Drake has added a rare off-catalog Rolex Cosmograph Daytona to his watch collection, receiving the piece as a gift for his 40th birthday.
The watch is a reference 116598SACO, commonly known as the “Leopard.” Rolex introduced the model in 2004 as part of its off-catalog gem-set offerings, which were never listed in the regular catalog and were made available only to select clients. It features an 18k yellow-gold case, a full leopard-print dial with diamond hour markers, a matching leopard-print leather strap, and a bezel set with 36 baguette-cut cognac sapphires. The lugs are also diamond-set. These pieces have long been considered among the more unconventional Daytonas of their era, and examples remain difficult to find on the secondary market.
New York jeweler Mavani, run by Eric Mavani, handled the watch and shared close-up footage of it on Instagram in late October. The post credited the gift to Future The Prince, a longtime associate of Drake’s. The footage was subsequently circulated by outlets including XXL and Complex Style. Drake turned 40 on Oct. 24 and marked the occasion with celebrations in Toronto and New York that included a surprise performance by the Backstreet Boys, large cash giveaways, and other high-value gifts.
The Leopard Daytona is distinct from the one-of-one “Ice Gradient” Daytona that Rolex gifted Drake earlier this year in connection with his Iceman project. That watch features a pavé diamond dial, a bracelet that transitions from white diamonds to blue sapphires, and a caseback engraved with the phrase “Freeze the World.” Drake was seen wearing the Ice Gradient during his birthday events.
Drake has frequently highlighted his interest in rare Rolexes. He has referenced owning more than 140 of the brand’s watches in his music, and previous pieces in his collection have included the GMT-Master II he wore on the cover of Take Care and a Paul Newman Daytona he received for an earlier birthday. The addition of the Leopard continues that pattern of acquiring hard-to-obtain factory pieces.
No public valuation of this particular example has been widely reported. Off-catalog gem-set Daytonas of this period typically command significant premiums when they appear for sale, driven primarily by their limited production and condition.
