Christie's Auction House Rare Watches, Including The Property of Michael Schumacher sale this week in Geneva, Switzerland was filled with some magnificent Rolex watch models including a full set of Rolex 'Beach" Daytona models in white gold as see below.
Rolex made these beauties in the year 2000, under the tutelage of Patrick Heiniger, and and Christies offered all four of these watches individually, instead of as a complete set.
The 'Beach' Daytona models all feature beautiful mother of pearl dials, in mint green (CHF 70K), sky blue (CHF 75K), canary yellow (CHF 70K), and pretty pink (CHF 85K).
The white gold Daytona Beach models all included matching lizard skin straps with matching white gold deployment buckles.
This Rolex Gold brick Rolex Day-Date ad is one of my absolute favorite of all time: Just for the record, when I was a kid, when I would eat cereal, I would read everything on the cereal box several times...
Michael Schumacher's magnificent 1971 Paul Nemwman Rolex Daytona Reference 6262
Man & His Machines
Michael Schumacher is one of the greatest Formula 1 racing champions having won the Formula 1 World Championship seven-times. Schumacher was also a collector of some magnificent Rolex Daytona models and we see him pictured below in 1993 rocking his Zenith Rolex Daytona with a white dial.
Formula 1 Racing Legend, Michael Schumacher rocking his
stainless steel Daytona [Reference 16520] back in 1993
Michael Schumacher's Paul Newman Daytona, Reference 6262 is a STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL example of this rare Rolex Chronograph model, which was one of last to feature push-down chronograph pushers.
Lot Essay from Christie's Auction House
This fantastic looking Paul Newman Daytona represents the synthesis of two great sporting icons – Rolex’s most recognizable and desired vintage steel chronograph, and its present owner, the former seven-times Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher.
The present chronograph provides collectors with not only the opportunity to obtain one of the scarcest references of the Daytona, reference 6262, but also to own an example with incredible and direct provenance to one of the world’s greatest ever Formula 1 Champions.
Reference 6262
No other model of Rolex watch focuses so much attention as the manual-winding Rolex Cosmograph, its many dial variations and different references now so intensely sought after by collectors, it can be said quite unequivocally to be the most desirable vintage watch in the world.
Requiring almost no introduction, Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watches fitted with ‘Paul Newman’ dials have been, and continue to be, the most iconic and coveted of the Daytona.
One of the rarest vintage Rolex Daytonas, reference 6262 was in production for only a very short time between 1970 and 1972. Together with reference 6264, it was the last Rolex chronograph watch featuring the simple round push-down buttons. All future chronograph references, starting with references 6263 and 6265 in 1971 bear screw down chronograph buttons. Reference 6262 was available in stainless steel, as well as 14k and 18k gold. It has a polished metal bezel with engraved tachymeter graduation.
One More Thang!
Michael Schumacher also owned a yellow gold 1966 Rolex Daytona Reference Number 6241, which was also auctioned for CHF 220,000 by Christie's Auction House [Lot 138] in Geneva, and it came with an extra beautiful dial.
Lot Essay from Christie's Auction House
With the most incredible provenance, This incredible Daytona timepiece belonged to no other than seven-time Formula 1 World Champion racing driver Michael Schumacher, this extremely rare 14k gold Rolex reference 6241 is both a key piece for the serious Rolex collector and car enthusiasts alike.
The overall appeal of this 14k gold ref. 6241 is further enhanced by its very good overall condition and matching 14k gold riveted bracelet. The case retains full proportions and crisp gold mark, serial and reference numbers. It displays the traces of bluish oxidation to the case that are a typical indication that the watch has been carefully stored and not used in a very long time. The shade of the full gold reference 6239 bezel with engraved tachymeter scale perfectly matches the case.
It can therefore be assumed that this bezel must have been added a very long time ago to bestow a new aesthetic by replacing the original ref. 6241 bezel which, for this model is in gold with a black plastic insert. A further noteworthy fact is the designation ‘ROW’ engraved on the movement, confirming that the original destination for this watch was the North American market.
This is a fascinating art-deco style Rolex ad from May of 1929, which means it was published 95 years ago!!! It is interesting to note they refer to what we refer to today as a wristwatch, as a wristlet. This ad was obviously published after the advent of the Rolex Oyster, but before the Oyster Perpetual. Notice the art-deco cushion case in the bottom left looks similar to an early Panerai.
This weekend, Bill Maher had comedian Bill Burr on his Club Random show as a guest, and I couldn't help but notie that Bill Burr was rocking a two-tone Rolex RootBeer GMT-Master. Enjoy!!
Rolex released this magnificent bejeweled at Basel World 2019 and I have to say it is a really stunning work of art. The level of detail and craftsmanship is awe-inspiring!!!
We are just a few weeks away from Summer in the Northern Hemisphere, which means warmer weather and longer days are on their way, so I thought I would share this image of Yamila Diaz-Rahi sporting her Rolex Submariner, just after snorkeling. Yamila grew up in Argentina, and in the photo below she is wearing a JLO bathing suit, by Jennifer Lopez.
"In the twilight of the deep waters one of the most vital items of a diver's equipment is his watch. The "Submariner" was the world's first watch designed especially for skin and deep sea divers, 100% waterproof to a depth of 660 feet, is has a calibrated outer bezel which allows the accurate and correct timing of decompression periods."
Historically Rolex has always been extremely secretive and discreet, and no journalists in the past have ever been invited "INSIDE ROLEX" to explore and report on all four Rolex Manufacturing faclities in Switzerland.
In November 2013, this changed when Rolex invited Jake to take an unprecdented journey into the heart of Rolex to learn and report on everything he witnessed and learned.
This Super-Detailed 3 Part Story is a "MUST READ" story for anybody who wants to understand what really makes Rolex tick.
