Newman’s Own Rolex Daytonas Sell for $1.1M Each at Sotheby’s
Plus, a Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 “Pink-on-Pink” goes for $3.9 million at the “Important Watches” auction.

Sotheby’s said three bidders battled it out for four minutes for Newman’s Rolex Ref. 16520 “Zenith Daytona,” a stainless steel watch the Oscar-winning actor and race car driver received in 1995 after his team won the “Rolex 24 at Daytona,” a 24-hour endurance race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida.
At 70, he was the oldest driver to ever win the race, a record that stands today.
The winning bidder paid $1.1 million for the watch (including buyer’s premium), with the timepiece’s hammer price falling within its pre-sale estimated range of $500,000 to $1 million.
Four bidders were after another Rolex Daytona Newman owned, a Ref. 116519 that was a gift from his wife, Oscar-winner Joanne Woodward.
The circa 2006 white gold automatic chronograph with black dial was the last of three known Rolexes Woodward gave as gifts to her husband and was the only gold Daytona Newman ever owned, Sotheby’s said.
Like Newman’s record-setting Rolex that Phillips sold in 2017, the caseback features an inscription from his longtime love. It reads: “Drive Very Slowly Joanne,” and can be seen below.
The watch also sold for $1.1 million (including buyer’s premium) against a pre-sale estimate of $500,000 to $1.1 million.

Sotheby’s auctioned the two Rolexes alongside some of Newman’s racing memorabilia Friday, while additional items belonging to Newman and Woodward are up for auction in a sale that closes today.
“A Life & Legacy: The Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman Collection” includes furniture, clothing, photographs, artwork, film memorabilia, and even some jewelry.
In addition, RM Sotheby’s, a classic car auction house partly owned by Sotheby’s, is selling more of Newman’s racing memorabilia in a separate sale called “High Speed: Paul Newman’s Racing Legacy,” which started May 27 and runs through Tuesday.

The top lot of Sotheby’s Important Watches auction was a new-to-the-market Patek Philippe “Pink-on-Pink” Ref. 1518, a perpetual calendar chronograph in pink gold with a salmon pink gold dial.
Introduced in 1941, Patek Philippe made fewer than 300 Ref. 1518 watches and even fewer in pink gold. This watch is the 15th known to exist, Sotheby’s said.
The Important Watches sale marked its auction debut, as the timepiece had remained in the possession of its original owner since its purchase in 1947.
After a five-minute back-and-forth between two bidders, a private collector from Asia walked away with the pink Ref. 1518, paying $3.9 million (including buyer’s premium). The watch’s pre-sale estimated range was $2.5 million to $4.5 million.
It is the second highest price ever paid for a Pink-on-Pink, topped only by the December 2021 sale of the Pink-on-Pink from the estate of Prince Tewfik Tousson of Egypt, which sold for $9.6 million.
Overall, Sotheby’s Important Watches sale garnered $16.4 million, with 94 percent of lots sold.
To see the full results, visit the Sotheby’s website.
The Latest

The “Impermanence” collection contemplates nature through the Japanese art of Ikebana (flower arranging) and philosophy of wabi-sabi.

The Texas-based jewelry retailer has set up shop in Tennessee and Arizona.

Eric Ford will step into the role, bringing with him decades of experience.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

In addition to improved capabilities, the acquisition will allow the jeweler to offer support to other independent jewelers.


The “Celestial Blue” capsule collection campaign features Olympian Kateryna Sadurska.

The seasonal store, located in Mykonos, Greece, offers exclusive events, personal styling, and curated experiences.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

The New England jeweler is hosting a bridal event for the month of August.

The trade-only event will host its debut fair in the Emerald City later this month.

Its sessions will focus on inventory strategies, staff performance, retention and acquisition, emerging market trends, and more.

For its 10th anniversary, Miseno designed the “Arco” earrings based on the Arco Felice, an arch conceptualized in A.D. 95 in Miseno, Italy.

The jewelry company is one of several contributing to relief efforts in the region after the recent floods.

Inspired by fiancé Sid Wilson’s nickname for her, the white and yellow diamond ring features a unique honeycomb design.

The brand is marking its 50th anniversary with a limited-edition bangle, high jewelry suites, new collections, and more.

Goldfarb said changes in the industry, coupled with his age and the updates needed to modernize his business, drove his decision.

Longtime LVMH executive Michael Burke has stepped into the role.

Central topics of next week’s event include climate action, labor rights, artisan preservation, and value retention in producing countries.

Vickie Rokkos has joined the jewelry company as its new national sales director of North America.

Turbulence will be the new baseline for luxury as it faces its biggest potential setbacks in 15 years, a recent report said.

Sponsored by Rio Grande Jewelry Supply

The “For the Love of Fruits” collection features five fruit pendants, each holding a different meaning.

Diamonds and crimes (some involving diamonds) top the list of National Jeweler’s most popular stories halfway through the year.

They discovered “The Dash Diamond,” named for their dog, at the Crater of Diamonds State Park earlier this month.

The “Les Pétales” collection imagines roses caught mid-bloom as a tribute to nature’s beauty.

Luxury brands charge thousands for their shoes and handbags. Jewelers pricing diamond products should take note, Peter Smith writes.

Rotenberg was an active member of the American Gem Society and an accomplished appraiser who also worked with therapy dogs at a hospital.