Is there such a thing as Paul Newman fatigue in the contemporary watch auction sphere"
In a little over 24 hours, we’ll once more have a chance to see how far Daytona mania has come in the past few years. Lot #17 in tomorrow night’s Christie’s “An Evening of Exceptional Watches” auction is a first-rate example of a Rolex Paul Newman Mark 1 Panda Dial Ref. 6263 chronograph circa 1969. The current estimate is set between $500,000 and $1,000,000, with many experts and collectors assuming it will settle closer to the latter figure than the former. The watch comes from its original owner who purchased the watch new in Bern, Switzerland in 1971 while touring Europe on motorcycle. The condition is superb, the dial in particular in beautiful shape, and it features the original crown, pushers, and bezel.
Other than the Paul Newman Mark 1, which will surely dominate social media feeds once the bidding goes live, we have five other lots worth keeping an eye on that range from a contemporary Patek that is emblematic of the seemingly unstoppable force that is today’s Nautilus market, a Ulysse Nardin with an uncharacteristic movement finish, and a Rolex Big Crown Submariner with an “Explorer” dial and an intoxicating provenance filled with Arctic adventure.
First, a few honorable mentions:
One of the first few lots is a Zenith El Primero A386, otherwise known as the first self-winding chronograph when it was released in 1969, in pri...