We already knew that watches could be a good investment. It might not have brought in the record $ 17.8 million that Paul Newman’s Daytona won in 2017. But another Newman Rolex Daytona just sold for $ 5,475,000 on ‘Racing Pulse’; an auction held by Phillips in New York.
Paul Newman’s Rolex ‘Big Red’ Daytona, commissioned by his daughter Clea Newman Soderlund, raised a whopping $ 5,475,000. This watch now ranks third in the highest auction price for a Rolex.
He wore the watch almost every day until he gave it to me. He has been photographed wearing it on numerous occasions. It has been a treasure of mine for almost thirteen years. To me, this watch shows my mother’s tolerance for his continued passion for racing and reflects the enduring love between them that lasted another 25 years until his death.
Clea Newman Soderlund
Paul Newman’s watch is a Rolex Oyster Cosmograph Daytona Reference 6263, which Newman called the ‘Big Red’ Daytona. The model was originally introduced in 1969 and was offered with a silver or black dial. The Newman watch has the black dial with white sub-dials and a red Daytona logo.
The watch was a gift from Newman’s wife Joanne Woodward in 1983 celebrating their 25th anniversary. As a little good luck charm, and to remind him to stay safe on the track, she had a special “Drive slowly Joanne” message engraved on the Rolex 6263’s caseback.
Newman’s daughter Clea has handed the watch over to Phillips. She received the watch from her father in 2008. As Clea explains in her signed letter accompanying the watch, “He wore the watch almost every day until he gave it to me”, says Clea. “He was photographed wearing it on numerous occasions, just like me. It has been a real treasure of mine for almost 13 years ”.
Come into the beautiful and timeless world of Rolex.
Yakymour 