There are alternative investments, and then there are exotic watches. One upcoming auction features several highly desirable Patek Philippe timepieces. Another channels the aura of actor Paul Newman.
In 2017, the Rolex Daytona owned by Paul Newman given to him by his wife Joanne Woodward, sold for $17.8 million, according to «GQ» and is one of the most iconic wristwatches ever sold. Although not up for sale at an upcoming Sotheby's auction in Geneva, aficionados can bid on the next best thing.
No less than four Rolex Daytona watches referencing the actor, race driver, and racing team owner are up for sale. At the top of the estimated range is a Rolex Daytona «John Player Special» with a «Paul Newman» dial, a rare variant on the original Daytona.
Most Iconic Formula One Racecar
Around 3,000 were produced, of which only 300 had 18-karat yellow gold cases, and fewer still have the «John Player Special» dial, a tribute to one of the most iconic Formula One racecar of all time. It is estimated the watch will fetch between 600,000 to 1.2 million Swiss francs ($675,000 to $1.3 million) at the May 14 auction in Geneva.
(Rolex Daytona «John Player Special», Reference 6241 Image: Sotheby's)
Another Daytona up for sale has a black as opposed to the white dial which Newman's had. Its owner was said to have quipped «Paul Newman has the white dial and I have the black one!»
The reference 6240 was in production from 1965 to 1969 and was the first of the Daytona models to incorporate screw-down pushers, which made it the first waterproof «Cosmograph» produced by Rolex. The top of the estimated range for the timepiece is 600,000 francs.
(Rolex Daytona «Paul Newman» Reference 6240. Image; Sotheby's)
Patek Philippe Highlights Christie's Auction
Of the seven watches offered for bidding at Christie's having high estimated values of over one million Swiss francs, five are from Patek Philippe, underscoring what an attractive investment they can be. Topping the list is a «Tiffany Blue Nautilus» created in 2021 to commemorate 170 years of partnership between Tiffany & Co. and Patek Philippe. It is only the fourth time this model has come up for auction.
The watch is one of only 170 made in the series and is expected to fetch between two to four million Swiss francs, according to Christie's. The first model off of the watchmakers' bench was sold in December 2021 for $6.5 million, with all proceeds going to fund «The Nature Conservancy» environmental organization.
The watch which is in the hands of a private collector, is expected to garner between two and four million francs at the May 13 auction in Geneva.
(Patek Philippe «Tiffany Blue Nautilus» Image: Christie's)
A Rare First
A first series rate 18 karat gold perpetual calendar watch with moon phases manufactured in 1953 and the only one known to have a calendar in German is another Patek Philippe up for sale.
The reference 2499 watch is still in the possession of the family of the original owner, with collectors viewing the reference as the most perfect vintage wristwatch, according to Christie's, It notes the model on sale is of particular importance since within the 2499 reference, those with a German calendar are the rarest, with most having English or French calendars and, occasionally, Italian. The price estimate is between one and two million francs.
(Patek Philippe reference 2499 first series with German calendar. Image: Christie's)
Those are the superstars of the auction, although there are other interesting and rare watches with those with more modest budgets. In any event, the auctions are just in time for Mother's Day for those looking for a unique gift.
