Modern Rolex watches are very popular, vintage Rolex watches are highly collectible, and Paul Newman Rolex Daytona watches are among the best. Simply put, replica Rolex Daytona watches with Paul Newman dials are collectible watches. But why? What makes the Paul Newman Daytona different from the standard dial Daytona and, more importantly, much more expensive?
Rolex released the Comosgraph chronograph in 1963 but did not immediately use the Daytona name. Rolex’s racing-inspired chronographs were initially called Cosmograph LeMans. However, with the company’s focus on the American market, it wasn’t long before Rolex settled on the name Daytona – taken from the center of auto racing in the United States.
Rolex still makes the very popular Daytona watches today; however, the rarest and most sought-after Daytona watches are the early four-digit hand-wound replica watches, produced from 1963 to 1988. Rolex offered both standard and exotic dials for these Daytona watches, or what we now call the Paul Newman dial.
The case, bracelet, and movement of the traditional vintage Daytona watch and the “Paul Newman” Daytona watches are identical. So, do you know what makes the Paul Newman Daytona different from other classic Daytona models?
The simple answer is the dial of the watch. The only Daytona watches that originally featured Paul Newman dials were references 6239, 6241, 6262, 6263, 6264, and 6265. Paul Newman’s subdials may also have block markers rather than lines and have crosses that meet in the middle on each subdial.
As mentioned earlier, the exotic Paul Newman dial was not popular at the time of its initial release. Rolex’s customers preferred the more traditional look of the standard Daytona dial. Due to lack of demand, Rolex simply did not produce many Paul Newman dials, which explains their rarity. This rarity, combined with the history of Paul Newman the man and the interest in vintage replica Rolex watches, paved the way for the sky-high prices these vintage beauties command today.
Given that there is no difference between the Paul Newman Rolex Daytona and a regular Daytona from the same era other than the dial, the Paul Newman Daytona can be a difficult watch to collect. Sadly, some people take good usage of this situation by putting fake Paul Newman dials on regular Daytona watches and pretending that they are authentic Paul Newman watches.
Sadly, some people take advantage of this situation by putting a replica Paul Newman dial on a normal Daytona watch and trying to pass it off as a genuine Paul Newman watch. Because of this, it is recommended that you always go through a certified and reputable dealer when purchasing a Rolex watch, especially a Paul Newman Daytona watch.