The 10 most expensive Rolex watches ever sold


5. James Bond’s 1973 Rolex 5513 Submariner – $450,000
This rare and special Rolex graced the hands of Roger Moore in the 1973 James Bond movie “Live and Let Die.” Custom made to be worn by the iconic British secret service agent himself, the Rolex 5513 Submariner was completely modified and actually had the movement removed during pre-production to equip it with special gadgets such as a razor disc and magnetic field. The watch was put on sale in 2011 at Christie’s along with the original concept drawings by Syd Cain and two framed images of Moore wearing the watch as James Bond in the film.


4. Rolex GMT Master Ice 116769TBR – $576,800
The GMT Master II Ice has the distinction of the most opulent men’s watch Rolex has ever made. With an official retail price of $576,800, it is also the highest priced watch Rolex has ever sold. The watch is in 18k white gold and nearly 30 carats of brilliantly cut diamonds cover nearly every inch of it. The 40mm case and the lugs are set with 79 round diamonds, while the bezel of the watch is encrusted with baguette cut diamonds. The bracelet is also in matching 18k white gold covered in diamonds and comes with an Oysterlock clasp. The Rolex GMT Master Ice is a perfect blend of extravagant luxury and the technological innovation Rolex is known for.

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3. Eric Clapton 1971 Rolex Daytona – $1.4M
This extremely rare Rolex once owned by rock n’ roll legend Eric Clapton has broken auction house records whenever it has gone under the hammer. Previously selling for over half a million dollars in 2008, the Rolex, also known as “Albino Oyster,” smashed every record for any Rolex watch ever sold at auction in 2015 by selling for $1.4 million. It earned the nickname of “Albino” because of the monochrome silver colored background and subsidiary dials, which was completely different to the normally contrasting dials of more common Rolex Daytona watches. This unusual feature of the watch earned it the rarity all vintage Rolex collectors look for and made it one of the most sought after watches.


2. 1942 Rolex Antimagnetique Reference 4113 – $2.4M
The Antimagnetique Reference 4113 from 1942 had managed to set a record for the most expensive Rolex sold in the year 2016 by selling for $2.4 million at the unique Start-Stop-Reset auction of stainless steel chronographs by Phillips. Designed for racecar drivers to allow them to time their laps with the chronograph, only 12 examples of the watch were ever made with just 8 of them reported to still exist. The extremely rare watch features silver matte dials, 17 jewels, and applied pink-gold Arabic and baton numerals. The same watch had previously held the record of the most expensive Rolex by selling for $1.16 million in 2011.

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1. Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona – $17.8M
Considered as the most important wristwatch in the world, Paul Newman’s iconic Daytona Rolex which was given to the legendary American actor by his wife, Joanne Woodward, with the engraving “DRIVE CAREFULLY ME,” was recently put up for sale. Everyone expected it to break all previous records; so it did. Auctioned by Phillips, Newman’s Rolex Daytona was sold for $17.8 million making it not only the most expensive Rolex but also the most expensive wristwatch ever sold. It absolutely obliterated the previous highest recorded price for a wristwatch which was held by a Patek Philippe watch that sold for $11.1 million.

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Written By
Sayan Chakravarty, a Senior Writer at Luxurylaunches, brings over 10 years of automotive journalism expertise. He provides insightful coverage of the latest cars and motorcycles across American and European markets, while also highlighting luxury yachts, high-end watches, and gadgets. An authentic automobile aficionado, his commitment shines through in educating readers about the automotive world. When the keyboard rests, Sayan feeds his wanderlust, traversing the world on his motorcycle.