Consigned by the original owner and accompanied by full paperwork from Rolex Geneva detailing the service and restoration process in 2018, this piece exemplifies why the Oyster “Paul Newman” has become one of the world’s most highly sought after timepieces. Its rarity can only be matched by its good looks and complete nature – sure to pass the test of even the most assiduous collector.
The present reference 6263 features a “Panda” MK 2 dial. Paul Newman dials that feature a white dial with black subdials are referred to as “Panda” as they mimic the color scheme of the face of the much-beloved bear. These Paul Newman "Pandas" generally feature four subtly different dial configurations in accordance to the serial number, the MK2 being a version with beautifully sharp serifs on all the letters. The dial excels in all aspects: the perfect golden beige lume plots match the luminous material of the handset and the Art Deco numerals within the subdials are printed boldly against subtle, sublime concentric circles.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the extremely collectible Daytonas fitted with an exotic dial are the unusual Art Deco numerals located within the subdials. The Art Deco movement reached its heyday in the 1930s but has been stylistically pervasive through to the present day. Iconic Art Deco logos that have persisted include that of Harper’s Bazaar and Yves Saint Laurent’s monogram. Geometric, stark lines that are the hallmark of the Art Deco style are thought to have been inspired by two cultural movements of the early twentieth century – Egyptomania, the world’s fascination with Ancient Egypt, and the dawn of the Machine Age, inspiring more futuristic and industrial designs. It is no wonder that as an attempt to commercialize and boost sales of the manually wound Daytona, Rolex chose to incorporate such a striking and futuristic design element.
This timepiece notably went to Rolex Geneva in 2018 where it underwent a full servicing and restoration for close to CHF 20,000, where the case and dial were both restored to its original glory. Most importantly, Rolex had used vintage Luminova during the servicing process, showing that it respects and upholds the old tradition how components were fabricated.
Words from the Original Owner/Consignor
"I lived in Mallorca for some years during the end of the sixties, and every year I drove to Denmark in my new Volvo P 1800 sports car to celebrate Christmas with my family.On one of these trips, I overnighted in Geneva and had a walk through the center.
In the window display of the famous Rolex dealer, Bücherer, I saw a couple of watches on offer, and entered to have a closer look. After 20 minutes, I was the happy owner of this watch, which later became well known after Paul Newman wore it in a movie.
From that date and until a few years ago, I wore my watch every day - first during my 6 years living in Kenya, taking part in numerous safaris in East Africa, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa plus several trips to all the islands in the Indian ocean, Zanzibar, Seychelles, The Comores, Madagascar, La Reunion and Mauritius, and later back in Denmark/ Nordic countries ( including once 1.300 km from the North Pole) and a number of years in Chile (including more that 15 times to the Easter Island and once to Antartica) plus several times around the world. I have loved my watch, reliable over and under water, in tropical heat and polar cold.
I’ve worn the watch during more that 10 trips North of the Polar Circle and more than 100 times across the Equator. I am convinced this is one of the most travelled watches in the world!"