PHILLIPS TO OFFER A LANDMARK OF MOTORSPORT HISTORY — VIC ELFORD'S HISTORIC ROLEX DAYTONA FROM THE COLLECTION OF JERRY SEINFELD
The First Known Rolex Daytona Ever Awarded to the Winner of an Automotive Race, Presented to Vic Elford for his 1968 Victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona marking Porsche’s First 24-Hour Endurance Race Victory
Consigned Directly from the Personal Collection of Legendary Comedian and Porsche Collector Jerry Seinfeld
To Be Sold in The New York Watch Auction: XV in December 2026, Estimated at $100,000 to $200,000
NEW YORK – 13 OCTOBER 2026 – This fall, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo will offer one of the most important trophy watches ever to appear at auction: the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Reference 6239 presented to Vic Elford following his victory at the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona race. Hailing from the collection of Jerry Seinfeld, the watch will be a highlight of The New York Watch Auction: XV on 5–6 December with an estimate of $100,000–200,000, following a world tour to London, Geneva, and Hong Kong.
Among the most significant aspects of the watch is its status as the first documented Rolex Daytona ever awarded to the winner of an automotive race. Presented to Elford after his victory in the annual endurance race at Daytona International Speedway, the watch stands at the origin of what would become one of the most enduring relationships between a watchmaker and motorsport.
Originally introduced as the Cosmograph without the "Daytona" nickname and signature, Rolex's chronograph underwent several identity changes during its earliest years. In 1964, Rolex advertised the model as the "Le Mans" in reference to the famed French endurance race. By 1965, however, Rolex had adopted the name "Daytona," irrevocably linking the model to the Daytona International Speedway and the races held there, including the 24 Hours of Daytona.
English driver Victor "Quick Vic" Elford was one of the most accomplished and versatile racing drivers of his era. Driving the winning Porsche 907 Langheck prototype, he helped secure Porsche’s victory at the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona, a landmark achievement that marked Porsche's first 24-hour endurance-race victory, an important pre-cursor for Porsche’s first 24 Hours of Le Mans win in 1970. Following the win, Elford was presented with this Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Reference 6239, an occasion documented in a photograph taken immediately after the race capturing the first known awarding of a Daytona for an automotive race.
The story of this watch remains inextricably linked to the Porsche 907 Langheck longtail driven by Elford and his team to victory. One of only eight examples built, the Porsche 907 Langheck longtail was the very first Porsche race car to secure victory in a 24-hour endurance race, and would become a centerpiece of Jerry Seinfeld's collection after he acquired the car at auction in 2014. He later acquired the companion Rolex. Preserved in outstanding overall condition with its original case, bezel, dial, and bracelet, Seinfeld was determined to return it to its original Daytona-winning appearance, commissioning a sympathetic restoration working with vintage watch experts. The subtle improvements approved by Seinfeld were the color matching of the hour and minute hands to match the dial’s luminous hour markers, a period-correct Tropic 21 domed crystal, a repair to a rivet of the original riveted Oyster bracelet, and a period-correct Rolex presentation box similar to the one Elford would have received in 1968.
Jerry Seinfeld said, “I've always loved objects that not only serve a purpose but have a great story behind them. This Daytona watch has one of the best. When I acquired the Porsche 907 that won Daytona in 1968, the watch was already part of its lore. They made history together. It has been a privilege to be the steward of both, and I'm excited to see this watch begin its next chapter with another collector.”
Paul Boutros, Phillips’ Deputy Chairman and Head of Watches, Americas, said, “A milestone wristwatch at the crossroads of motorsport and horological history, the Elford Daytona marks the earliest era of the model’s enduring relationship with motor racing. Bearing truly extraordinary provenance as the first known Rolex Daytona presented for a motorsport victory, it is one of the most compelling trophy watches ever to come to auction and a tangible link to a defining moment in Porsche racing history. We are honored to have been entrusted with this remarkable timepiece and delighted to share it with the global collecting community this December.”
The stainless-steel Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Reference 6239 is accompanied by extensive documentation, including a letter from Rolex U.S.A. dated 23 November 2010, confirming the authenticity of the watch and that a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona was presented to Vic Elford in 1968 for having won the 24 Hours of Daytona race that year. The watch is further accompanied by extensive documentation relating to its chain of custody, signed provenance letter from Vic Elford dated November 2010, restoration work undertaken, as well as a copy of a Rolex USA service invoice dated June 2005 with matching serial number and addressed to Vic Elford.