{"id":5726,"date":"2022-02-25T01:01:33","date_gmt":"2022-02-25T09:01:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bobswatches.com\/rolex-blog\/?p=5726"},"modified":"2022-10-26T11:35:13","modified_gmt":"2022-10-26T18:35:13","slug":"vintage-week-rolex-paul-newman-daytona-rare-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bobswatches.com\/rolex-blog\/watch-review\/vintage-week-rolex-paul-newman-daytona-rare-watch.html","title":{"rendered":"Vintage Rolex Paul Newman Daytona Buying Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Modern Rolex watches are exceedingly popular, vintage Rolex<\/a> watches are highly collectible, and Paul Newman Rolex Daytona watches are the cream of the crop. Simply put, vintage Rolex Daytona watches fitted with Paul Newman dials are grail-worthy watches. But, why? What makes a Paul Newman Daytona different from a standard dial Daytona, and more importantly, so much more expensive?<\/p>\n

Collecting the Paul Newman Rolex Daytona is not for the faint of heart. Given their sky-high values and coveted status, the market for Daytona Paul Newman watches can be a minefield – particularly for newer collectors. This is why we’re chosen them as our vintage watches of the week. If you’re interested in learning more about one of the most collectible watches out there, read on as we shine a spotlight on the history, evolution, and collectability of the Paul Newman Rolex Daytona.<\/p>\n

Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona Legacy<\/h2>\n

\"Daytona-Paul-Newman-6241-Sothebys\"<\/p>\n

Rolex released the Comosgraph chronograph in 1963 but did not immediately use the Daytona name. Rolex\u2019s racing-inspired chronograph was initially known as the Cosmograph LeMans. However, since the company was focused on the U.S. market, it wasn\u2019t long until Rolex settled on the name Daytona\u2014after the American center of auto-racing.<\/p>\n

Rolex continues to manufacture highly popular Daytona watches today; yet, the rarest and most sought-after Daytona watches are the early four-digit manual-winding references, made from 1963 until 1988. Rolex furnished these Daytona references with standard dials and exotic dials, which are the ones we now refer to as Paul Newman dials.<\/p>\n

The Characteristics of a Paul Newman Daytona Dial<\/h2>\n
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Daytona Paul Newman 6239<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The cases, bracelets, and movements of traditional vintage Daytona watches and “Paul Newman” Daytona watches are identical. So what sets a Paul Newman Daytona apart from other classic Daytona models?<\/p>\n

The simple answer is the watch\u2019s dial. The only Daytona watches to originally feature a Paul Newman dial are References 6239, 6241, 6262, 6263, 6264, and 6265. The sub-dials of the Paul Newman may also feature block markers rather than lines and have crosshairs across each sub-dial that meet in the middle. The seconds sub-dial on a Paul Newman dial is positioned at the 9 o\u2019clock mark and displays 15, 30, 45, and 60. A normal Daytona dial is marked 20, 40, and 60. The Paul Newman dial also features an Art Deco-style font for the numerals as well as hash marks with a small square on the end.<\/p>\n

Here are a few defining characteristics of a Daytona Paul Newman dial:<\/p>\n