Clock and Cause: The Four Seasons Daytona Charity Auction

Rolex, a manufacturer famous for maintaining strict control over its production catalog and traditionally avoiding public sales, is officially presenting four factory-made, one-of-one timepieces directly to an auction house.

Titled "The Four Seasons," this unique quartet of Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytonas represents a major extension of Rolex's Perpetual Planet Initiative. Conducted by legendary auctioneer Aurel Bacs, 100% of the proceeds will be split evenly between two global causes: the Roger Federer Foundation, which improves early childhood education across Southern Africa and Switzerland, and Re:wild, the conservation organization co-founded by Leonardo DiCaprio to protect and restore global biodiversity.

Each timepiece in the collection captures the aesthetic essence of a season through a distinct combination of precious metals, exotic natural stone dials, and gem-set bezels:

• Spring ( Ref. 126599 SAVL): Encased in 18 ct white gold, featuring a vibrant green Chrysoprase dial paired with purple Lepidolite sub-dials and a bezel lined with 36 trapeze-cut purple sapphires.
• Summer ( Ref. 126595 SARO): Crafted in 18 ct Everose gold, combining a robin-egg Turquoise dial with Heart of Ruby sub-dials and trapeze-cut pink sapphires along the bezel.
• Autumn ( Ref. 126598 TML): Built in 18 ct yellow gold, featuring an earthy Mookaite Jasper dial, Chrysoprase sub-dials, and rich green tourmalines.
• Winter ( Ref. 126596 SABV): Formed in solid 950 platinum, showcasing a shimmering Blue Opal dial, Lapis Lazuli sub-dials, and a bezel set with sapphires fading in a gradient from fuchsia to ice-blue.

Across all four pieces, 54 brilliant-cut diamonds accentuate the lugs and crown guards, bringing the total count of individually set gemstones across the collection to 404.

While early industry speculation suggested the quartet might be sold together as a single box set, Rolex and Phillips pivoted to offer each watch as an individual lot. Driven by tremendous interest from over 1,000 registered bidders worldwide, offering the pieces individually allows collectors to compete for specific materials and color palettes.

More than an opportunity to acquire an unrepeatable piece of watchmaking history, this landmark charity auction demonstrates how high art, technical mastery, and celebrity ambassadorship can align to drive meaningful environmental and educational change.