246 Rolex A striking, rare and excellently preserved, Daytona "Eye of the Tiger" chronograph wristwatch, in yellow gold and diamonds,tiger motif dial, and full set of accessories. reference 116598TBR.

Estimate: € 200.000 –⁠ 400.000

Rolex has long mastered the art of metamorphosis—transcending tool-watch origins to craft creations that are nothing short of haute joaillerie. Nowhere is this alchemy more potent than in the maison’s gem-set sports watches, which occupy a rarefied echelon within the collecting world. And among these, few pieces express that fusion of opulence and performance quite like the Cosmograph Daytona offered here. Debuting at Baselworld 2019 to immediate fascination, and impressively rare to obtain even by the most revered clients at Rolex, reference 116598TBR swiftly earned the moniker “Eye of the Tiger”—an apt name for a watch that prowls the edge between ferocity and elegance. A study in dramatic contrasts, its yellow gold case frames a dial of extraordinary flamboyance: hypnotic black lacquer tiger stripes ripple through a pavé field of diamonds, encircled by champagne subdials and flanked by minute-indicating diamond markers—each one a calculated departure from Daytona convention. The bezel, set with 36 invisibly mounted trapeze-cut diamonds, is a technical marvel. The present example from 2022 elevates the concept further still, replacing the Oysterflex strap with a solid yellow gold and diamonds Oyster bracelet, while adorning the crown guards and lugs with additional diamond settings, transforming the watch into a symphony of brilliance and bravado. Preserved in virtually untouched condition, retaining its transparent caseback sticker and complete with its original accessories, this now-discontinued spectacle is far more than a timepiece,it is an embodiment of Rolex’s capacity to shock, seduce, and inspire in equal measure.