Bring a Loupe: A Grail-Level Rolex Paul Newman Daytona, A Jaeger-LeCoultre Triple Calendar, And A Neo-Vintage Daniel Roth Chronograph
It’s Friday of Geneva Watch Days and if you’re looking for a break from new releases, you’re in the right place. The watch internet gods made it easy for me this week, I cannot lie. Watches kept on popping up on my radar and making their way to my working list – I even had to make a few cuts!
I have two auction results to recap from our last installment, published on August 23rd, and both are strong. The pink-on-pink Movado on eBay hammered for $2,000, slightly exceeding my expectations and personal max bid! Congrats to the new owner, you got a good one. Our seized Patek Nautilus ref. 5711/1300A-001 found a new home this morning for an all-in price of £354,960 – the UK government purse is happy I presume.
This week’s picks are highlighted by a grail-level Rolex Daytona with a Paul Newman dial, a Universal Genève Compur in a Jeanneret case, and a few gems at small auction houses. Let’s get into it.
1969 Rolex Paul Newman Daytona Ref. 6263 Mk 1.75 Panda Dial
On Tuesday, when Jacek from Tropical Watch posted a blurred out wristshot to his Instagram of what was clearly a Paul Newman Daytona, I knew it had to be a crazy example. It takes a special watch to get someone like him excited enough to tease us like this. A day later, the watch was properly posted for sale and everything became clear – for sale is one of the best Paul Newmans you will ever see.
The panda Paul Newman reference 6263 is considered by many, including collectors like Ben Clymer, to be a perfect thing. That may seem like a vague description, but when you talk to enough watch people, you begin to understand that even the most universally loved watches have “flaws.” Comments like “yeah but I wish the case was a bit thinner” are commonplace. When it comes to something like a white-dialed 6263 Newman, there are no holes to poke.
Universally the ultimate Newman, the ref. 6263 stands out as the final iteration of the manually-wound Daytona generation with an updated Valjoux 72-based movement, screw-down pushers, and a black bezel. Aesthetically, collectors have always been drawn to these later Newman dials as they are devoid of red accents, hence the panda nickname.
The example for sale here checks all the boxes. The case is strong with light wear, the dial is overall clean with all the right patina and a slight tropical note to the outer track, and the parts are original. Jacek should get props for noting the last sale of this watch at Christie’s Geneva in May of 2022, as many dealers would not. I remember viewing the watch then and would never forget that dial, but being clear that this watch previously sold publicly isn’t a detractor – it is a plus.
Check out the full listing over on Tropical Watch. The asking price is $735,550 – a big number for a huge watch. If you’re with me and not in the $700k Paul Newman market, I found this cool old Rolex t-shirt on eBay as a consolation prize.
1960 Tudor Submariner Ref. 7928 ‘Tropical Pointed Crown Guards’
No, you’re not looking at the same watch I featured two weeks back, I promise. Yes, I may have a type when it comes to vintage Tudor Submariners. I detailed my thoughts about matte-but-gilt Tudor Submariners in that previous article but it is worth reiterating still. These dials have a very unique look even without tropical patina, but it seems the Tudor-specific process resulted in a propensity to patina in this manner.
This example dates to 1960 and is fresh to market after having been acquired by the selling dealer from the family of the original owner in Hawaii. According to the seller’s research, the original owner, Albert Rapozo, was born on Kauai in 1919, joined the U.S. Navy during WWII, and went on to work for the Navy in a civilian capacity following his service. Accompanying the watch is an ID card celebrating Mr. Rapozo’s retirement “after 42 years of honorable Federal service” at a U.S. Navy Naval Supply Center. It is presumed that the tropical tones we see today are the result of years of wear under the Hawaiian sun – truly a tropical Tudor.
Due to the original nature of the watch, the seller, Tim from Fog City Vintage in San Francisco, has opted to sell it as is, unserviced and unrestored in any way. The asking price is $29,450 and you can view the listing right here.
1930s Universal Genève Compur With Colonial Style Case By Henri Jeanneret
I’ve been looking for a great Universal Genève to feature here since Bring A Loupe’s revival, but there haven’t been many for sale! This column and UG are closely tied in my head, as I first learned about the brand and watches like the Nina Rindt on BAL back in the day. The lack of quality examples from the brand on the market is interesting to me. Given the news of Universal’s revival, I believe collectors are waiting and hoarding the best watches.
An outlier to our current lack of great UG on the market, this 1930s Compur is really special and far less common than something like a Nina or a Clapton. At 34mm in diameter and with a very “old-world” look, something like this isn’t for everyone, but if you can’t see the charm, I would ask you to read some other article on Hodinkee.com instead. Just look at the fonts on the dial with crisp serifs (check out the “1”s in the outer track) and I really love the mix of a sector dial-style inner ring with applied hour markers.
The seller spills a lot of Internet ink describing what makes this case so special and rightfully so. Put simply, this “colonial” style case was an early attempt at a sport watch. It is meant to be stout and tough visually. And the case was manufactured by Henri Jeanneret, one of the best case specialists of this period!
The seller, Sean from S.Song in Malaysia is asking $13,500 for this Univeral Genève Compur. Get all the details right here.
1940s Jaeger-LeCoultre Triple Calendar Ref. 2721 In Pink Gold
My colleague TanTan Wang very much disagrees with me but I find triple calendar complications so charming. In fact, there are few I dislike. Do I need the month, day, and date on my watch? No not really, but who needs any of this stuff anyway? This one from Jaeger-LeCoultre caught my eye (to the surprise of absolutely no one) on a recent visit with Alan from Foundwell here in NYC. I have come across examples of this watch previously and frankly, they’re never perfect. Most have over-polished cases and/or refinished dials, which is a shame; this one does not, which is a triumph.
This is a rare watch. And I can say that confidently without risk of argument about what the word “rare” means! Put simply, good luck finding another example of this watch with a pink gold case and original dial. I do not see another one for sale today and, in fact, can’t think of ever seeing one before. The case is described by the seller as unpolished and from handling the watch, I agree with Alan. It measures a substantial (especially for the period) 35.5mm in diameter and is elegantly thin, hugging the wrist really well.
Alan from Foundwell in New York City is offering this vintage JLC for $5,895. Check it out in full on his site right here.
1990s Daniel Roth Chronograph Ref. 2147 In Yellow Gold
Fast forwarding around 50 years, this Daniel Roth chronograph is timely, given this week’s release from the revived brand and simply a special watch. Dating to the early years of Daniel Roth’s eponymous independent venture after years at Breguet, the reference 2147 chronograph has always been one of my favorite Roth models.
If you know Daniel Roth, you know his double ellipse case shape. The ref. 2147 chronograph makes great use of the unique shape with the sub-registers adding some much needed structure to the dial. And I really love the pushers, which are also double-ellipse shaped. The dial features another Roth signature, his pinstripe guilloché. The Lemania caliber 2320 found inside was assembled by hand in Roth’s workshops and finished to a level that is on par with Patek’s ref. 5070, powered by the same base caliber.
This Daniel Roth chronograph is offered for $49,500 via Pushers.io by Zoe from Graal and @watchgirloffduty on Instagram. Click here for the listing.
1950s Longines Roulette Pocket Watch In Yellow Gold
In a somewhat random online auction over at Ineichen, I came across this roulette pocket watch from Longines. I have seen these from various brands over the years, Cartier, LeCoultre, Movado, etc., and I previously owned a steel example retailed by Abercrombie & Fitch. They’re interesting little watches and among the small group of pocket watches that could be considered useable in 2024! A group of ball bearings separates the inner watch case from the outer roulette portion, hold the middle and spin the outside and boom you’re gambling on the go!
This vintage Longines gambling pocket watch is lot 58 of Ineichen’s Elegant Eras sale, ending September 4, 2024. Starting bid is CHF 2,800 and there are no bids at the time of publishing.
1970s Heuer Carrera Ref. 73653N First Execution
EBay is really pumping out some great vintage Heuer lately. This might be a symptom of collectors looking to other brands, but if you’ve lusted after vintage Heuer, now might be your time to pick one up. The reference 73653N Carrera has long been on my Heuer watchlist, as it was offered for only a few years and has some unique traits. These date to the early 1970s, after the introduction of caliber 11 powered automatic Carreras in a “c-shape” case, and blend the 1960s Carrera with the 1970s. You get a manually-wound Valjoux caliber in the shape and style of the Chronomatic references. Due to the manual movement, the case isn’t as thick as the automatic c-shapes.
The blue metallic dial of this reference reminds me of Mick Jagger’s Carrera. Although his was a different reference and automatic, the look is very similar and I’ll take it!
An eBay seller out of Kragujevac, Serbia, has put this Ref. 73653N Carrera up for auction ending Monday, September 2, at 9:54 PM ET. At the time of publishing, there are no bids at the starting price of $4,690.
1960s Audemars Piguet Ultra Thin Dress Watch In Yellow Gold
Pre-Royal Oak Audemars Piguet is so overlooked and frankly undervalued. Here is a great example of that, a simple ultra thin dress watch with tons of vintage charm for less than $4k. The case is simple but the lugs are shaped ever so slightly from the side, helping the watch sit better on the wrist. It is only 32mm but that’s the look with a watch like this. I have come across a few of these in the metal and I am always drawn to the simple but elegant hour markers. Note the triple line at 12 o’clock and the thicker markers at three, six, and nine.
The JLC-base AP caliber 2003/1 inside is hand wound and (trust me) gorgeous to look at. As an ultra thin movement, this allows for an overall case thickness of 3.75mm (with crystal!).
An eBay seller out of Miami is offering this Audemars Piguet for a Buy It Now of $3,895 or best offer.
1950s Rolex Oyster Perpetual Ref. 6565(?)
Here is a bonus pick coming from a small auction house in New Hampshire. While I find this saying tired, the three C’s of vintage watch collecting are said to be “condition, condition, condition,” and this watch fits the bill. The watch itself is nothing entirely special – it is likely a reference 6565 Oyster Perpetual from the 1950s, but when found in this kind of condition it is a Rolex even the most snobby of collectors can be proud to wear. With a quite interesting dial design, it’s not just your standard vintage OP – just look at the fullness of the lume material and overall patina. This one would be killer after a quick Polywatch session.
Likely coming straight out of an estate, this Rolex is offered next to various artworks, furniture, and jewelry by William Smith Auctions in Plainfield, New Hampshire, as lot 181 of its 57th Annual Post Labor Day Auction. The estimate was $400-$600, but at the time of publication bidding has reached a whopping $1,000.
Hodinkee
