Even those outside of the watch community know about the infamous, Paul Newman Daytona. In 2017, Paul Newman’s actual Daytona sold at auction for $17.8m, making this line of Rolex the most collectable watch in the world.
Of course, there are still rarer watches, but in the few years following the sale of this particular piece, the whole line of ‘Paul Newmans’ has continued to increase in value exponentially. We continue to see the word ‘investment’ thrown about within watches, and arguably no watch better epitomises this than the Rolex Daytona Paul Newman.
But with the rise in the value of these watches, comes an increase in risk. It has become more and more important, therefore, to be able to distinguish between each model. Here’s an overview of the different Paul Newman Daytonas.
The Reference 6239
Image Credit: Bob’s Watches
The first Paul Newman Daytona on our list is the 6239. Powered by the Rolex Valjoux 722, the reference 6239 is in fact the reference that Paul wore himself. It’s a striking piece with an all-steel bezel and pump pushers.
A 6239 features black, white and red on the dial, with the seconds track in red. The dial can either be black or white and will have the name Daytona on the dial above the six ‘o’clock register. It’s uncontestably the purest of Daytona on the market.
A good thing however is that it’s not the most expensive of the Paul Newman variants. Good news, right?!
The Reference 6241
Image Credit: Bob’s Watches
The next in the line of these fantastically collectable watches is the 6241. Much like its predecessor it has a three-colour dial, the same Valjoux 722 movement and pump pushers.
However, this watch has a black acrylic bezel, which is for sure the striking and tell-tale difference between this model and the 6239.
The Reference 6262
Image Credit: Hairspring
The 6262 begins the transitional references for the Paul Newman Daytona and bears a strong resemblance to the 6239.
Visually, this reference is identical to the original reference. That said, there are variations to the dial which can differ. Often, the 6262 is found with the tri-colour dial, however, two colour dials are also genuine.
Where this watch proves to be completely different to the 6239 is the internals. The movement is an upgraded Valjoux movement, the calibre 727. This movement beats faster at 21,600 beats per hour (bph).
The production run was only a year for this particular watch, meaning that the value, retention, and potential of this reference is very strong.
The Reference 6264
Image Credit: Fratello Watches
The second transitional reference is the 6264. Alongside featuring the upgraded Valjoux calibre 727 like the 6262, this reference was also only produced for a year.
It can be found in precious metals too. Daytona once again is stamped above the 6 o’clock register. This is also the last pre-Oyster reference.
The Reference 6265
Image Credit: Wind Vintage
Now we’re into the Oyster References, which were produced from the year 1970 and have Oyster on the dial. It is fairly simple to distinguish between this reference and all of the previous models.
The new case design is striking, and it also has screw-down pushers. This reference model sports a stainless-steel bezel, and no longer will you see the tri-coloured dials. Instead, we begin to see the introduction of Panda dials, in both black and white.
This reference also features one of the rarest nuances from the whole of the Paul Newman selection. That being the “Rolex Cosmograph Oyster” which is extremely rare. This is not to be confused with a black dial “Rolex Oyster Cosmograph”, which doesn’t exist in the 6265-reference range. The 6265 is undoubtedly one of the coolest watches of the bunch.
The Reference 6263
Image Credit: Bob’s Watches
So, the likelihood is that if you think of a Paul Newman Daytona this reference is what springs to mind. Visually, it is one of the most distinctive watches out there. It doesn’t get more desirable or more expensive than this reference.
We’re talking white panda dial, black acrylic bezel, this is probably the best looking and iconic of the references. Although the standard Panda PN isn’t as rare as say a black dial 6263, they still fetch a serious premium.
You can compare this to the non-Paul Newman reference 6263, the price difference is extraordinary. We’re talking above $250,000 for the pandas, compared to around $70,000 for the regular 6263. The differences in both watches visually charge a ridiculous premium.
Overall Verdict
Even those outside of the watch community know about the infamous, Paul Newman Daytona.
In 2017, Paul Newman’s actual Daytona sold at auction for $17.8m, making this line of Rolex the most collectable watch in the world. Of course, there are still rarer watches, but in the few years following the sale of this particular piece, the whole line of ‘Paul Newmans’ has continued to increase in value exponentially.
We continue to see the word ‘investment’ thrown about within watches, and arguably no watch better epitomises this than the Rolex Daytona Paul Newman.
I think it’s clear that the Paul Newman Daytona is a complicated line of watches to understand. This article really only scratches the surface of the ins and outs of this model.
That said, no watch better typifies sophistication, sportiness and historical importance. Aside from its bold and daring design, the Paul Newman Daytona is endlessly desirable and exclusive.
They continue to skyrocket and increase in value. They are, indeed, the face of watches and for good reason. Not many beat the Paul Newman Daytona.
