1958 Fake Rolex Milgauss, $2.5 million

May also saw Phillips Geneva Watch Auction XVII, which notched not one, not two but four of the most expensive watches sold at auction this year. The first was a bit of a dark horse: a mint condition 1958 perfect replica Rolex Milgauss. This modest stainless steel tool watch with a honeycomb dial and “lightning” hand more than doubled its high estimate and went on to sell for just shy of $2.5 million. Until this sale, vintage Milgausses had routinely attracted only six-figures at auction, making this a record price for any cheap fake Rolex Milgauss UK ever sold.

Replica Rolex Daytona, Ref. 6270 “The End Game,” $4.1 million
Still, the most impressive lot from Phillips Geneva Watch Auction XVII is arguably the best 1:1 replica Rolex Daytona, Ref. 6270 “The End Game.” This is not your typical watch from The Crown. It’s a fully blinged out model featuring a yellow gold build with a pavé diamond dial, sapphire indexes, and baguette diamond bezel. Only a mere eight examples of this watch are known to exist in the market. Unsurprisingly, this wild AAA quality fake Rolex Daytona marked the top sale of the impressive auction, coming in at over $4.1 million and shattering the previous world record for any Rolex Ref. 6270 super clone for sale UK ever sold.