and comes with a leather strap. The weirdly placed Greek characters next to the 'Swiss' mark at the bottom of this dial are part of the design. The case and bezel are both made of white gold and measure 37mm in diameter. When the chronograph function is activated, the black dial includes white gold baton hour markers and three subdials that measure the seconds, minutes, and hours of elapsed time.

The Unicorn is in excellent shape, and the case hallmark may be seen at the lugs. The crown, which appears to be a different color than the casing, is an interesting aspect of the watch. The unusual color is due to the crown being composed of steel rather than white gold. We're not sure why Rolex did this, but it adds to the mystique of 'The Unicorn.'

Price: 5.973 million Swiss francs

To grasp the significance of The Bao Dai's sale, one must first comprehend its background and context. The Indochina War has ended, and international leaders are convening in Geneva to debate the future. Bao Dai, Vietnam's soon-to-be-last Emperor, takes a break for some fresh air. He walks across the street to a Rolex store. He specifically desires the rarest and most valuable Rolex ever created.

Only three black dial Rolex 6062 models are known to be set with diamond markers, and this one is in yellow gold. While two instances have six diamond hour markers, this item from The Geneva Watch Auction: FIVE has five diamond numerals for even numbers and an unusual dial configuration, making it really unique. It's worth noting that the Rolex crown was relocated down due to the diamond numeral at 12 o'clock, making it impossible to have the "Rolex Oyster Perpetual '' over the day and month apertures. The inscription "Officially Certified Chronometer" was also moved below the moon phase indication from the center of the dial.

Price: 5.066 million Swiss francs

This Ref. 6263, popularly known as "The Legend", was once the most expensive Daytona to sell at auction, and was the subject of a dramatic bidding war between two men four years ago, with the successful bidder even stepping out as the hammer fell. It's one of only three yellow-gold Oyster Paul Newman Daytona models believed to exist, and it has a tremendously gorgeous lemon grené Paul Newman dial. Many collectors believed for years that a model with screw-down rather than pump pushers would never appear at auction.

Rolex experimented with different dial layouts before releasing the Reference 6263 in 1969. This was one of the very first versions ever released. The white graphics on the subdial counters contrast sharply with the gold sub dial elements of the Paul Newman models Ref. 6239 and 6241. According to Phillips, it is the most costly Rolex Daytona gold version. Phillips sold the extremely rare yellow-gold chronograph with matching bracelet for 3.7 million Swiss francs in May 2017.

Price: 3.7 million Swiss Francs

"The Neanderthal" is next on the list of the most expensive Rolex watches ever sold at auction. The name of this model, which was introduced in 1966, comes from the dial's pre-"Paul Newman" qualities. The watch's distinctive dial is crucial for giving Cosmograph Daytona lovers a better knowledge of the model. Large subdial counters (now known as "Big Eye" counters) almost touch the outer white seconds track, giving it remarkable proportions. Furthermore, the watch bears no clear traces of its origins, as Rolex elected to leave the terms Oyster and Cosmograph off the dial.

The Ref. 6240 model was first produced in 1965 and was available only in stainless steel with an acrylic bezel with a tachymeter scale. The Cosmograph was also the first to include screw-down chronograph pushers. These first-generation pushers have developed a layer of patina, and they're accompanied by an original twinlock 700-series winding crown, which is easily identifiable thanks to the Rolex coronet. Phillips sold the odd model for 3.012 million Swiss francs in May of 2018.

Price: 3.021 million Swiss francs

The watch's worth is obvious: it's the only platinum Daytona with a lapis lazuli hard stone dial known. It, like the watch above, is powered by the Rolex calibre 4030. The watch's caseback bears the inscription "Pour J-F Gobbi XII 1998" despite its presumed manufacture date of 1999, when only a small number of platinum Rolex models were produced.

This watch is supposedly "historically significant" in addition to being the only known platinum Daytona with a lapis lazuli hard stone dial. It marks the end of an era when Rolex used Zenith El Primero automatic movements in their Daytonas. There are 31 jewels in this cal. 4030 movement. And don’t forget about the rarity of platinum Daytonas.

Despite the fact that the movement had not been tested for accuracy and precision, and Sotheby's had given no assurances about the movement's future functioning or the authenticity of individual components, the clock still sold for over 3 million Swiss francs (HKD 25.375 million) in July 2020.

Price: over 3.03 million Swiss francs

The turquoise mineral stone dial is one of only five Rolex Cosmograph "Zenith" Daytona platinum models (Ref. 16516) manufactured on the order of Patrick Heiniger, Rolex's then-chief executive, in 1999. This material had never been seen previously on a Daytona model, hence the dial's uniqueness was crucial to the model's popularity. The 40mm platinum case and brown leather band are superbly complimented by the unusual turquoise dial, which almost looks to sparkle under direct light. The turquoise stone dial of this Rolex is absolutely unique, as the material has never been used previously in the Daytona.

It is said that the ultra-rare watch is one of only five "Zenith" specimens created by former Rolex CEO Patrick Heiniger in 1998. The five platinum Daytonas were reportedly manufactured as a test run for dials made of unusual materials, with Heiniger gifting four to important business colleagues and keeping the fifth for himself. There are only two turquoise dials reported to exist. Furthermore, the Rolex caliber 4030, which is based on Zenith's legendary El Primero movement, powers the Daytona. In 2021, Sotheby's sold the watch for roughly 2.88 million Swiss francs.

Price: 2.88 million Swiss francs

The Antimagnetique Ref. 4113, a record-setting Rolex from 1942, is one of only 12 models ever made. A stainless-steel case houses all 12 parts. The Ref. 4113 was never made available to the general public; instead, it was only available to racing teams and their drivers. The split-seconds chronograph watch is clearly distinct from the bulk of other Rolex models.

Aside from its rarity, the 44 mm watch sports an intriguing dial with elevated pink gold-colored Arabic and baton hour markers, as well as a blue telemeter scale. Furthermore, the silvered matte dial has developed an exquisite patina over the past seven decades. Furthermore, the case's original satin finish is still visible on the sides and back.

Only 12 instances of the Reference 4113, the largest Rolex ever manufactured, are known to exist, all of which are stainless steel. Reference 4113 was never for sale to the general public; instead, it was given to a small number of racing teams and their drivers.

Price: 2.4 million Swiss francs

The "Oyster Sotto" Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 6263 is the first Daytona in our list of the most expensive Rolex watches. The Rolex Paul Newman Ref. 6263 is still the king of the auction block, with one on offer for exorbitant amounts at almost every sale. The Paul Newman "tropical" dial on this stainless-steel chronograph from 1969 is exceptionally unusual. It features a very unusual outer red 1/5 seconds division track, making it quite desirable. Art-deco style Arabic numerals and squared markings on the subdials are also typical "Paul Newman" dial features.

This timepiece, with its vintage-looking dark brown dial, is one of just two that bear the moniker "Oyster Sotto." "Oyster below" is the Italian translation. This is because the words "Oyster" appear beneath "Cosmograph" on the dial. Furthermore, the screw-down pushers on these two Oyster-cased Daytonas make them the first Paul Newman-style dials to have greater water resistance. Phillips sold the "Oyster Sotto" Cosmograph Daytona for 1.985 million Swiss francs in 2016.

Price: 1.985 million Swiss francs

Marlon Brando, star of The Godfather and A Streetcar Named Desire, originally owned this artwork. The Rolex GMT Master Ref. 1675, which had been assumed to be lost for a long time, was given the nickname "Apocalypse Now" after being worn by the actor in the 1979 film of the same name.

The GMT Master is in excellent condition in the metal, with a crisp case, defined lug holes, and a gorgeous matte dial. The watch appears to have been worn on a strap, with minimal wear on the back side of the lugs, and while the strap on the watch now is not original, it does capture the vibe well enough. The bezel is still missing, having been removed during filming to give Kurt's existence on the precipice more plausibility.

The watch, which was made in 1972, is notable for its absence of a bezel and comes with a black rubber strap that matches the dial. The Ref. 1675's brilliant hour markers and hands are now beige, indicating that it is clearly a vintage piece. In addition, the watch's face, hands, case, crystal, and crown are all original. In 2019, Phillips sold it for 1.8 million Swiss francs (USD 1.9 million).

Price: 1.8 million Swiss francs ($1.9 million)