Two Rolex Watches that Belonged to Paul Newman Fetch a Staggering $1 Million Each at Auction.

Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytonas Sell for Over $1 Million Each at Auction

On June 9th, Sotheby’s auctioned off two Rolex Daytonas that once belonged to legendary Hollywood actor and racing enthusiast, Paul Newman. The watches were sold separately with both fetching over $1 million each. Here’s a breakdown of each timepiece and its significance.

The “Zenith” Daytona

The first watch, a Rolex “Zenith” Daytona, was presented to Newman after he won the GTS-1 class at the 1995 24 Hours of Daytona Race. At the time, Newman was 70 years old, and he remains the oldest driver to win the race – a record still standing today. The watch bore the inscription, “Rolex at Daytona 24 Paul Newman Rolex Motorsports Man of the Year 1995.” In 1999, Newman auctioned the watch during Antiquorum’s “Famous Faces” sale, with the watch fetching a record sale of $39,000 to benefit Newman’s charity.

However, Newman was spotted wearing it again in the following years; it’s widely speculated that a close family member or friend had repurchased it for him. The “Zenith” Daytona is known for its sentimental value and significance to Newman’s racing career and car enthusiasts.

The White Gold Daytona

The white gold automatic chronograph wristwatch is the only precious metal Daytona that Newman ever owned. It is one of only three known Daytonas gifted to Paul from his wife, actress Joanne Woodward. The timepiece features a black dial and has an engraving on the back that reads, “Drive Very Slowly, Joanne.” The couple starred together in the 1969 movie, “Winning,” which sparked Newman’s successful motorsport career.

Newman wore this watch during his final laps at Lime Rock Park in Salisbury, Connecticut, in August 2008, a month before he passed away at 83. Friday’s auction marked the first time the watch was offered on the market.

Final Bids and Sales Fees

The two Daytonas attracted a lot of attention and interested bidders at the auction. Both watches were estimated to sell for up to $1 million. However, the “Zenith” Daytona and the white gold Daytona sold for $900,000 and $850,000, respectively. The sales fees brought the final prices to $1.143 million and $1.08 million, respectively.

Newman’s Rolex Daytona Auctions

This auction isn’t the first time that Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona watch has fetched a considerable sum. In October 2017, a stainless-steel Daytona Rolex owned by Newman sold for $17.8 million at Phillips. The wristwatch has a white dial, three black subdials, a red outer track, and Woodward’s engraving on the back that reads, “DRIVE CAREFULLY ME.”

“The World of Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman” Auction

The two Rolex sales are a part of “The World of Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman,” an ongoing auction that started on May 31 and will end on June 13. The auction includes over 300 items, including a unique 1998 Volvo V90 “Volvette,” and Newman’s racing suit that he wore during his last professional race in 2007 and his final lap in 2008.