Phillips sold the Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona in October that achieved the highest result ever for any wristwatch sold at auction.

Philips Watch Auction House Announces Sale For Spring 2018

Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo has announced that it will hold thematic sale in Spring 2018, called “Daytona Ultimatum”, comprising of the world’s most well-known and best-preserved wristwatch and exclusive examples of the Rolex Daytona known to exist. In the most recent auction held in October, Phillips has sold the Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona that achieved the highest result ever for any wristwatch sold at auction.

In other editions of Philip’s auction, the house saw a selection of record breaking prices, including Patek Philippe reference 2523 World-Time, sold at a staggering figure of HK$22,300,000, the highest value ever achieved for a wristwatch sold at auction in Asia.

Patek Philippe reference 1518 in stainless steel was sold in November 2016 for USD 11,112, 020, making it the highest result ever achieved for a Patek Philippe wristwatch at auction.

The history of the Rolex Daytona

The Cosmograph Daytona with what is known as the ‘Paul Newman’ dial

Launched in 1963, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona has achieved progressive success, and today, the model has become an iconic chronograph wristwatch that inspired several generations of watch enthusiasts.

Designed to meet the demands of professional racing drivers, Philips mentioned in a statement that “its introduction followed Rolex’s sponsorship of the annual 24 Hours of Daytona endurance race held since 1962 – known today as the Rolex 24 at Daytona.”

With subtle changes and functional improvements over the years, the newer version of the Daytona is said to be a highly reliable chronograph and the bezel with tachymetric scale allowed drivers to perfectly measure average speeds up to 400 km per hour. While the main aesthetic features have remained consistent in terms of the watch’s strength and its initial design.

The ultimate sports watch is widely-recognised for its timeless style, superb proportions, and racing pedigree. “While few references of the Daytona have been introduced, the flurry of subtle changes seen over the course of five decades captivates the minds of collectors, with very rare and exclusive examples still being discovered today,” the auction house concluded.

The curated sale of “Daytona Ultimatum” will take place on May 12 in Geneva and it will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for astute collectors around the world.

More details will be shared by the auction house in the months ahead. For more information about Philips, please visit here.