Paul Newman's Watches: The Four Documented Rolex Daytonas
The sources we could read tie Paul Newman to one watch family: the Rolex Daytona . Four of his watches are documented, from the steel ref. 6239 that sold for $17,752,500 in 2017 to a white gold 116519 sold in 2023. Each carries an engraving from his wife, Joanne Woodward, or a motorsport presentation. This guide covers each watch, what it fetched and when, and why the phrase “Paul Newman dial” does not mean what many people assume.
The short answer
Four Newman Daytonas are confirmed by auction-house documentation: the 6239 (Phillips, October 26, 2017, $17,752,500), the 6263 “Big Red” (Phillips, December 2020, $5,475,000), the 16520 presented at the 1995 Rolex 24 (Sotheby's, June 9, 2023, $1.143M) and the 116519 (Sotheby's, June 9, 2023, $1.08M). We found no source tying him to a watch from any other brand. “Paul Newman dial” is a collector nickname whose origin is unresolved, and the engravings on his watches are often confused.
Who wears what: quick reference
| Character (actor) | Watches |
|---|---|
| The 6239 years(1969 to 1984) | Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, steel, 37 mm, off-white exotic dial, manual caliber 722 |
| The black-dial years(1980s to 2008) | Rolex Daytona, black dial, red “Daytona” lettering |
| Racing honours and a gold finale(1995 to 2008) | Rolex Daytona, steel, Zenith-based automatic; Rolex Daytona, white gold, black dial |
| Other Daytonas(Reported, thin) | No documented watch |
How we label the evidence
Confirmed means a costume designer, prop department, the brand or the show itself said so, or multiple reputable outlets agree and cite a source. Reported means a single reputable outlet or database reports it. We leave out other fan speculation, and where sources disagree we say so. All prices are in US dollars and are indicative; check current listings before buying.
The 6239 years (1969 to 1984)
The best-documented watch is a steel Daytona with an off-white “exotic” dial. Phillips says it was likely bought new at Tiffany & Co. in New York around 1968 to 1969 by Joanne Woodward, around the time of the film Winning (1969), and engraved out of concern for his racing. He wore it daily from 1969 to 1984.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, steel, 37 mm, off-white exotic dial, manual caliber 722 | 6239 (case no. 2'005'325) | Confirmed | Caseback engraved “Drive Carefully Me”. Crocodile Bund-style strap. Provenance letter signed by Nell Newman. Phillips lot: first sale since leaving the Newman family | Auction: $17,752,500 incl. premium (Phillips New York, October 26, 2017; estimate $1M to $2M) |
The sale, “Winning Icons: Legendary Watches of the 20th Century”, opened with a $10M phone bid, and National Jeweler reports about 12 minutes of bidding and an anonymous phone buyer. The hammer was close to $15.5M (one search summary; National Jeweler says it “almost came down at $15 million”). It was then the highest price ever paid for a wristwatch at auction, beating $11.1M for a steel Patek Philippe 1518 in November 2016. Proceeds went in part to the Nell Newman Foundation and Newman's Own Foundation. Phillips and National Jeweler place the watch with James Cox, who preserved it; a 1984 hand-over to Cox is reported in one search summary only. We found no resale since 2017.
The black-dial years (1980s to 2008)
Newman replaced the 6239 in the mid-1980s with a black-dial Daytona with red lettering, nicknamed “Big Red”. He wore it for about 20 years before it passed to his daughter Clea Newman Soderlund in 2008. The year of the gift differs by source: Swisswatches Magazine reports 1983, a 25th-anniversary present, while Phillips dates the replacement to 1984.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolex Daytona, black dial, red “Daytona” lettering | 6263 “Big Red” | Confirmed | Caseback engraved “Drive slowly Joanne”. SJX carries a 1980s photograph of Newman wearing it | Auction: $5,475,000 incl. fees, $4.5M hammer (Phillips Racing Pulse, December 12, 2020) |
Venue is uncertain. Swisswatches Magazine says London, while SJX and Phillips point to New York and Geneva, with bids taken through both offices. We say only “Phillips, December 2020”.
Racing honours and a gold finale (1995 to 2008)
The last two documented Daytonas are different in kind: one a motorsport presentation from Rolex, the other the last of three Woodward gifts. Both were offered together at Sotheby's New York on June 9, 2023, in the sale titled “A Life & Legacy: Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman Collection”.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolex Daytona, steel, Zenith-based automatic | 16520 | Confirmed | Presented for the GT class win at the 1995 Rolex 24 at Daytona, when Newman, aged 70, became the oldest winner. Caseback reads “Rolex at Daytona 24 Paul Newman Rolex Motorsports Man of the Year 1995” | Auction: $1.143M incl. fees, $900,000 hammer (Sotheby's New York, June 9, 2023; estimate $500,000 to $1M). Earlier: reportedly $39,000 at a 1999 charity sale (one outlet) |
| Rolex Daytona, white gold, black dial | 116519 (c. 2006) | Confirmed | His only gold Daytona and the last of three Woodward gifts. Worn at the Last Racing Laps at Lime Rock Park, August 13, 2008. Engraved “Drive Very Slowly Joanne” per Sotheby's | Auction: $1.08M incl. fees, $850,000 hammer (Sotheby's New York, June 9, 2023; estimate $500,000 to $1.1M) |
Sources name the 1995 class inconsistently (GT-1 in some, GTS-1 in Fortune), so we leave the class out. Fortune and National Jeweler round the two 2023 results differently: Fortune gives $1.143M and $1.08M, National Jeweler about $1.1M each.
Other Daytonas (Reported, thin)
Some outlets say he owned more. Crown & Caliber lists white-dial and black-dial steel Zenith-movement Daytonas and a black-dial white gold, and says he had at least five Daytonas in all. A Bezel article implies two 16520 examples. Neither gives references or prices, so we do not treat the count as established.
No source we read ties Newman to a Heuer, Omega, Cartier, Submariner or any other non-Rolex watch. We make no claim beyond the four documented watches above.
Context: the “Paul Newman dial” and the market
A collector nickname. Rolex did not name it. Revolution says the label dates from the 1980s, and Phillips says collectors named it after the actor. A Bonhams essay notes that Newman wore one in promotional posters for Winning. A Bezel article gives a different origin involving an Italian collector and a photograph with a black strap; that is a single outlet, so we treat the origin as unresolved. Rolex sold these dials without any “exotic” documentation, per Revolution.
Which references carry the name. The nickname covers refs 6239, 6241, 6262, 6263, 6264 and 6265 (Bob's Watches), and most of those were not Newman's. His own 6263 “Big Red” had a black dial, not an exotic one. Phillips calls the 6239 the only exotic-dial Daytona he owned. Red-dial “Paul Newman” examples are widely regarded as fakes, per Revolution.
Market context. These are other people's watches, not Newman's. Bob's Watches lists vintage examples: a 6239 at $195,686 (Christie's, November 14, 2016), a 6241 at $201,094 (Phillips, November 11, 2016), a 6262 at $150,000 (Christie's, December 12, 2016), a 6263 “Panda” at $518,398 (Christie's, May 29, 2017) and a 6265 at $351,000 (Christie's, May 29, 2017). Revolution adds a black-dial 6263 at $1,089,186 (Christie's, November 11, 2013). A 6239 exotic dial, c. 1969, made £112,562.50 at Bonhams London on December 11, 2019. We did not find a reliable current price source, so none is quoted. See our Rolex Daytona history and the wider Rolex brand history.
Related guides. For other famous wearers see the famous people watches hub.
Myths and mix-ups, corrected
- “The Paul Newman dial is the dial on Newman's own watch.” His 6263 was black-dial. Only his 6239 had the exotic dial, and the name was a collector coinage, not Rolex's.
- “All his watches say the same thing.” The engravings differ: “Drive Carefully Me” on the 6239, “Drive slowly Joanne” on the 6263 and “Drive Very Slowly Joanne” on the 116519. Dupont Registry also attaches “Drive Slowly, Joanne” to the 6239, which is an error per the Phillips lot.
- “He was given the 6239 in 1972, wore it to 2008 and it cost $210.” Bob's Watches says this, but Phillips documents purchase around 1968 to 1969 and wear to 1984. We follow Phillips.
- “Rolex made a Newman edition.” We found no Newman-licensed edition. Rolex presented him the 16520 in 1995 as Motorsports Man of the Year.
Sources
Phillips lot page and essays for the 6239; Phillips article on the 2017 result; National Jeweler; The Drive; SJX and Swisswatches Magazine for the 6263; Fortune, National Jeweler and Dupont Registry for the 2023 Sotheby's sale; Crown & Caliber and Bezel; Bob's Watches, Revolution and Bonhams for market context. We could not open Forbes, the Phillips 2020 press release or the Sotheby's lot pages, so some hammer prices come from search summaries and are flagged. Prices are in US dollars and carry their sale dates, except the Bonhams result, which is in pounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What watch did Paul Newman wear?
He is documented with four Rolex Daytonas: ref. 6239, ref. 6263 “Big Red”, ref. 16520 and a white gold ref. 116519.
How much did Paul Newman's Rolex sell for?
His 6239 Daytona made $17,752,500 at Phillips on October 26, 2017. His 6263 made $5,475,000 in December 2020, and two others made $1.143M and $1.08M at Sotheby's on June 9, 2023.
What is a Paul Newman dial?
A collector nickname for the exotic dial on certain vintage Daytonas, including refs 6239, 6241, 6262, 6263, 6264 and 6265. The origin of the name is unresolved.
What was engraved on Paul Newman's Daytonas?
His 6239 reads “Drive Carefully Me”, his 6263 “Drive slowly Joanne” and his 116519 “Drive Very Slowly Joanne”, per the auction houses.
Did Paul Newman wear a Paul Newman dial?
His 6239 had the exotic dial. His later 6263 “Big Red” had a black dial.
Related Reading
