Imaging being the owner of Paul Newman's iconic Rolex Daytona Ref. 6263 watch or one of the Heuer Monaco timepieces Steve McQueen wore in the 1971 film Le Mans. On December 12th, both of these wristwatches will be going up for auction at Phillips in New York City as part of a "Racing Pulse" auction. We have all of the exciting details you need to know about these two watches.
Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona
The first watch we will go over is Paul Newman's Rolex Daytona Ref. 6263. Also known as "Big Red" to many of his fans, Paul Newman received it as a 25th wedding anniversary gift from his wife, Joanna Woodward. On the caseback of this Rolex chronograph, there is an engraving that says "Drive slowly / Joanne" although it is shallow and subtle.
Thanks to receiving this watch, he felt comfortable with gifting his Daytona to James Cox in 1984. The timepiece that will be auctioned off was one that was photographed endlessly while adorning Paul Newman's wrist throughout the mid-1980s.
The Rolex Daytona watch that you will be able to bid on is not the legendary Daytona that was auctioned off for a stunning $17.75 million back in 2017. That sale cemented the timepiece as being the most expensive in the world up until that point. However, the Rolex Chronograph Daytona price for the one going to auction will be far less. It is estimated to go for at least one million dollars. However, that is what Phillips said the $17.75 million wristwatch would go for, and we now know what happened after that. While it may end up selling for a few million, it is unlikely to reach the domain of the previously sold Paul Newman Daytona.
Steve McQueen's Le Mans Heuer Monaco
In the 1971 film Le Mans, there were six iconic Heuer Monaco watches showcased throughout it. One of those is now going up for auction at Phillips. Whenever Steve McQueen wore one, it looked amazing. McQueen was given two of the six watches. He ended up gifting it to Haig Alltounian. On the back, there is an engraving that says "TO HAIG / LE MANS 1970."
A few years ago, Haig mentioned in the documentary Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans that he initially didn’t want to accept the extraordinary gift. However, McQueen laughed and said he would have to because his name was already on it. Haig went on to wear it ever since them. He is the one who is, in fact, selling it at the auction. This Heuer Monaco will be the last of the original six from Le Mans going up for auction. It’s likely that this timepiece will fetch at least one million dollars.
Whether you want to participate in the auction or simply stay informed, be sure to watch for news post-auction on December 12th for these two extraordinary wristwatches.