Rolex "Paul Newman" Daytona up for Auction at DKK 1 million

At this summer's international auction in Copenhagen, Bruun Rasmussen offers a unique and iconic Rolex Daytona Cosmograph from 1964-65, identical to the wristwatch owned by Paul Newman, which last year went for USD 15.5 million. The auction house has never before offered this model.

“The word “icon”is an overused term in watchmaking. But it is fair to say there are a select breed of wristwatches so stylish, so elusive that the tag is fitting. The “Paul Newman”Daytona would be the jewel in any collector’s watch box, and this extraordinary Daytona Cosmograph ref. 6241 offered at our next international auction is second to only Paul Newman’sown watch”says Casper Behrendtzen, Head of Wristwatches at Bruun Rasmussen.

History

It was back in 1962 that Rolex became the official timekeeper of the famous Daytona racecourse in Florida. It also happened to be one year before the manufacturer launched the Cosmograph ref. 6239, nicknamed the “Daytona”. The watch featured a tachymeter scale on the bezel and was very much targeted at drivers.

Paul Newman was a celebrated actor but also an avid motorsports enthusiast, a political activist, and generous philanthropist. Newman began wearing a variety of Rolex Daytonas in 1972. Interestingly, the “exotic dial” or “Paul Newman”Daytona variations, like this ref. 6241, were hugely unpopular at the time, so much that Rolex could not give them away. As legend has it, the moment Newman was captured on the cover of an Italian magazine sporting the timepiece, it gained exponential popularity and the association between the man and the watch developed from there.

Design

Though there are many variations of the Daytona, a “Paul Newman”Daytona comes in one of four dial combinations, the ref. 6239, 6241, 6263, 6264 and 6265. The ref. 6241 offered here is equipped with a caliber 722 movement and a white dial with black sub-registers. This model features push-down pushers, not screw-down chronograph buttons (Rolex switched to screw-in push buttons with the debut of ref. 6240 in 1965). It is also the first model that the word “Daytona”appeared on the dial. As a result, the ref. 6241 is highly regarded by collectors.

Price Development

It is incredible to think a watch that began life costing approximately USD 1,500 in the late 1980s, went on to become a USD 10,000 watch in the early 1990s, and then a triple digit watch in the early 2000s. The most expensive Rolex Daytona ever sold (aside from THE Paul Newman Daytona), a ref. 6263, is one of only three known yellow gold Oyster Paul Newman Daytonas, with a lemon green dial, and it ended up making USD 3.7 million in May 2017. The iconic “Paul Newman”Daytona’s winning pedigree is showing no signs of slowing.

Exhibition in London

Prior to the auction, selected wristwatches will be exhibited at South Kensington Club, 38-42 Harrington Road, SW7 3ND London on Monday 14 May 6-8 pm, where we host a joint event with “Red Bar Crew”. The following days, 15-16 May, the wristwatches will be displayed at The Danish Embassy, 55 Sloane Street in London. In connection with the exhibitions, it will be possible to meet our Head of Wristwatches, Casper Behrendtzen, who will be available for interviews with the international press.

South Kensington Club: 14 May 6-8 pm

The Danish Embassy: 15 May from 12 am - 9 pm and 16 May from 10 am - 5 pm
Please note, that you need to register in advance via sales@bruun-rasmussen.dk and bring ID to enter the embassy.

Preview and Auction in Copenhagen

All of the watches up for auction, which includes brands such as Audemars Piguet, Breitling, Omega, Patek Philippe and Rolex can be seen at the preview at Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers, Bredgade 33, Copenhagen, from 24-28 May. The auction itself will be held at the same address on 31 May.

Preview: 24-28 May

Auction: 31 May

Press photo

Rolex Daytona Cosmograph "Paul Newman" Ref 6241, of steel. Serie nr. 1764897 Mechanical chronograph movement with manual winding. Panda dial with steel index and hands. Rolex bracelet with folding clasp. Circumference 18 cm. Diameter 37 mm. 1964-65. Estimate: DKK 800,000-1,000,000 (€ 105,000-135,000)

Rolex Submariner, ref. 6204, of steel. Mechanical movement with automatic winding. Black dial with white index and hands. Rolex bracelet with folding clasp of steel. Circumference 17.5 cm. Watch diameter 37 mm. 1953-54. Estimate: DKK 400,000-500,000 (€ 53,500-67,000)

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, ref. E23626, of 18k gold. Mechanical movement with automatic winding. Gold-coloured dial with index and hands of gold. Royal Oak bracelet with folding clasp of 18k gold. Circumference 18 cm. Watch diameter 41 mm. 2000. estimate: DKK 150,000-175,000 (€ 20,000-23,000)

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