Heuer Monaco Worn by Steve McQueen for the 1971 film, Le Mans, Gifted to his Personal Mechanic, Haig Alltounian
On Saturday, 12 December, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo will offer a Heuer Monaco worn by Steve McQueen while filming his iconic racing film, Le Mans. As the last of two known Monaco wristwatches kept and gifted by Steve McQueen to be offered publicly, it presents a spectacular opportunity to own one of the most celebrated wristwatches of the 20th century. The watch was gifted to the film’s Chief Mechanic and McQueen’s personal mechanic, Haig Alltounian, by Steve McQueen at the end of filming. Consigned directly by Alltounian, the watch’s case back features the engraving “To Haig Le Mans 1970”, dedicated to him by McQueen. The watch will be a highlight of Phillips’ flagship New York Watch Auction, Racing Pulse.
“The Heuer Monaco will always be associated with the glamor and thrill of auto racing. We are honored to offer this historic Heuer Monaco, worn by Steve McQueen and gifted to Haig Alltounian in 1970 during the filming of Le Mans, on behalf of Mr. Alltounian," said Paul Boutros, Head of Phillips Watches, Americas. "Preserved in superb, original condition with its fascinating caseback engraving remaining perfectly crisp, it can certainly be considered as one of the most important Heuer wristwatches of all time. Worn on McQueen’s wrist while driving the film’s Porsche 917 at speeds above 200 mph, its incredible provenance, wonderful state of preservation, and adrenalinefuelled history make it an ultimate trophy watch for the connoisseur.”
Introduced in 1969, Heuer’s Monaco was a game changer. It was one of the world’s first self-winding chronograph wristwatches, featuring the Calibre 11, housed inside the world’s first waterproof square-shaped case. Today, the Monaco reference 1133 is an icon amongst chronograph aficionados. Designed by Jack Heuer, the watch was named for the famed Formula One racetrack and was chosen by Steve McQueen as the chronograph of choice when filming began on Le Mans in 1970.
Paul Newman’s Rolex Oyster Cosmograph Daytona consigned by His Daughter, Clea Newman Soderlund, to be Offered During Racing Pulse, the Annual Flagship
On Saturday, 12 December, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, will offer one of the world’s most important Rolex watches – Paul Newman’s “Big Red” Rolex Cosmograph Daytona – in Racing Pulse, the Flagship New York watch auction. Estimated in excess of $1 million, it is the wristwatch Paul Newman was most often photographed wearing for over two decades until he gifted it to his daughter, Clea Newman Soderlund, in 2008. Treasured by Clea for a dozen years, it remains remarkably well-preserved, with its engraved caseback displaying the incredible and loving inscription, “Drive slowly Joanne.” Bearing all the features of one of the most sought-after wristwatches of the present era, it is being offered with its original dial with its bold black dial with white sub-dials, featuring the distinctive “Big Red” Daytona logo at 6 o’clock.
Paul Boutros, Phillips’ Head of Watches, Americas, said, “While many know Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman as actors and philanthropists, their names signal something more to watch collectors – an extraordinary impact on the field of watch collecting. Throughout his lifetime, Paul Newman was photographed wearing a small handful of Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watches. Without any doubt, it is this association with Paul Newman that has led to the Rolex Daytona being universally regarded as possibly the world’s most sought after wristwatch. Of these, the watch he owned and wore the longest is the present “Big Red” Daytona Ref. 6263. It is amongst the most exclusive handful of watches with impeccable Newman-family provenance. We are truly humbled that the Newman family once again turned to Phillips for this incredibly important consignment, and we sincerely thank them for their trust. With the support of Clea’s sisters and with a portion of proceeds benefiting charitable organizations founded by Paul Newman, we are thrilled and honored to offer what is one of the most storied vintage Rolex watches of our era.”
Clea Newman Soderlund explains, in her signed letter accompanying the watch:
“He wore the watch nearly every day until he gave it to me. He was photographed wearing it on numerous occasions as was I. It has been a treasure of mine for almost thirteen years. To me, this watch shows my mother’s tolerance of his continued passion for racing and reflects the enduring love between them which remained for another 25 years until his passing.”
The Daytona is a model that will forever be associated with Paul Newman, treasured by watch collectors simply because Newman embodied an unstudied, unassuming coolness while wearing his Daytona that is not so easily captured. The popularity of the model among collectors in the twenty-first century has only increased – no doubt in part due its enduring association with Paul Newman. Phillips is thrilled and honored to offer this incredible “two-owner” timepiece, direct from Paul Newman’s daughter Clea, with a portion of the proceeds going to charitable causes that were important to Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, including SeriousFun Children’s Network and Safe Water Network, charities founded by Paul Newman himself.
