A Rolex wristwatch model associated with actor Paul Newman and paying tribute to a legendary Formula One car was the star of a Geneva watch auction over the weekend.
Paul Newman is undeniably one of the most famous faces in film. The face of a wristwatch is also very much associated with the actor and is one of the most sought-after watch models by collectors. Newman was given a Rolex Daytona by his wife Joanne Woodward, with the dial now simply referred to as the «Paul Newman» dial, around which variations were produced.
One such model was on auction over the weekend at Sotheby's «Important Watches» auction in Geneva. The variation on sale over the weekend paid tribute to the John Player Special Formula One car of Team Lotus in the 1970s, with black chassis and gold inscriptions. The Rolex Daytona «John Player Special» from around 1969 pays tribute to the car. About 3,000 examples of the watch reference number, 6241, were produced, with only 300 having yellow gold cases, and fewer still the John Player Special dial, making them extremely rare.
Superstar Power
The watch was expected to fetch between 600,000 to 1.2 million Swiss francs (up to $1.35 million). The combination of the Newman and a Formula One legend proved irresistible to bidders, and when the hammer came down, the price was 2.238 million francs.
Another Paul Newman Daytona from the 6241 series fetched 247,650 francs, just under the top estimate of 250,000 francs, according to Sotheby's, which highlights just how desirable the John Player Special model was among the bidders.
Christie's and Patek Philippe
Of seven watches at a Christie's auction on Saturday with high estimates of a million francs or more, six achieved a final hammer price above one million, according to the results, five of which were from Patek Philippe.
(Tiffany Blue Nautilus Image: Christie's)
A «Tiffany Blue Nautilus» created in 2021 to commemorate 170 years of partnership between Tiffany & Co. and Patek Philippe, was expected to sell for between two to four million francs. It is only the fourth time the model, of which 170 were made, has come up for auction. The final price was 2.223 million francs.
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 that came up for sale and was expected to sell between one and two million francs. It is regarded as one of the most perfect vintage wristwatches, according to Christie's. Final hammer price: 1.739 million francs.
