Rolex - The New York Watch Auction: EIGHT New York Saturday, June 10, 2023 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Rolex
    Year: Circa 1968
    Reference No: 6241
    Case No: 1’764’785
    Model Name: Cosmograph Daytona “Paul Newman”
    Material: Stainless steel
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 722-1, 17 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet, endlinks stamped 371, max overall length 200mm
    Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex deployant clasp
    Dimensions: 37.5mm Diameter
    Signed: Case dial, movement and clasp signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by a Rolex guarantee, green leather presentation box, hang tags, leather wallet and product literature.

  • Catalogue Essay

    The reference 6241 was produced from approximately 1966 to 1969 with scholarship estimating no more than 3000 examples were manufactured, with only a small percentage fitted with the iconic “Paul Newman” dial. Produced in stainless steel as well as 14 karat and 18 karat gold, this reference was the first Daytona offered with a black acrylic bezel, offering an alternative to the steel bezel found on the reference 6239. Officially named the “exotic” dial by Rolex and now known worldwide as “Paul Newman” dials, they were poorly received by the market and discontinued at the beginning of the 1970s.

    The “Paul Newman” dials of references 6239 and 6241 have several peculiarities. They are incredibly three dimensional, featuring a strong step between the outer track and the central area of the dial. Towards the end of the 1960s, the “T Swiss T” designation positioned at 6 o’clock was printed with a slight slant and thus dubbed the “sing-a-song” to collectors, which we see perfectly preserved on this example. Later generation dials would feature a flat “T Swiss T” script, no longer in a pyramid shape.

    Today, Paul Newman Daytonas are not only the most coveted vintage chronographs amongst Rolex collectors, but have become a household name due in large part to the record-breaking, USD $17.8 million obtained for Paul Newman’s personal Daytona fitted with a “Paul Newman” dial auctioned by Phillips in New York in October 2017.

    The present ref. 6241 is preserved in outstanding overall condition. The “Paul Newman” dial is flawless, free of any blemishes, and the cherry-red “Daytona” designation at 6 o’clock is vibrant, contrasting sharply with the ebony background. The luminous hour markers are perfectly preserved, each fully intact with a warm patina.

    In addition to its wonderful state of preservation, it comes complete with its original box, guarantee, and hang tags. A grail chronograph for the elite collector, this Rolex Daytona reference 6241 is one of the finest examples to be offered publicly in recent memory.

  • Artist Biography

    Rolex

    Swiss • 1905

    Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.

    One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.

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Ref. 6241
A very rare and extremely well-preserved stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with “Paul Newman” dial and bracelet, with guarantee, box, brochure, and hang tags

Circa 1968
37.5mm Diameter
Case dial, movement and clasp signed

Estimate
$200,000 - 400,000 
CHF180,000-360,000
€185,000-370,000
HK$1,560,000-3,130,000
S$269,000-538,000

Sold for $635,000

Contact Specialist

Paul Boutros
Head of Watches, Americas
+1 (212) 940-1293
WatchesNY@Phillips.com
 
Isabella Proia
Head of Sale, New York
+1 (212) 940 1285
iproia@phillips.com

The New York Watch Auction: EIGHT

New York Auction 10 - 11 June 2023