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Rolex Daytona 6239 Paul Newman - my first Rolex "love"
It is never obvious what it will be, but somewhere along the line, a watch grabs and makes you its own. For me, although it was most certainly not my first Rolex, the Daytona 6239 PN was the first Rolex that I adored. It had everything for me. The sportiness of the dial. The case size. 3-register manual chronograph. And yes, that mystique of the Paul Newman dial...a watch and a dial that was essentially unpopular in its day, but which subsequently grabbed the imagination of the collecting world. The 6239 is truly the first Daytona. Its a fabulously sunny day here in the UK, so I decided to take the watch out and catch a few rays on the dial. Here...a quick taster...
Books have been written on the variations and authenticity of Paul Newman dials. I know when I bought this one, I was extremely nervous. But I bought from a seller I knew and also (obviously a fellow Purist!), even back then, Marcello was around to authenticate the dial and give his opinion. Well, I paid what was at the time the market price for this watch, and it has stayed resolutely in my collection ever since. A well-known dealer spent quite some time explaining to me that I should sell him the watch as the focus of my Rolex collection was diving watches and it thus made more sense to sell the Daytona. Another dealer in London told me that it was a fake. I asked him why, and he said he would need to take the watch into his watchmaker to verify it. I stayed in the shop while he did this....incidentally, I had no worries at all during these moments as I knew my watch was 100%. About 15 minutes later, the dealer returned and apologised. He told me the watch was 100% authentic. I asked him what made him suspect it was not. His response still makes me smile. He told me that the dial was so perfect that he thought it had to be fake.
Well, I didn't sell it to either dealer. In fact, its a watch that will always sit in my collection. I spent a week in Monaco with my family when picking up the watch and it was a time of fantastic memories. I was also visiting one of my oldest and dearest friends who lives there. When I look at my 6239, I remember what a fantastic trip it was and the memories flood in. Yes, the watch is rare, but actually its "value" is what it does to me when I look at it.
Those of you who know me, know that I have a huge affection for the Patek Phillipe 5070P. I view that watch as one of my favourites. I can never resist an opportunity to talk about it.... In so many ways it is different to the Rolex Daytona. Platinum vrs Steel. 2-registers vrs 3-registers. Bezel markings. Case size. On and on one could go listing the differences. Yet, these two watches have, in my opinion, a major link. When Rolex made the Daytona Paul Newman, they caught something special. I think Patek caught something special in the 5070P. It is why i call it the Patek "Paul Newman". It is some compliment to the vintage Rolex chronograph when a Patek gets a nickname drawn from it!
Yes, we can fall deeply for a watch. It can become a part of our core collection. It can have attributes that we can describe regarding why we like it. But for me, those special watches that come to be at the very heart of our collections typically have two characteristics that pervade across the collection. Firstly, they tend to have memories that connect with something that has a lot of personal meaning. And secondly, they have "something" that we just cannot describe properly other than to say a watch has something "special" about it. Of course, this is a value judgment. Many would look at the 6239PN and not feel anything special about it at all. I can fully understand that. It is also one of the reasons why collecting watches is such a personalised process. Beauty.....value.....meaning...they are all in the eye of the beholder. And for me, I behold this 6239PN with ever-increasing affection.
This message has been edited by Baron on 2014-11-03 06:47:32 This message has been edited by Baron on 2014-11-10 08:52:57
I didn't know you loved it so much.
You rarely mention it, in your posts. Ok, yes, from time to time, but if you compare the number of times you wrote about your Triple 6 or DRSD MK II PP, or even your Patek 5070P, your love for the 6239 PN is more discrete.
For the Daytona lover, this is a Watch to get.
Yes, it is a super cool Watch, even for a no Daytona lover like me, I cannot deny that.
Yes, in a vintage Rolex collection, it has a special and important place.
But these rational arguments are nothing compared to the love you can feel for this Watch, which is obviously your case.
Bravo, my friend, bravo. That is Passion at its best!
Nicolas
It was a "first love"....
.....so it has a special place. And, to be honest, it is a watch that is valuable to me for the memories. In that sense, it doesn't thrill me like the DRSD PP for example.....its a different style of affection. But without question, I could not sell this watch. It would be one of the last to go! I asked my son which 5 of my watches he would always keep....this was on his list....
....you see......it has a deep attachment rather than an overt one.
Now, if G is on the list, the, it is a keeper. This young man has
Great taste!
Best,
Nicolas.
Simply fantastic!
If you send as next one a nice picture of a gilt 5513 with box and papers, then you have succeeded in the torture 100%.
Best, Kari
Well...not a 5513....but the one that was the very first crown guard Submariner...the 5512
I have a nice one of them.....
Oh S..t!
I'm not even dreaming about 5512. It's that rare nowadays. I do not have the needed words but just must raise my hat to your collection.
Best, Kari
The same.
Perhaps you can give me some contacts. I just got an offer: a nice 5510 "just" € 180,000. An offer from Italy in Italian...
Best, Kari
What a great dial
Joe:
What a magnificent dial. I never tire of seeing that 5512 - the gloss is truly stunning. Enjoy it!
-Mike
After Nicolas' thread, another deep passionate thoughts telling
I don't know much about Rolex but I know what the PN Daytonas represent in watch history.
You have 2 fantastic beauties there and I'm happy to see they belong to a watch collector like you Joe.
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Mark
You have 2 fantastic beauties there and I'm happy to see they belong to a watch collector like you Joe.
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Mark
I thought about you, at 3h am, going out from a night club...
... Don't worry, not in the wrong way 
) I was just trying on a PN 6239 of a friend. It was like a year or 2 ago, and that was my 1st contact with such a good looking vintage PN in top condition. I remembered our 1st rugged conversation about vintage watches. I was saying that its scrap metal sold at indecent amounts to nostalgic or watch geeks that nobody else can understand other than geeks such as them... ) I was wrong and you were right
) I was just trying on a PN 6239 of a friend. It was like a year or 2 ago, and that was my 1st contact with such a good looking vintage PN in top condition. I remembered our 1st rugged conversation about vintage watches. I was saying that its scrap metal sold at indecent amounts to nostalgic or watch geeks that nobody else can understand other than geeks such as them... ) I was wrong and you were rightI enjoyed reading your post that reminded me of another of your post about watch collecting. We never talk enough about the memories that are carried by our watches. Remembering the start of the desire for a piece, increasing until it triggers the hunting, a whole adventure by itself that ends hopefully... with the catch!!
I believe that it is this process that reinforces our love for our watches, skipping it and we are missing a good part of the joy of collecting watches.
Window shopping for a watch, going in, trying it on, paying and walking out... IMO most of the time we'll get bored of it.
Now back to your PN, i've heard of 2 jaw dropping stories not connected in any way of 2 watch collectors that had a fantastic collection. I didn't really understand why, but they got sick and tired of collecting and decided to sell ALL their watches... to keep just ONE : Their vintage Rolex Paul Newman.
It's a very interesting story, which deserves a debate, what could have possibly have happened to those guys? Why did they choose their PN?
I loved that story! I would have kept 2 rolex and 3 Patek :
Rolex: A Paul Newman and a double red MK2.... Patek : 5712A, 5070P and 5970P
They would all get the wrist time they deserve, enough variety not to get bored and to cover all basis. IMO they are all timeless and no worries that something new could come and overthrow them.
Finally, they would protect me from being tempted of getting a new watch.
I think that sooner or later, every serious collector will think about what is his watch essentials. What would his collection look like if they should all go.
Food for thoughts...
Fricks, my friend, summing the collection to the essential is a top game.
Much more exciting than painful.
This is our fav game, with Joe. To be honest, we didn't start, we are just thinkibg about it.
Best!
Nicolas.
For now dear Nicolas, if feels like giving up....
... unless you are upgrading, and fine tuning your collection.
Otherwise, I think we get into that logic once we've burnt ourselves, or when we just got tired/bored, or when the fire is not as strong...
Or simply when we don't have "ammo" anymore.
About Joe, i don't know, but about you, i know you don't get tired, you are mentally solid ( apparently ),... beside an unexpected mid-life crisis, i don't see what can slow you down 
P.s: Another quinquennat maybe?
Sadly, my 50th birthday is coming very soon, and I don't like that.
I HATE that, strongly... But my mental age more close to a 12 years old boy, so I compensate...
Yes, upgrading my collection is what I have in mind... But for that, I have no other solution than letting some pièces go.
And drastically reducing the " collection ".
But it is such a funny game!
Best,
Nicolas
that makes you around 31yrs :P
... no kidding 50?!? that's 1/2 a century... ) Waow, so when is your birthday?
) Waow, so when is your birthday?Anyway, you got the age of your veins as they say
Yep...as Nicolas stated....
......the end-game is just delicious. But it has in-built a number of factors. For example, it has taken me many years to realise what REALLY excites me and what is just a passing fancy. The prospect of taking a big group of watches that I like to a smaller group that I REALLY like involves such a lot of thinking....and the beauty is that you cannot get to the point of starting that process until you have a big group to start with as a part of that process is discovering which of the big group you REALLY like....and that involves wrist-time....lots of wrist-time.
And although it is an exciting game, it is also a very painful one. But one that ultimately focuses our passion into a greater intensity. As Nicolas stated, neither he nor I have actually started the process.......but I will say this...I am very close to starting it!
Loved your comments....and yes, I remember our opening exchange on this forum very well. Possibly the least friendly I have been for a first post!! LoL. And yet, we have become friends through this forum. This place is fun, for sure.
Its good sometimes to rub shoulders...
.... we are often being too polite and hiding what we really think just not to risk offending others.
Well, i see that you are on the verge of something new ) Sounds like 2015 is going to be exciting, watch wise ...
) Sounds like 2015 is going to be exciting, watch wise ... 
Hello Joe! So nice to read your post and feel your passion!...
... I always feel happy to be able to read these intimate feelings about an object from its owner.
This timepiece surely deserves your love for it and it being a "for life" keeper. I wish you´ll keep enjoying the love and the passion for your PN for many many years!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts of this piece! (The PP chrono is a fantastic piece too, of course!)
Very cordially, Abel.
This timepiece surely deserves your love for it and it being a "for life" keeper. I wish you´ll keep enjoying the love and the passion for your PN for many many years!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts of this piece! (The PP chrono is a fantastic piece too, of course!)
Very cordially, Abel.
Thanks Abel....
.....yes, we share a similar attachment to certain pieces.....i guess memories can be powerful motivators
Joe, your passion has no bounds
Such a lovely piece BUT..... that 5070P- wow!
the 5512 is stunning as well
actually it is all jaw droppingly, mind blowing horology in its pure form
Passion , balance and condition
Keep em coming
Julian
Surprising
I would have thought your first love would have been a submariner- from all the conversations I have had with you.
Your PN is a nice watch and I do like it much better with the black dial (as opposed to the white one) I have to admit. I like the PN and sooner or later
I will also get a Daytona- if its a PN or not - I am not sure of that yet. If I do get one it will be a Panda 6263 with screw down pushers.
I think its by far the most attractive and clean and timeless of the PN Daytona.
More importantly I like what you said in your last part of the Email. The watches that are dearest to us have some sort of memory or experience attached to it.
Its very true. As always a pleasure reading your post.
Best Edmond
The thing is.....
Subs and Sea-Dwellers excite me more from a pure "watch" perspective, but with the PN, it has deep and good memories and for that reason was my first deep attachment with a watch.....its really just an aide-memoire! If you asked me whether I was more passionate about PN or Sea-Dweller, then yes, its the latter. But if you asked me what was my first "love" in vintage Rolex.....that is the 6239PN!
The Newman...
...is the watch that made me love watches. I fell in love with the dial design a few years ago and it it since my favourite timepiece.
Here's a picture of mine
