The King Midas, created by the renowned Gérald Genta, long before he became well-known for Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak and Patek Philippe's Nautilus, was initially presented in 1962 and manufactured throughout the 1960s before being included in the Cellini collection in 1972. The model stood out as one of Rolex's most audacious designs, distinguished by its asymmetrical architectural case that was modeled after the Greek Pantheon and its left-hand crown that alluded to the legend of King Midas, whose touch turned everything to gold. It cost about 30% more than the Day-Date, the only other model made entirely of precious metals at the time, making it the most costly and heaviest gold Rolex ever produced.

Because of its connections to cultural icons, such as Elvis Presley, who proudly wore a yellow gold reference 9630, No. 343 that was given to him in 1970 and is still on display at Graceland, the King Midas rose to legendary status. Another solidified the model's status in both pop culture and horological history when it was worn on the wrist of Sir Christopher Lee, who played the villain Francisco Scaramanga in the 1974 James Bond movie 'The Man with the Golden Gun'.