Collectors speak of “grail” watches, and the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona with “Paul Newman Lemon” dial is one such watch. When a Rolex Daytona bears a “Lemon” dial, it is a classification of traits that is rarely ever seen and consequently, singularly coveted.

What differentiates a “Lemon” Paul Newman Daytona from the more commonly found champagne-dial Paul Newman Daytona? The devil is in the details, and the details are in the dial. To be considered a “Lemon” Paul Newman, the main dial must have a matte-finished, grèné, or grained, texture with an almost powdery effect with a more cream yellow color than a metallic gold or champagne. Compared with the yellow main dial on the more regularly seen champagne Paul Newman Daytonas, the “Lemon” dials feature an intense shade of yellow that sets them apart.

The most distinctive feature can be found on the subdials of the “Lemon”. Instead of matching the gilt printing found on the black outer track, they have vivid, white printed Art Deco numerals – a coveted characteristic immediately spotted by those who know. Overall, the combination of the creamy yellow dial and stark, white subdial numerals is quite striking – especially when paired with a black outer track. The dial on the present example is breathtaking, with no flaws seen on the main dial or sub-dial, and all of its luminous hour markers remaining fully intact. The black outer track, with its charismatic gold printing, is slowly but surely tropicalizing and turning a pleasing shade of dark brown.

Cased in 18 karat yellow gold as expected for all “Lemon” Paul Newman Daytonas, most impressively, the caseback of the present lot displays the hallowed symbols of French importation - two owl heads and a “Socièté Rolex” stamp to the caseback. These hallmarks are extremely rare in and of themselves, and moreover, are preserved in extraordinary condition.

The present watch retains its original Mark I bezel, with inner caseback stamped 6241. To add to its authenticity, most of the Rolex Daytona Paul Newman’s with so-called “Lemon” dials in 18K yellow gold appear in the same serial number range as the one being offered here, beginning with 2’357’XXX, and the current example is within 10 digits of several other confirmed pieces. Furthermore, the presence of this watch’s service guarantee from Rolex indicates that the famously strict manufacture gave this piece their internal blessing. Offered for the first time publicly from the vault of an important collector, and given the extreme rarity of these pieces, the present lot offers a chance to acquire an extraordinarily rare and well-preserved vintage Rolex. To see and own such a watch in similar condition may not happen again in the near or distant future.