Important Collectors Watches, Pocket ...

Hong Kong, Jun 08, 2008

LOT 336

Ref. 6239, Stainless Steel "Paul Newman" Rolex, ?Cosmograph Daytona?, case No. 2045535, Ref. 6239/6242. Made in 1969. Very fine and rare, water-resistant, stainless steel wristwatch with round-button chronograph, registers, tachometer, steel bezel graduated to 200UPH and a stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet. Accompanied by the original guarantee (now void), 1969 Oyster booklet and fitted box.

HKD 500,000 - 600,000

USD 65,000 - 80,000 / EUR 40,000 - 50,000

Sold: HKD 540,000

C. Three-body, polished and brushed, screwed-down case back and crown, tachometer graduation on the bezel to 200 units per hour. D. Bicolored matte white and black, applied square steel indexes and luminous dots, outer red seconds track with fifth of a second divisions, black subsidiary dials for the seconds, the 12-hour and 30-minute registers. Luminous steel baton hands. M. Cal. 722, rhodium-plated, fausses cotes decoration, 17 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, adjusted to three positions, shock absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance spring, Microstella regulating screws. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 36 mm. Thickness 13.5 mm. Approx. overall length 175 mm.

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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent

Case: 3-9

Good

Scratched

Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense

Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

Ref. 6239
The reference. 6239 was produced from 1961 to 1976. The first examples with exotic dial, the so-called ?Paul Newman? model, came on the market in the late 60?s. They were produced in 18K yellow gold, 14K yellow gold and stainless steel. Since the Ref. 6239 has round non-screwed down push buttons, some collectors consider it a ?Non-Oyster? model. The famous ?Daytona? inscription was introduced circa 1964. In the very early models the bezel was graduated to 300 units/hour; in the later version it was graduated to 200. The Ref. 6239 was replaced by Ref. 6263. It is said that Paul Newman himself wears a Ref. 6239 ?Daytona? and has done so since 1972, the watch having been given to him by his wife, Joanne Woodward, when Mr. Newman took up automobile racing.