Elton John’s Leopard-Print Rolex Daytona Sells for Record Amount at Auction

Elton John’s leopard-print Rolex Daytona has just set a worldwide auction record for the model. It occurred on the first night of Christie’s Sir Elton John Goodbye Peachtree Road sale, which is selling off key pieces of the musician’s personal collections.

Included in the lot alongside the leopard Rolex Daytona are a variety of the singer’s on-stage costumes, jewelry, a number of works by famous artists including Helmut Newton and Richard Avedon, and a 1990 Bentley.

The Daytona has an estimated value of $60,000 but sold for an astonishing $176,400, nearly three times that price. It was part of John's private collection, stored in his condo in Atlanta.

The watch came with a signed reference card inside a 40 mm case made from 18-karat gold. It was crafted in 2001 but debuted in 2004, when it was the talk of the Basel Fair. The Rolex Daytona is bezel encrusted with 36 square-cut yellow sapphires and hoods boasting 48 brilliant-cut diamonds, along with eight diamond-set numerals.

Though it’s the most paid at auction for a Rolex Daytona, it wasn’t the most expensive watch John offloaded last night. His limited-edition Cartier Crash sold for $277,200 against a value of $70K. The singer’s signed Cartier Tank Normale likewise went for $176,400, well above its $20K estimated value.

The most expensive sale of the night, though, wasn’t a watch but rather a portrait by notorious street artist Banksy. Entitled Flower Thrower Triptych, the spray-painted work was created in 2017 and bought by John directly from the artist. It depicts a man preparing to throw a bouquet across three frames of different sizes. The painting sold for $1.95 million against an estimated value of $1M to $1.5M.

Christie’s private Sir Elton John Goodbye Peachtree Road will take place until February 28. You can check out the other lot items here.