Two Rare Gold Rolex Daytona 'Paul Newmans' Headed to Auction at Sotheby's Geneva

On May 10, Sotheby's will host its Important Watches auction in Geneva, featuring three Rolex Daytona 'Paul Newman' watches, including two extremely rare gold models. The first, a 14-karat gold Ref. 6241 from 1969, boasts a 'John Player Special' dial—black with yellow-gold subdials—named after the tobacco brand and Formula 1 sponsor. Only around 400 of this reference exist in 14-karat gold, with just a few having the John Player Special design. Its condition is excellent, with an estimated value between $570,000 and $1 million. The second, an 18-karat gold Ref. 6239 from 1979, is estimated at $380,000–$760,000 and is being auctioned for the first time since its purchase nearly 50 years ago. The third watch, a steel Ref. 6239 from 1967 featuring a 'reverse panda' dial, has an estimate of $128,000–$255,000. The Paul Newman Daytona configuration originated in 1963 with the introduction of the 'exotic dial' on the Daytona Ref. 6239. Paul Newman received one from his wife, Joanne Woodward, in the late 1960s, and his personal watch fetched a record $17.8 million at Phillips in 2017, highlighting the model's appeal. The auction will take place at the Mandarin Oriental in Geneva.