Rolex rarely creates one off Cosmograph Daytona watches for public auction, which is exactly why the new Four Seasons set has attracted so much attention. Rather than introducing another regular production reference, Rolex has created four unique gem set Daytonas inspired by spring, summer, autumn and winter.
For readers who follow Rolex replica watches UK and the design language behind modern Rolex models, this release is useful for a different reason. It shows just how far Rolex can push the familiar Daytona shape without losing the identity of the watch underneath.
The four watches will be auctioned by Phillips in London on 28 September 2026, with the proceeds benefiting the Federer Foundation and Re:wild. That makes the event particularly relevant to UK collectors and watch enthusiasts, because one of the year’s most unusual Rolex auctions is taking place directly in London.
Four Daytonas Built Around the Four Seasons
The idea is straightforward, but the execution is anything but restrained. Each watch uses a different precious metal, natural stone dial and gemstone palette to represent one season.
What I find most interesting is that Rolex has not changed the fundamental Daytona architecture. The familiar chronograph layout, Oyster case and three counter arrangement are still there. Instead, the character of each watch comes from colour, material and surface treatment.
Spring Brings the Lightest and Most Delicate Look
The Spring model is housed in 18 ct white gold and uses a chrysoprase dial with lepidolite counters. Its bezel is set with 36 trapeze cut purple sapphires, while the lugs and crown guards are decorated with brilliant cut diamonds.
The combination is softer than many modern gem set Rolex designs. Purple, green and white metal create a cooler palette that suits the idea of spring without looking overly literal.
From a design perspective, this is a good example of how gem set Rolex Daytona dial details can completely change the personality of a familiar chronograph.
Summer Is the Boldest of the Four
The Summer Daytona moves in the opposite direction. Its 18 ct Everose gold case is paired with a turquoise dial and counters made from heart of ruby.
Pink sapphires appear around the bezel and at the hour markers, giving the watch a much warmer appearance than Spring. Against the turquoise dial, those pink tones become even more noticeable.
It is easily the most extroverted watch in the set. If the Spring version feels delicate, Summer feels deliberately bright and expressive.
Autumn Feels Surprisingly Balanced
The Autumn version may be the easiest of the four to understand visually. It uses an 18 ct yellow gold case, a mookaite dial and chrysoprase chronograph counters.
The bezel is set with green tourmalines, with matching stones used for the hour markers. Those greens work naturally against the warmer tones of the mookaite dial and yellow gold case.
For me, this is probably the most coherent design in the group. It is colourful, but the colours still feel connected rather than simply decorative.
Winter Is the Most Dramatic
Winter uses 950 platinum and a blue opal dial with lapis lazuli counters. The bezel is set with sapphires that move from blue through to fuchsia, while the hour markers use diamonds rather than coloured gemstones.
The cooler metal and blue stone dial give Winter the strongest contrast of the four. The gradient bezel also makes it immediately recognisable even from a distance.
Among the four watches, this is probably the one that feels furthest removed from a conventional Daytona while still retaining the model’s unmistakable proportions.
Why This Auction Matters Beyond the Gemstones
It would be easy to look at these watches only as rare jewellery pieces, but there is more going on here. Rolex is using one of its most recognisable models as the basis for four genuinely unique designs, rather than simply changing a dial colour or metal combination.
The auction also has a clear charitable purpose. Proceeds from the four lots will benefit the Federer Foundation, which supports children’s education, and Re:wild, which works on conservation and ecosystem restoration.
That combination of rarity, official Rolex provenance and charitable context is likely to make the sale closely watched.
What Replica Watch Readers Can Learn From the Four Seasons Daytona
For people interested in Rolex Daytona replica watch design, the Four Seasons set is useful because it highlights which details define the Daytona even when almost everything decorative around them changes.
The three subdials, case shape, chronograph pushers, crown guards and overall proportions remain recognisable across all four watches. These structural elements matter more to the Daytona identity than any single dial colour or bezel material.
That is worth remembering when comparing replica interpretations. A dramatic dial can attract attention, but proportions, subdial placement, bezel geometry and case shape usually determine whether a watch still looks convincing as a Daytona.
A Particularly Relevant Rolex Story for the UK
Because the sale is taking place in London, this is one of those Rolex stories that has a genuine UK connection rather than simply adding UK to a headline for search purposes.
Readers who want to explore more of the model’s history, references and design variations can visit our Rolex Cosmograph Daytona collection, where we look more closely at the details that distinguish different Daytona generations and styles.
Final Thoughts
The Four Seasons Daytonas are unusual because Rolex has taken one of its most familiar sports watches and treated it almost like a canvas. Spring is restrained, Summer is vivid, Autumn is warm and balanced, while Winter is the most dramatic of the group.
None of them will appeal to everyone, and that is part of what makes the set interesting. These are not conventional production watches designed to satisfy the broadest possible audience. They are four one off interpretations of the Daytona, each with its own personality and a charitable purpose behind the sale.
For UK watch enthusiasts, the London auction makes this more than just another distant Rolex announcement. It is one of the rare occasions when four genuinely unique Daytonas will appear together in the UK, and that alone makes the event worth following.