Rolex Daytona Paul Newman Ref. 6239

Name: Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 'Paul Newman' Ref. 6239
Brand: Rolex

WALLI1912, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Joanne Woodward had it engraved on the back: "Drive Carefully Me." She gave the Rolex Daytona Ref. 6239 to her husband Paul Newman sometime in the late 1960s. He wore it nearly every day for the rest of his life. In 2017, that watch sold for $17,752,500 at Phillips - the most expensive wristwatch ever sold at auction at the time, after a 12-minute bidding war that started at $10 million with about 700 people watching.

Quick Value Summary


Item	Rolex Cosmograph Daytona "Paul Newman" Ref. 6239
Year	1963–1969
Category	Watches - Vintage Rolex
Manufacturer	Rolex
Condition Range
Standard Ref. 6239 (non-Paul Newman dial)	$200,000 – $500,000
Paul Newman Dial Variant	$500,000 – $2,000,000
Paul Newman's Personal Watch	$17,752,500
Record Sale	$17,752,500 (Oct 2017, Phillips)
Rarity	Very Rare (Paul Newman dial) / Extremely Rare (personal watch - unique)

The Story

The Rolex Daytona wasn't always desirable. When the Ref. 6239 launched in 1963, it was a manual-wind chronograph in an era moving toward automatic movements. It used a Valjoux 722 caliber - reliable but not exciting. The "exotic" dial variants - with their art deco subsidiary registers and contrasting colors - were especially slow sellers. Rolex dealers couldn't move them.

Then Italian watch dealers in the 1980s noticed something. Paul Newman, the impossibly cool actor and racing driver, wore one of these exotic-dial Daytonas in publicity photos and at racing events. They started calling the exotic dial the "Paul Newman" dial. The name stuck. Prices started climbing.

What nobody knew was where Newman's actual watch had gone. After his death in 2008, the watch surfaced in 2016 - it had been given to James Cox, Newman's daughter Nell's then-boyfriend, years earlier. Cox approached Phillips auction house. The October 2017 sale drew approximately 10 bidders and lasted 12 minutes. Starting at $10 million, it hammered at $17.75 million including premium.

The sale didn't just set a record. It fundamentally changed the vintage watch market. Every serious collector now chases provenance - the story behind the watch.

How to Identify It

The "Paul Newman" Dial

Not every Ref. 6239 has a Paul Newman dial. The exotic dial has specific characteristics:

Art deco font on the subsidiary registers (small second counters at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock)
Stepped minute track - the outer edge of the dial has a raised, stepped ring
Contrasting colors - the subsidiary registers are a different color than the main dial (white/black "panda" or black/white "reverse panda")
Square markers at the hour positions within the sub-dials

Standard vs. Paul Newman Dial

A Ref. 6239 with a standard dial (no art deco registers) is worth $200,000 to $500,000. The same watch with an authentic Paul Newman dial is worth $500,000 to $2,000,000+. The dial is everything.

Key Reference Features

37mm stainless steel case - small by modern standards
Pump pushers (not screw-down) - correct for the 6239
Acrylic crystal - not sapphire
Tachymeter scale on bezel - steel, not ceramic
Manual-winding Valjoux 722 movement

Value by Configuration

Configuration	Value
Ref. 6239, standard dial, good condition	$200,000 – $400,000
Ref. 6239, standard dial, excellent	$400,000 – $500,000
Ref. 6239, Paul Newman dial	$500,000 – $2,000,000
Paul Newman's personal Ref. 6239	$17,752,500 (unique)

What drives value: The dial is the single biggest factor. An original, untouched Paul Newman dial in good condition is worth more than the rest of the watch combined. Service dials (replacements installed during maintenance) dramatically reduce value - a Ref. 6239 with a service dial might be worth 50-70% less than one with an original dial.

Authentication & Fakes

This is one of the most counterfeited watches in existence. At $500,000+, the incentive for fraud is enormous.

Dial authentication is critical. Aftermarket and service Paul Newman dials exist. Original dials have specific printing characteristics, lume application, and aging patterns that experts can identify
Case serial numbers should fall within known 6239 production ranges (approximately 1963-1969)
Movement should be an original Valjoux 722 with correct parts
Pump pushers are correct - screw-down pushers indicate a different reference
Professional authentication is mandatory. At these values, consult recognized experts. Major auction houses (Phillips, Christie's, Sotheby's) have in-house vintage Rolex specialists
"Franken-watches" - assembled from parts of different watches - are common. Every component should be verified

Where to Sell

Phillips - Sold Newman's personal watch; the premier vintage watch auction house
Christie's / Sotheby's - Regular high-value watch sales
Established vintage watch dealers - Dealers specializing in vintage Rolex sports watches
Private sale - At this level, dealers can facilitate private transactions with serious collectors

Do not sell a Paul Newman Daytona on eBay. Do not sell it to a local jeweler. The buyer pool for a $500,000+ watch is small and specialized.

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Common Questions

How much is a Paul Newman Rolex Daytona worth?

A Ref. 6239 with a standard dial: $200,000 to $500,000. With an authentic Paul Newman exotic dial: $500,000 to $2,000,000+. Paul Newman's actual personal watch sold for $17,752,500 in 2017.

What makes a dial a "Paul Newman" dial?

The exotic dial has art deco-style subsidiary registers with a stepped minute track and contrasting colors. Italian watch dealers coined the term in the 1980s after noticing Paul Newman wore this dial variant. Not every Ref. 6239 has one - standard dials are far more common.

How can I tell if my Daytona has an original dial?

Original Paul Newman dials have specific printing characteristics, lume aging, and construction details that differ from service replacements and aftermarket dials. This requires expert examination - do not attempt to authenticate a six-figure watch yourself.

Are other Daytona references valuable?

Yes. The entire vintage Daytona line (Ref. 6239, 6241, 6262, 6264, 6263, 6265) is highly valuable. Paul Newman dial variants command the highest premiums across all references.