Rolex - The Geneva Watch Auction: XVI Geneva Saturday, November 5, 2022 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Rolex
    Year: Circa 1968
    Reference No: 6239
    Case No: 1'874'393
    Model Name: Cosmograph Daytona "Paul Newman Tiffany & Co."
    Material: Stainless steel
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 722-1, 17 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet, end links stamped 71N, max length 180mm
    Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex deployant clasp stamped 4.67
    Dimensions: 37mm Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by a copy of the invoice from Wingate's indicating the sale of the present watch in 1994.

  • Catalogue Essay

    Reference 6239 was the very first model within the iconic Cosmograph Daytona family and was produced from approximately 1963 until 1976. Available in stainless steel, 14K and 18K gold, reference 6239 was the Rolex's first chronograph with the tachymeter scale engraved on the bezel. The model was originally announced as the "Le Mans". It was eventually named the "Daytona” after the 24 Hours of Daytona automobile race.

    Some of the rarest, most historically important and valuable Rolex wristwatches have been sold through the American retailer Tiffany & Co. The present watch featuring not only the jeweler's signature but also a "Paul Newman" dial, is an extraordinarily rare specimen. To date no more than a handful of correct examples have appeared on the market. Few retailers have had a relationship with Rolex like Tiffany & Co. has. The jeweler has proudly emblazoned its logo on a variety of Rolex wristwatches, ranging from the GMT-Master to the Cosmograph Daytona.

    Historically, the storied boutique has been the destination for collectors in pursuit of the finest and most attractive wristwatches. Furthermore, Tiffany & Co. has been mentioned numerous times in popular culture, ranging from literature to film. Joanne Woodward no less purchased the now record-breaking reference 6239 wristwatch with "exotic" dial from the retailer for her husband Paul Newman.

    The present watch is, to the best of our knowledge, one of the best-preserved examples of a "Paul Newman" reference 6239 with Tiffany & Co. signature to ever come to the market. The outer track is free of tarnishing and all the graphics remain crisp and correct. The luminous dots are round, intact and have aged with warm patina. The case is also preserved in exceptional condition with crisp finishes throughout. Most notably, there is a code engraved underneath one lug, which is most probably an internal Tiffany & Co. code, similar examples of which can also be found on other Tiffany & Co. signed Rolex wristwatches.

    The present watch is most notably consigned by a collector who bought the timepiece in 1994 from Wingate's in the United States. It is accompanied by a copy of the sales receipt showing the purchase for a sum of $12,000 in August 1994. This is important as proof that the watch has never been altered throughout 28 years where according to the consigner, it mainly sat in a safe. It shows that the watch was sold to the present owner long before the popularity and rise of watch collecting, demonstrating how the watch has been unchanged throughout the years, giving the buyer and collecting community a frame of reference and seal of confidence.

    The rarity and honesty of the present watch, combined with its good looks, renders it one of the most exciting and beautiful examples of reference 6239s to ever appear in the public eye.

  • Artist Biography

    Rolex

    Swiss • 1905

    Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.

    One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.

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Ref. 6239
An extraordinarily rare, exceptionally well-preserved and attractive stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with "Paul Newman" dial and bracelet, retailed by Tiffany & Co.

Circa 1968
37mm Diameter
Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed

Estimate
CHF300,000 - 600,000 
€309,000-618,000
$300,000-601,000

Sold for CHF535,500

Contact Specialist

Alexandre Ghotbi
Head of Watches, Continental Europe and the Middle East
+41 22 317 81 81
AGhotbi@phillips.com
 

Tiffany To
Head of Sale, Geneva
+41 22 317 96 63
TiffanyTo@phillips.com

The Geneva Watch Auction: XVI

Geneva Auction 5 - 6 November 2022