Racing Driver's Prized Rolex Watch Sold for the Benefit of Ukraine's Children

A unique Rolex Daytona watch was sold Thursday evening for EUR 88,800 (including buyer’s premium) at Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers in Copenhagen. The watch was won by Danish racing driver Michael Christensen in 2017 at the prestigious 24 hours of Daytona race. Michael Christensen now wants to donate the profits from the sale to Save the Children in Ukraine.

Excitement filled the saleroom on Thursday evening when a unique Rolex Daytona watch came up for auction. On the front row sat the owner of the watch, Danish racing driver Michael Christensen. The watch, which Christensen won in 2017 at the 24 hours of Daytona race, had an estimated value of EUR 33,500-40,500, but achieved a hammer price of a whopping EUR 88,800 (including buyer’s premium).

For Michael Christensen, the sale of the winning watch had a very special purpose. He had chosen to put the watch up for auction in order to donate the profits from the sale to the children of Ukraine.

"The watch is dear to my heart, as it was awarded to me after one of my biggest and proudest victories. At the same time, the situation in Ukraine is absolutely terrible and sad, and most children in Ukraine are growing up under completely different circumstances than I did. If I can help just a little bit, so they can look forward to a better life, I want to do it," said Michael Christensen before the auction.

Christensen, who followed the auction himself in the saleroom in Copenhagen, was therefore very happy about the result:

"It has been a long journey, and of course my nerves have been worn a little thin during the recent days. The decision to sell my Rolex Daytona watch was both a sad and satisfying decision. With the charitable purpose in mind and Bruun Rasmussen's commitment, the sale made more and more sense to me during the process. Now I'm just so relieved that it went so well with a hammer price of half a million Danish kroner this evening," says an elated Michael Christensen.

Besides the 24 Hours of Daytona, Michael Christensen has also won races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, the 24 Hours of Spa, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and in the 2018/19 season he won the official WC "FIA WEC" in the GTE class.

Bruun Rasmussen was also very pleased with the conclusion of the sale:

"We are very glad to be able to sell such a rare watch for such a worthy cause – especially in these times when dark clouds are gathering over Europe. We are of course grateful that Michael Christensen chose to sell his unique watch with us, as we certainly will not see such a watch at our auctions again. It has been an unforgettable experience," says Vilhelm Islandi Bramsen, Head of Bruun Rasmussen's department for wristwatches.

A Truly Unique Daytona Watch

The new owner can look forward to getting a very special Rolex Daytona watch around the wrist. Uniquely, the wristwatch is laser engraved, which shows that it was presented as a prize to the winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona race. Inspired by the sport of racing, the watch is designed with a stopwatch function and a tachymeter that can be used to measure speed.

In 1965, Rolex launched the Daytona model. Initially, the model was called the Le Mans, but Rolex quickly decided that the Daytona name suited the watch better. The model is named after the 24 hours of Daytona race in Daytona Florida, which has long been the centre for some of the world's most popular motor races. The watch has appeared in countless variations over the years and has been on the market since 1965.