Carlitos, it should be noted, isn’t exactly a slouch in the watch department: He wore the yellow gold, turquoise-dialed Daytona ref. 126518LN to the gala.
Also debuting at Watches and Wonders this year, the model has come to be associated with the tennis star after he previously wore it to celebrate his victories at this year’s French Open and U.S. Open, plus his runner-up finish at Wimbledon.
But Federer’s “Blue Sapphire” is decidedly more special. It’s an “off-catalog” Rolex, which means the brand doesn’t technically acknowledge its existence to normal plebs like you and me. You have to be the most “V” of VIPs to even sniff one, and while the SRP for the watch is unconfirmed, the current market price is an astounding $1.5 million. That’s just a hair more than the $37,400 SRP of Alcaraz’s already very special gold Daytona.
In other words, most of us have zero chance of ever getting a Daytona “Blue Sapphire,” or even seeing one in public. The watch’s ultrarare, almost mythical status, combined with its tastefully executed luxury touches that actually look good — blue sapphires and a volcanic stone dial? What? — mean Fed’s new piece just may take the crown, so to speak, as the ultimate modern grail Daytona.