143 Rolex A very rare, fine and highly sought-after, Daytona Paul Newman “Panda” chronograph wristwatch in steel, reference 6263.

Estimate: € 380.000 –⁠ 750.000

There are watches, and then there are legends. And when the term “Paul Newman” is uttered within the sanctum of horological collecting, all heads turn, ears sharpen, and pulses rise. The Rolex Daytona reference 6263 “Paul Newman” is not merely a timepiece — it is the embodiment of myth, mystery, glamour, and an obsessive pursuit of perfection. Released in the early 1970s and produced into the late 1980s, the 6263 featured the iconic screw-down pushers, Oyster case, and the coveted Valjoux 727 movement. But what truly set it apart was the dial — the so-called “exotic dial” — a bold, cinematic layout of contrasting sub-dials, Art Deco-style numerals, and vibrant minute tracks. For decades dismissed as undesirable by retailers, the Paul Newman Daytona underwent one of the greatest reevaluations in the history of collecting, becoming a modern grail, championed by auction houses, collectors, and the most important dealers in the world. The reference 6263 stood at the apex of the manually wound Daytonas, the final chapter before Rolex ushered in the automatic era. The Oyster case, complete with the signature black acrylic tachymeter bezel and screw-down pushers, was more than a visual upgrade — it was a technical evolution. Combined with the Valjoux 727 movement, it provided both robustness and mechanical excellence. Within this reference lies a range of dial configurations, yet only a fraction bear the elusive “Paul Newman” signature — marked by their graphic beauty and hypnotic symmetry. Within that fraction, only a smaller sliver remains in truly collector-grade condition, untouched by time, carelessly absent of restoration, their lumes still intact and having acquired a charming caramel hue, like the present example. Offered here is one of those few pieces that can stop conversations mid-sentence. Encased in a stainless steel Oyster case, the present watch features the unmistakable panda configuration: a creamy, eggshell-white dial with inky black sub-registers and outer seconds track, the latter executed with subtle, yet distinctive, squared ends and crosshair-like markings — telltale signs of a true Paul Newman dial with spectacular and intact lume plots. What makes this piece sing, however, is not merely the reference or the dial, but the condition. The case is thick, its lugs sharp and full, with beautifully defined chamfers that echo factory proportions. The bezel — that deep, rich black acrylic tachymeter ring — is intact and vibrant, showing none of the cracking or degradation that so often plagues this model. The tritium hour markers are full, round, and wonderfully aged to a warm custard tone, matched harmoniously by the handset. The sub-registers are clean and unmuddied, while the typography remains crisp and well-defined. For the collector with the eye of an aesthete and the soul of a historian, this Paul Newman 6263 is not merely desirable — it is destiny cast in steel.

Condition Report

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