Adam Levine, the frontman of Maroon 5, is a true watchman, as evidenced by his incredible collection of watches, which amply demonstrates his talent for acquiring unique timepieces. Levine has been frequently observed with some of the most stylish timepieces for many years. The American artist, like his peers Ed Sheeran and John Mayer, is a fan of Rolex watches. His personal collection consists of a well-balanced combination of contemporary and historical models from the renowned Swiss watchmaker. Levine recently made an appearance on Hodinkee’s well-liked video series, Talking Watches, where he talked about his most valuable items. Though any serious collector would be lucky to own his Rolex Daytona Ref. 6263 Panda Paul Newman, the one that really drew our attention was a modified Daytona that we called Neon.

Although the communities of serious watch collectors and Rolex purists would undoubtedly object to the concept of substantially altering a Rolex watch, Levine is in a position in his job and life where he can afford to ignore the criticism and enjoy himself by trying out new ideas. Hodinkee claims the well-known musician had the concept for a customized Daytona one evening while resting in bed. He had seen some of the bespoke watches made by the people at Artisans de Genève, an independent watchmaking factory with a location in Geneva that offers bespoke watch customization and restoration services. He decided right away to email them about his concept for a Rolex Daytona. For months, Levine and AdG founder John Isaac collaborated on the concept that eventually became Neon.

Levine instructed him to customize his gold Rolex Daytona 116508 to reflect his individuality in a totally original way without sacrificing the brand’s instantly identifiable style. Levine “wanted to pay homage to his classic watches by combining modern and vintage elements with an original, contemporary touch,” according to the official Artisans de Genève website. The plan was to build a one-off, gold Daytona with screw-down pushers and a white dial in the vein of Paul Newman’s 6263. Levine stated in a statement, “I like classic watches, but I also want mine to be unique.” “It was crucial for me to have a piece that embodies my personality and is distinct from the others.”

Levine’s original Rolex Daytona had to be disassembled fully, and Artisans De Genève used their expertise to completely modify the watch to produce the custom timepiece. Neon is the name given to Levine’s customized watch due of its new glowing bezel, rotor, hands, and dial. The watch has a distinctive dial that is “crafted from a single block of natural sapphire,” according to the Geneva-based company. The dial is an intriguing take on the well-known Panda dial; the rest of the dial is illuminated with neon green luminescence, while the subdials are skeletonized to reveal the hand-carved skeleton movement and beveling.

Other components of the watch, such as the glossy white bezel that complements the color of the dial, are also highlighted by the luminescent material. The bezel’s vintage bakelite finish gives it a look that pays homage to a bygone era. Additionally, the watch has a totally distinct and alluring personality thanks to the 12 neon reference points on the dial and the Super-Luminova hands. Within the casing is a highly modified 4130 caliber Rolex watch. The company’s craftspeople painstakingly altered every part of the movement by hand at Levine’s request.

The skeletonized movement boasts a custom balancing bridge that was carved from a block of steel, completely beveled, and polished to a flawless finish. The sapphire crystal caseback and the dial side both showcase the elegant skeletonized movement. Undoubtedly, Levine’s customized Rolex would be exceedingly costly due to the extensive work required to create such a one-of-a-kind and exquisite timepiece. You wonder, how much? Although the original gold Rolex Daytona provided by Levine is available for less than $100,000, Artisans De Genève is said to have spent close to $4 million on the finely detailed customisation. Although it is a startling statistic, it is not entirely illogical. How do you feel?