It was October 26th three years ago when the Legend Daytona, auctioned by the expert Aurel Bacs of Phillips partner Bacs & Russo, reaching an incredible $ 17.8 million became the most popular wristwatch. expensive in the world. And with Paul Newman and his Rolex Daytona it seemed over there.
Never say never.
Saturday 12 December, the same day on which Steve McQueen’s Heuer Monaco will be sold, the prestigious auction house has reserved a top lot for one of the most famous Rolexes in the world.
History
This is the Rolex replica watches Cosmograph Daytona “Big Red” that belonged to Paul Newman. With an estimate in excess of $ 1 million, it is the wristwatch that appears most often in photos of Newman, worn for over two decades until in 2008 he gave it to his daughter Clea Newman Soderlund.
Kept by Clea for a dozen years, it has remained in excellent condition with its engraved caseback showing the dedication “Drive slowly Joanne.” As a model, it is one of the most sought-after vintage watches by collectors: this example shows its original black “reverse-panda” dial with white sub-dials, characterized by the characteristic “Big Red” Daytona logo at 6 o’clock.
According to his daughter, father Paul’s “Big Red” Daytona was given to him by his wife Joanne Woodward in 1983 for their 25th wedding anniversary.
Almost two decades earlier, in 1965, Newman had been injured in a serious motorcycle accident. A few years later in 1969, during the filming of the film Winning his passion for motor racing was born.
With those bad memories in mind, Joanne was very uncomfortable every time her husband went to the track. Always worried about her husband’s safety, whenever Paul left her to pursue her passions, she wanted with her loving dedications that Paul would continue to remember to take care of himself.
Clea Newman Soderlund explains, in the signed letter accompanying the watch:
“My father wore the watch almost every day, until he gave it to me. He has been photographed wearing it on numerous occasions, like me. It has been a treasure of mine for nearly thirteen years. For me, this watch demonstrates my mother’s tolerance for her continued passion for racing and reflects their love that remained intact for another 25 years until her passing. “
Paul Newman and his Rolex Daytona Big Red
Over the course of his life, Newman has been seen wearing several generations of Rolex Daytona. Not only has it made the model famous, but since the 1980s it has also undoubtedly helped fuel the growth and popularity of wristwatch collecting.
This Rolex was not the first Paul Newman to be famous for wearing it. Joanne Woodward gave him her first Rolex Daytona in 1968, a reference 6239, engraved with “Drive Carefully Me”.
That Daytona that first started the well-known partnership between Newman and Rolex around 1984 appears to have disappeared once it receives a new watch – the one that will be sold this December.
The story of Paul Newman’s watch. 6239 by Paul Newman is now well known: Newman gave it to his daughter Nell’s then fiancé, James Cox, who owned it for over thirty years until he delivered it to Phillips.
It made history in the Winning Icons New replica rolex York auction in October 2017, reaching a record price of $ 17.8 million. It was after Newman received the “Big Red” Ref. 6263 from his wife, the watch you see above for sale in December, that he decided to give that 6239 millionaire away.
Newman was often photographed wearing his Big Red with the chronograph buttons unscrewed, so he was always ready to time events – whether during a race or simply in his daily activities, including timing his daughter Clea’s horse races in the their home in Westport, Connecticut.
Introduced in 1969, the Daytona reference 6263 housed the Rolex 727 movement (based on the Valjoux 72 caliber) and had screw-down pushers to lock them, thus preventing them from being activated underwater.
Together with the reference Ref. 6265, the version with a stainless steel bezel, both are rightfully placed in the pantheon of Rolex chronograph history, and were offered with a silver or black dial, similar to the watch now on auction.
The dimensions are 37mm in diameter without the buttons, with the gently curved lugs providing comfort for a wrist of any size.
We just have to wait until replica watches December 12 to see this, which was Paul Newman’s favorite Rolex Daytona, which figure will touch this time.
Do you think it will reach or exceed the $ 17.8 million of 6239?
Leave your opinion in a comment.
