Our final live auction of the spring 2026 season, The Phillips New York Watch Auction: XIV, takes place on 13–14 June at our Manhattan headquarters, bringing together more than 150 exceptional watches in a carefully curated sale. Ahead of the auction, we’ll be highlighting some of its most compelling timepieces and stories, including the lots featured in this article.
By Steven Rogers
To the untrained eye, vintage Rolex Paul Newman Daytonas can appear deceptively similar: three subdials, pump or screw-down pushers, a tachymeter bezel, and the so-called “exotic” dial with its Art Deco numerals and contrasting registers.
Spend a little more time around these manual-winding watches, though, and an entirely different picture emerges. Collectors have spent decades learning to decode the smallest distinctions – from serif fonts, bezel generations, floating text, and dial tones to pusher types, lume plots, and serial ranges. Each little detail carries meaning.
That process of scrutiny has helped transform the Paul Newman Daytona from a slow-burning curiosity of the late 1960s and ‘70s into one of the most studied and sought-after vintage wristwatches on the market.
Condition and Originality
“When you're looking at these watches, the biggest determiner of value is condition and originality,” says Tiffany To, Phillips Senior International Specialist and co-author of the dual publications Rolex Cosmograph Daytona: Vol. 1: Manual Winding Models (1963-1988) and Rolex Cosmograph Daytona: Vol. 2: Self-Winding Models (From 1988).
She adds: “On one hand it’s about statistics – matching characteristics along a timeline and serial range. Is everything period correct and original? On the other hand, it’s about how good it looks, how good the condition is – most importantly the case and dial.”
The trio of Paul Newman Daytonas featured in The New York Watch Auction: XIV represent three grail-worthy interpretations of the genre for their originality and superb state of preservation. Seen side by side, they provide a window onto the exotic Daytona and help explain why collectors continue to obsess over them detail by detail.
Rolex Ref. 6241 Cosmograph Daytona “John Player Special” in 14k Yellow Gold
There aren’t too many Paul Newman Daytonas that announce themselves as boldly as the so-called “John Player Special.” With its black dial punctuated by gold text and subsidiary registers, black acrylic bezel, and yellow-gold case and bracelet, the configuration has an immediate visual punch that even non-specialists tend to recognize.
Its nickname dates back to the black-and-gold Lotus Formula One cars sponsored by John Player & Sons during the 1970s. Those machines became some of the most visually arresting racing cars of the era, and collectors eventually drew comparisons between their dramatic livery and the bold contrast of black-and-gold exotic Daytonas.
Gold Against the Grain
At the time, a hefty gold case somewhat contradicted the idea of a rugged professional chronograph. According to Phillips research, fewer than 300 examples of the Ref. 6241 were cased in yellow gold, and even fewer fitted with “John Player Special” exotic dials. Rarer still, the present Ref. 6241 is in 14k – rather than 18k – yellow gold, a specification intended for North American buyers looking to reduce import duties on gold watches.
Here, the first-generation bezel – identifiable by the flat-leg numeral 2 – is period correct, while the 2’084’322 serial number falls right into the sweet spot for the dial. The latter is flawless and features full, rounded lume dots that have aged to a yellow hue, perfectly matching the hands.
And the icing on the cake is that this example, produced circa 1969, has never been offered publicly before, coming fresh to the auction market.
Rolex Ref. 6239 Cosmograph Daytona “Paul Newman Champagne” in 18k Yellow Gold
To paraphrase Simon & Garfunkel, it was a case of “hello brightness, my old friend” when this Ref. 6239 Daytona with 18k yellow gold case, champagne exotic dial, and black subsidiary registers resurfaced in our Manhattan headquarters ahead of this month’s sale.
Research revealed that Phillips had previously sold the watch – produced circa 1967 – in 2020, when it was consigned by the family of its original owner.
That original owner’s story is worth recalling. Born in Sweden in 1920, he immigrated to Pasadena, California, in 1935 before serving with distinction in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, flying more than 67 missions and receiving 14 military decorations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross. He later purchased the Daytona in Geneva while working for North American Aviation.
Now, this watch is back in the Phillips fold in the same impressively preserved state.
Though roughly 14,000 examples of Ref. 6239 were produced overall, only around 300 are believed to have been cased in 18k yellow gold with either exotic or non-exotic dial.
The stunning dial retains a rich creamy champagne tone, while the luminous hour markers remain fully intact, in step with the lumed hands. The larger, slightly slanted “T SWISS T” signature at 6 o’clock is exactly correct for the serial range.
The case is also in superb overall condition, with the thick lugs retaining their original satin finishing. Added by its latest owner is a riveted 18k yellow gold Oyster bracelet that is period correct, with the end links stamped 71.
In Rare Company
This particular watch also bears an intriguing proximity to some of the most celebrated examples known to collectors. For instance, it sits just four serial numbers away from the so-called “Golden Pagoda”, one of the best-known champagne-dial exotic Daytonas ever offered publicly.
The Ref. 6239 occupies an important place in Daytona history as the first Daytona-generation Cosmograph and one of the earliest references to carry the Daytona name on the dial.
Rare and beautifully preserved with a fascinating backstory to boot, this returning Ref. 6239 ranks among the most collectible yellow-gold exotic Daytonas to appear publicly in recent years.
Rolex Ref. 6263 Cosmograph Daytona “Paul Newman Panda” in Stainless Steel
The Ref. 6263 marked a turning point in the evolution of the exotic Daytona, visually speaking. Earlier two-color exotic dials often featured red outer scales or more playful graphic accents.
With the Ref. 6263, Rolex pared things back slightly. The red Daytona text disappeared, leaving a cleaner, monochromatic composition that collectors would go on to dub the “Panda.”
The present example, produced circa 1970, demonstrates why that configuration became so desirable.
Its eggshell-white dial contrasts sharply against the black counters and acrylic bezel, creating the balanced, highly legible appearance many collectors consider the quintessential Panda look.
The Details that Matter
This watch also rewards close inspection. The serial range corresponds correctly with the Mark 1.5 dial configuration, identifiable through the serif fonts used on the “Rolex” and “Cosmograph” signatures.
The lume plots remain full, rounded, and evenly colored, while the immaculate dial has retained its attractive ivory tone, rather than drifting toward the colder grey hue sometimes seen on these watches.
The screw-down “millerighe” pushers that contributed to the Oyster case’s improved water resistance are likewise correct for the period, their flat ridges remaining well defined.
The black acrylic bezel features the flat-leg numeral 2 associated with first-generation bezels, while the case retains strong definition around the lug holes, another detail collectors look for when assessing preservation.
The watch last appeared publicly at Phillips’ Hong Kong Watch Auction: FOUR in 2017, when it was offered by its original Japanese owner and acquired by the current consignor.
Carefully cared for since then as part of a significant collection of original-owner timepieces, this “two-owner” Panda now returns to the market in beautifully original and impressively preserved condition.
Closing Thoughts
We’ll leave the final word to Tiffany To. “It’s rare to have a trio of Paul Newman Daytonas like this in one sale,” says the Phillips auctioneer.
She adds: “The Ref. 6241 JPS, Ref. 6239 Champagne, and Ref. 6263 Panda are all considered trophy watches within the world of exotic Daytonas. Bringing together three examples of this quality and originality will make for an exciting auction in New York.”
You can learn more about these timepieces, place a bid, and view the entire Phillips New York Watch Auction: XIV catalogue right here.
About Phillips In Association With Bacs & Russo
The team of specialists at Phillips Watches is dedicated to an uncompromised approach to quality, transparency, and client service. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo holds the world record for the most successful watch auction, with its DECADE ONE (2015–2025) sale having realized $83 million in 2025. The annual total for watch auctions in 2025 exceeded $290 million, marking the first time any auction house's Watches department has surpassed US$200 million in annual sales for five consecutive years.
About Steven Rogers
Steven Rogers is Senior Editorial Manager at Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, with 15 years’ experience in the Swiss watch industry as an editor, copywriter, and communications manager across brands, agencies, and media.