A historic event in its own right, “Winning Icons” will offer what is without a doubt amongst the most important Rolex watches to ever be offered on the market: the singular, one and only Rolex “Paul Newman” Cosmograph Daytona owned and worn by none other than Paul Newman. The event is taking place on 26 October 2017, in New York.
The iconic watch was purchased by his wife Joanne Woodward as the perfect gift for her husband - a watch designed specifically for motor sport, due to the fact that, outside of his artistic endeavors, Newman had long been passionate about speed. On the case back of the watch, “Drive carefully me” is the heartfelt and loving inscription Joanne chose to engrave for him, fearful of his need for speed.
The reference 6239 was the very first model of Rolex’s iconic Cosmograph "Daytona" series - produced from approximately 1963 until 1970. It was the firm's first chronograph with a tachymeter scale engraved on the bezel, designed to instantly and clearly measure speed.
The horological event organised by Phillips will be auctioning off this particular reference 6239 that was worn daily by the legend himself, and was prominently featured in many photographs published in magazines and books for decades. The actor was seen wearing this very watch for many years, which contributed to the “exotic dial” becoming known as the “Paul Newman” Daytona.
In her signed letter accompanying the watch, Paul’s daughter Nell Newman recalls the story of this watch and how Paul gave it to her teenage love, named James. As Nell and James remain close friends, they have jointly decided to sell the watch, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Nell Newman Foundation.
Phillips is thrilled to put this watch on the market, as it can easily be considered the most “storied” and most important vintage Rolex of our time.
This top lot will be presented at the groundbreaking "Winning Icons" New York Auction with an estimated price in excess of one million US dollars.
