Paul Newman’s own Paul Newman Rolex Daytona was up for auction at the Phillips Auction House, and the winning bid set a world record. Following a 12-minute bidding war, according to Esquire, the reference 6239 Daytona went for $17,752,500. This makes it the most expensive wristwatch ever sold at auction.
The watch has a black-and-creame exotic dial, and the model was only produced for a very short amount of time. Only 2,000-3,000 were made with the white dial, along with the black subdials and the red “Daytona” and counters on the outer ring. The style was “way ahead of its time.”
The watch was a gift from Joanne Woodward, Newman’s wife. Esquire writes that it was the “perfect timepiece to complement her husband’s love of auto racing.” The watches caseback is engraved with the phrase “Drive Carefully Me.”
This iconic watch was sold to a buyer over the phone. But Esquire thinks it will be a while before anyone finds out who it was, if they ever do.
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