Pharrell's auction house sold a 'holy grail' watch collection for over $1 million. These are the 5 priciest pieces.

Business Insider

3 days ago

Pharrell Williams opened up a trove of watches for wealthy collectors to peruse for nearly two weeks.
The musician and entrepreneur's online auction house, Joopiter, said it sold just over $1 million worth of luxury watches, including Rolex, Cartier, and Hermès models, that were put up for bidding in July.
The auction was described as a curated selection of collectible watches that span generations of style. It's unclear how many of them, if any, were part of Williams' private collection. He's been spotted in watches from many of the brands that went up for auction.
Robertino Altieri, CEO of WatchGuys.com, said the "eclectic collection featured some holy grails, vintage pieces, and Japanese watches that sold at some surprising prices."
For example, two one-of-a-kind watches from Ōtsuka Lōtec each sold for $12,500 and $13,750 apiece, respectively, about $10,000 more than the brand typically retails for.
Five watches in the collection made up the majority of the $1 million grand total. Together, these items cost $756,250.
These are the most expensive watches sold in the auction, and how much they went for.
Rolex Daytona Ref. 16519 'Sodalite': $43,750
The Daytona "Sodalite" sold on the "higher end of its expected value," Altieri said.
The watch — made with a rare blue sodalite dial and eight diamond indexes — is the first Daytona model to be produced in white gold with a stone dial.
"Rolex remains king when it comes to the secondary market," Altieri said.
Cartier Tank Cintrée Ref. WGTA0090 'NSO': $62,500
This Cartier Tank Cintrée is a "one-of-a-kind model that was made as a special order," Altieri said. He wasn't surprised the watch sold for so much at auction.
"This unique dial color makes it especially special, as the blue is extremely rare for Cartier watches," he told Business Insider.
Joopiter described it as a unique creation made through Cartier's exclusive New Special Order program, which ended in 2025, watch publication Hodiknee reported in April.
Rolex Day-Date Ref. 18366 'Platinum Baguette Lapis Lazuli': $125,000
This specific Rolex Day-Date model has a bezel set with 24 baguette-cut diamonds — two for each platinum hour mark. Altieri said it's an off-catalog watch, meaning it's part of Rolex's exclusive secret menu that isn't promoted in its catalog or website.
"Williams has a flair for rare dial colors and off-catalog pieces," Altieri said. "These tend to do well, so it was expected that these watches would sell around market value."
Richard Mille RM030 PSG: $137,500
Williams is no stranger to the Richard Mille brand. He's been spotted wearing the sporty watches on many occasions. The RM030 PSG is a limited-edition collaboration with the football club Paris Saint-Germain.
The final price was somewhat shocking for Altieri, considering similar models list for around $250,000.
"The sale price could potentially be attributed to the description, which suggested that it may require servicing," he said.
Patek Philippe Celestial Ref. 6104R-001: $387,500
Despite the hefty price tag for the highest-ticket item sold in the auction, Altieri said it's considered a low point for a Patek Philippe with a market value between $400,000 and $700,000. It features a diamond bezel and a starry dial.
"While this low selling price may be shocking to some, this is somewhat expected as a piece like this is very particular and has a small client base seeking it out," Altieri said.