T I M E L E S S  L U X U R Y

The "Watch that Started it all"

The Rolex "Paul Newman" Daytona, a wristwatch of silver, is the most coveted vintage Rolex in the world—and it was recently sold at Phillips auction for a record $17,742,500.

Newman in his Rolex

The watch is an absolute power-piece, and a symbol of luxury at its finest. According to the auctioneer, Paul Boutros, “The significance of this watch cannot be overstated,” and for good reason: the rare specimen has long been the loved adored by many, yet few have been able to get it near their own hands. And this is to say nothing of the actual watch that Newman once wore.

Newman’s name became associated with the watch after 1972 when his wife, Joanne Woodward, gave him a Daytona as he began to auto race, and is now loving-ly—and most frequently referred to—as the Newman Daytona.

Just recently, Phillips auctioned Newman’s very own watch, inscribed by his wife with, "Drive Carefully Me." Newman owned several Daytonas throughout his life, but this, the "Exotic Dial"—the most sought after of them all—features a steel bezel, pump pushers, and leather strap. 

It just so happens to also be the favorite watch of Yves—"My father is a watch collector and his '80s stainless Daytona was always my favorite. The original Paul Newman is so gorgeous—it’s a timeless watch that I would wear every day for the rest of my life. I wish it was mine!"

The original watch was given to Phillips by James Cox, who once dated Newman’s daughter, Nell, and all of the proceeds are to go to the Nell Newman Foundation, for charity.

The pre-sale estimate was in excess of $1 million, and sold, to an anonymous buyer, for nearly 18 times that amount!

Read more about the Rolex Paul Newman Daytona, aka The Most Expensive Watch in the Universe here, in an article by The Jewelry Editor.