The artwork, titled “Pristine,” was raffled off at the Canadian Jewellers Association’s recent summit.
Selling for $17.8M, Paul Newman’s Rolex Sets Record
An anonymous phone bidder bought the Ref. 6239 Cosmograph Daytona and made it the most expensive wristwatch ever sold at auction.
The late movie star’s Rolex Ref. 6239 Cosmograph Daytona led Phillips’s “Winning Icons--Legendary Watches of the 20 Century” sale in New York, its first in the city.
Previously owned by James Cox, the former boyfriend and current close friend of Newman’s daughter, it sold to an anonymous phone bidder after 12 minutes of activity.
According to Bloomberg, the starting $1 million bid was immediately followed by a $10 million bid, and the hammer almost came down at $15 million until a “showdown” in the last few minutes between two bidders.
The watch surpassed the previous record set by a stainless steel Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 that went for $11.1 million in November 2016 in Geneva, also sold by Phillips. (However, it still isn’t the most expensive timepiece of all. That honor continues to belong to the Henry Graves Supercomplication at $24.4 million.)
Prior to the sale, the auction house had estimated that Newman’s Rolex would go for “in excess of $1 million.”
Newman, in addition to being a two-time Academy Award winning actor, also was a director, entrepreneur, philanthropist and racecar driver, the latter of which grew from his role as Frank Capua in the 1969 film “Winning.”
He committed a lot of time to this part of his life, dedicating himself to training and going on to win a number of races.
But his wife, actress Joanne Woodward, was constantly was afraid he’d get into an accident, so she bought him the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, a watch designed specifically for motor sports, and had the caseback inscribed with these words: “Drive Carefully Me.”
She chose a rare and exclusive version of the Cosmograph Daytona to give to her husband, the Ref. 6239, which was the very first model of the brand’s iconic “Daytona” series, produced from about 1963 until 1970.
It also was the brand’s first chronograph with a tachymeter scale engraved on the bezel, designed to measure speed instantly and clearly.
During the 1980s, when the popularity of collecting wristwatches was growing, Daytonas fitted with this so-called exotic dial became known as “Paul Newman” Daytonas. Along with the red Daytona designation at 6 o’clock and the red outer seconds track, these watches also have subsidiary dials, Phillips said.
The Art Deco feel of the font and the hash marks with small squares used for the counters set them apart from the standard Daytona dials.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale will go to The Nell Newman Foundation, which supports organic food and sustainable agriculture, as well as the Newman’s Own Foundation.
In addition to Newman’s Rolex Daytona, Thursday’s sale included watches from some of the most important collectors of the last century.
A Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 sold for $975,000; a Philippe Dufour Duality garnered more than twice its pre-sale estimate at $915,000; and an Audemars Piguet Ref. 5516 went for slightly more than its estimate when it sold for $675,000.
For a full list of lots and results, visit Phillips.com.
The Latest
The new store features a custom design studio and a bridal salon.
Designer Rosanne Karmes has created a collection to coincide with the release of the movie musical, which is expected to be a blockbuster.
From protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.
The retailer said it will file the necessary paperwork to regain compliance as soon as it is able.
Whether you’re calming the jittery gentleman in seat 13B or selling a diamond ring to a hesitant customer, an empathetic approach is best.
The gala includes a red carpet, music from DJ Renata, an awards program, and “mystery boxes.”
This fall, sharpen your skills in jewelry grading, quality control and diamond assessment.
The trade show, in its third year, will take place in late September at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.
The jeweler shared her change of heart on lab-grown diamonds and why she keeps them separate from natural diamonds in her business ventures.
The 2025 Gem Awards are scheduled to take place March 14 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.
Grosz had served as Assael’s senior vice president and creative director since 2017.
“Love and Celebration” is the jeweler’s first in-house collection featuring engagement rings, wedding bands, and celebration rings.
A more positive view of the labor market contributed to the strongest monthly gain since March 2021.
The funds will be distributed to schools in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
Jennifer Mulvihill, the first woman to lead JSA in the organization’s 141-year history, takes over for the retiring John Kennedy.
This year’s festivities include more than 100 experiences, such as designer showcases, panel discussions, and even a treasure hunt.
The ads star brand ambassadors Chloe and Halle Bailey and Pamela Anderson.
The company combined two sights in Q3 due to the slowdown in demand, and said it is moving up the dates for sights 9 and 10 in Q4.
The jewelry designer discussed how she got into the jewelry industry, what she keeps in her favorite locket, and the future of her brand.
Participants can buy five votes for $5 to decide which jeweler will dress up as an ‘80s rockstar for Halloween.
These 15 pieces of jewelry hand-picked ahead of Halloween appeal to the costume- and candy-loving child in all of us.
Starboard Luxury is bringing the Italian brand aboard The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s newest yacht.
The pendant, circa the late 1700s, likely was commissioned to remember a loved one who died young.
It features the brand’s products in the precious color, semi-precious color, pearl, diamond, gold, and sterling silver categories.
For her annual Halloween story, Associate Editor Lenore Fedow pairs fine jewelry with classic and contemporary Halloween costumes.
Sales fell 15 percent for the luxury conglomerate in the third quarter, led by a 26 percent drop in sales for flagship brand Gucci.