92nd Auction

2015/11/14

Lot 145

Rolex "Oyster Cosmograph" - so called "Paul Newman Panda Dial", Case No. 3048294, Ref. 6263, Cal. 727, 37 mm, circa 1972
An early and extremely rare Rolex "cult" wristwatch with "Paul Newman Panda Dial"
Case: steel, screw back with reference 6262, black bezel with tachy scale, screwed "Triplock" winding crown, screwed chronograph pushers, riveted steel "Oyster" bracelet ref. 783519 with endlinks numbered 357. Dial: silvered/black, "Paul Newman 2CROC" dial, applied luminous indexes, auxiliary seconds, 30 min. and 12h counter, black subsidiary dials, outer black seconds track, luminous baton hands. Movm.: bridge movement, rhodium-plated, ground, 3 adj., 17 jewels, finely ground and bevelled chronograph steel parts, ratchet wheel, Glucydur screw balance, Incabloc shock protection for balance, pink gilt train.
The Panda 6263 is the most desired, most beautiful, and most expensive standard Paul Newman Daytona around.
The early "Oyster Cosmographs", beginning with reference 6239 were produced from 1961 to 1987. Reference 6262 was the second version of the Cosmograph; it replaced the reference 6239 and had pump pushers. In the late 1960s, it was produced with the new exotic dials - as what was to be called the "Paul Newman" model; the watch was available in 18K yellow gold, 14K yellow gold and as a stainless steel version. The famous "Daytona" inscription was first introduced around 1964. The very early pieces had a bezel which was graduated to 300 units per hour but this was later reduced to 200 units per hour. Ref. 6239 was replaced by Ref. 6263. Paul Newman supposedly wore a ref. 6239 "Daytona" after his wife Joanne Woodward gave it to him in 1972 when he began racing automobiles.
Paul Newman - the eight-time Academy Award nominee whose career spans decades is one of the film industry's most beloved stars. Newman received his special honorary Oscar in 1985 and a Best Actor Oscar the following year for his performance in "The Color of Money" with Tom Cruise. The actor is also a distinguished as a director with such films as "Rachel, Rachel ", for which he received "Best Director " from the New York Film Critics. Cleveland-born in 1925, Newman began his acting career with a local children ' s drama group. On turning eighteen, he enlisted in the navy and spend the three following years as a radioman on torpedo bombers in the Pacific. He enrolled in Yale Drama School after college and, after moving to New York and working in television, had his first Broadway role as Alan Seymour in William Inge's "Picnic ". It was here that he first met Joanne Woodward, who was to become his wife in 1958. Woodward and Newman have so far starred in ten films together. Both were recipients of the Kennedy Centre Honors in 1992 - the honors are presented annually to significant contributors to the American culture through the performing Arts. An enthusiastic race-car driver, Newman is also a four-time winner of the Sports Club of America National Championship. Newman gained himself an entry in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest driver to win such a race when he won the 24 hours of Daytona in the GT-1 Class along with his teammates in 1995.

Sold

estimated
100.000150.000 €
Price realized
210.800 €