Rolex - The New York Watch Auction: NINE New York Saturday, December 9, 2023 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Rolex
    Year: Circa 1968
    Reference No: 6241; inside caseback additionally stamped 6241
    Case No: 1’991’904
    Model Name: Cosmograph Daytona “Tiffany & Co.”
    Material: Stainless steel
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 722-1, 17 jewels
    Dimensions: 37mm Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, and movement signed. Movement additionally stamped “ROW.” Case with inventory number “7261” under lug.

  • Catalogue Essay

    Rolex’s Daytona chronograph sits in the pantheon of the greatest timepieces ever produced. First released in 1963 with the reference 6239, the reference 6241 was introduced promptly thereafter with an acrylic bezel. It was produced from approximately 1966 to 1969, with scholarship estimating that no more than 2,300 examples were manufactured in stainless steel, with only a small percentage of that number fitted with the iconic “Paul Newman” dial.

    The grené creamy tri-color, multi-leveled “exotic” dial fitted to the present watch displays all the correct features of the vaunted “Paul Newman” dial for the reference 6241. However, it is stamped with an additional layer of exoticism, featuring an extremely coveted “Tiffany & Co.” signature below the Rolex Cosmograph designation. Combined with the black subsidiary dials, the color scheme is highly sought-after, featuring the bright red “Daytona” text at six o’clock and a red outer seconds scale.

    The present watch, featuring not only the jeweler's signature but also a "Paul Newman" dial, is an extremely rare example. The ability to include an additional retailer signature was a privilege given to only Rolex’s most prestigious authorized dealers. For a short period of time, the jeweler proudly emblazoned its logo on a variety of Rolex wristwatches, ranging from the GMT-Master to the Cosmograph Daytona.

    Though several permutations of the Tiffany & Co. signature can be found on Rolex Daytonas, the present font and printing style matches those found on other Paul Newman Daytonas of the era. Acquired by the consignor from a private collector who owned it since the mid-1990s, its originality is further confirmed by the American import mark “ROW” stamped on the caliber 722-1 movement, as well as an inventory number scratched under one lug.

    For the discerning collector who appreciates extreme rarity, the present Tiffany-signed Paul Newman Daytona is a trophy watch that captures the historic relationship between two of the world’s most important brands.

  • 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; inside caseback additionally stamped 6241
An exceptionally rare, interesting, and desirable stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with white “Paul Newman” dial, retailed by Tiffany & Co.

Circa 1968
37mm Diameter
Case, dial, and movement signed. Movement additionally stamped “ROW.” Case with inventory number “7261” under lug.

Estimate
$300,000 - 600,000 
CHF270,000-540,000
€281,000-561,000
HK$2,340,000-4,690,000
S$408,000-816,000

Sold for $673,100

Contact Specialist

Paul Boutros
Deputy Chairman and 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: NINE

New York Auction 9 - 10 December 2023