It's The First Time A 1968 Rolex Daytona With A "John Player Special" Dial Will Be Auctioned
The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XIII this November will feature Phillips' 1968 chronograph watch in yellow gold.
Phillips' upcoming watch sale will soon reveal what vintage Rolex Daytonas and British cigarettes have in common.
The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XIII will feature a 1968 Rolex Daytona chronograph watch in yellow gold in association with Bacs & Russo, the auction house announced on Tuesday. One of the rarest Daytona examples made, reference 6241, was introduced in 1965 and produced until 1969. It was introduced in 1965 and produced until 1969.
This is because Paul Newman's famous Rolex Daytona is a rare variant of the watch. In an interview with Phillips executive Paul Boutros, he said approximately 2,000 to 3,000 examples exist in the world today. This watch is much rarer, however, because it was only produced in 300 specimens in 18 karat yellow gold.
One of the watch's most striking features is the black and gold "John Player Special" dial. A tobacco manufacturer in the UK, John Player & Sons, sponsored Formula 1 teams often under the nickname. Its cigarettes adorned F1 race cars with a regal black and gold color scheme. Reference 6241 is anchored by the same scheme. It's a Rolex, of course.
It has two French gold import hallmarks in addition to the dial. One appears on the owl symbol, and the other appears on the Geneva Helvetia, which is on the figure's caseback and lugs.
In Hong Kong, Phillips estimates this 1968 Rolex Daytona will fetch between $596,000 and $1,210,000. It is mounted on a brown leather strap with white stitching and is described as well preserved. On November 27 and 28, over 300 lots of collector-worthy timepieces will be sold at the two-day auction, including Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, F.P. Journe, and Harry Winston.
