Just as if auctioning Paul Newman’s very own ‘Paul Newman’ Daytona ref. 6239 on October 26, 2017, wasn’t enough big of a deal —the watch fetched $17.7 Million USD including buyer’s fees—, Phillips Watches has just announced the sale of the Ultimate ‘Big Red’ Daytona ref. 6263 belonging to Paul Newman himself. Consigned by his Daughter, Clea Newman Soderlund, this incredible watch that will for sure set another world record, will be offered during the Racing Pulse Annual Flagship New York Watch Auction, on December 12th, 2020. Gifted to Paul Newman by his wife Joanne Woodward and engraved “Drive slowly Joanne”, Paul Newman’s Rolex ‘Big Red’ Daytona ref. 6263 will come out with an estimate in excess of $1 million USD. As a reference, the engraving on the Paul Newman Daytona ref. 6239 auctioned in 2017, had a similar engraving but that reads: “Drive Carefully Me”.
On Saturday, December 12th, 2020, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, will offer one of the world’s most important Rolex watches, it is the wristwatch Paul Newman was most often photographed wearing for over two decades until he gifted it to his daughter, Clea Newman Soderlund, in 2008. Treasured by Clea for a dozen years, it remains remarkably well-preserved, with its engraved case back displaying the incredible and loving inscription, “Drive slowly Joanne.”
Bearing all the features of one of the most sought-after wristwatches of the present era, it is being offered with its original dial with its bold black dial with white sub-dials, featuring the distinctive ‘Big Red’ Daytona logo at 6 o’clock.
According to Clea, Newman’s ‘Big Red’ Daytona was presented to him by his wife Joanne Woodward in 1983 for their 25th wedding anniversary. Nearly two decades earlier, in 1965, Newman was injured in a serious motorcycle accident. A few years later, during the filming of the 1969 film, Winning, his passion for car racing would form. With those unpleasant memories ever fresh in her mind, Joanne felt great discomfort every time he went onto the racetrack for a drive. Always concerned for the safety of her husband whenever he left to pursue his passion on the track, she wanted to make sure that he continued to remember to take care of himself, choosing the loving message for this case back.
Clea Newman Soderlund explains, in her signed letter accompanying the watch: “He wore the watch nearly every day until he gave it to me. He was photographed wearing it on numerous occasions as was I. It has been a treasure of mine for almost thirteen years. To me, this watch shows my mother’s tolerance of his continued passion for racing and reflects the enduring love between them which remained for another 25 years until his passing.”
Paul Boutros, Phillips’ Head of Watches, Americas, said: “While many know Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman as actors and philanthropists, their names signal something more to watch collectors —an extraordinary impact on the field of watch collecting. Throughout his lifetime, Paul Newman was photographed wearing a small handful of Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watches. Without any doubt, it is this association with Paul Newman that has led to the Rolex Daytona being universally regarded as possibly the world’s most sought after wristwatch. Of these, the watch he owned and wore the longest is the present ‘Big Red’ Daytona Ref. 6263. It is amongst the most exclusive handful of watches with impeccable Newman-family provenance. We are truly humbled that the Newman family once again turned to Phillips for this incredibly important consignment, and we sincerely thank them for their trust. With the support of Clea’s sisters and with a portion of proceeds benefiting charitable organizations founded by Paul Newman, we are thrilled and honored to offer what is one of the most storied vintage Rolex watches of our era.”
Photo courtesy of SeriousFun Children’s Network
Throughout his lifetime, Mr. Newman was seen wearing several generations of Daytona models. He not only made the model famous but also, without any doubt, helped fuel the growth and popularity of wristwatch collecting beginning in the 1980s. The present Rolex was not the first Paul Newman was famous for wearing. It was after Newman received the ‘Big Red’ ref. 6263 from his wife —the watch being sold this December—, that he made the decision to gift the ref. 6239 to his daughter’s boyfriend.
Newman was often photographed wearing the “Big Red” with its chronograph pushers unscrewed, so that he would have easy access to begin timing events – whether during a race or simply in his day-to-day activities, including timing his daughter Clea’s horseback riding at their home in Westport, Connecticut. So proud and confident he was of the accuracy of his Daytonas, he would place bets with friends that his watch was more accurate than theirs. After calling Central Time, a phone service providing exact time, Newman would collect his winnings.
Photo: Geoffrey Hewitt Photograph Collection
Can’t wait to see what this very important Rolex will fetch. The one thing we know is that it will for sure set another world record at the most important auction house for watches nowadays.
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