It was all over the news here, well the on-line news. Rare Ferraris go for that amount. I have mixed feelings about this. But someone thought it was worth it. So be it.

 

Surely a crazy figure for any watch, but the market has spoken. Still, to my eye that is the best looking Daytona of all time.

Jomashop's current Daytona offerings came up in a search for the Newman watch. Most are grossly overstyled and many laughably garish by comparison. IMO, of course.

 

holy crap

 

I simply don't have words for how stupid this is...

It's a watch...
That was owned by a movie actor... You know... a person who pretends to be someone else in movies...

How the hell does that make it worth $17.8 million?

 

$17.8 million [emoji32]that's a lot of money


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Of course it's an absurdly stupid amount.

But add to movie actor "American icon". I'm not exactly sure the formula but it seems to be something like this: be a handsome and commercially successful actor while retaining a high level of critically-acclaimed output, be a genuinely kind and charitable guy and then the x-factor, race cars professionally and successfully. Particularly in an age when that is highly dangerous.

As a follower of the vintage sports car market, it's pretty much like McQueen.

 

No doubt Paul was a great actor/race car driver/family man/humanitarian. And the Daytona is a great watch. I have no idea how you get from there to $17+million. :confused2:

 

I am sure he would have been happier had the money gone to one of his favorite charities.


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I assume he would've donated that $ to charity given the example set by the rest of his endeavors, but he gifted this watch to his daughter's "college boyfriend" in the 1980s.

 

Well it is a very nice looking watch. That is frankly all that I can afford ($) to say about that sale.


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good money gone bad

 

A bit off topic but I've watched over the years some auction results for historic guitars from iconic players. Hendrix, Page, Clapton, etc. John Lennon's Gibson acoustic was a record holder at around 2.7 million. Nothing's even sniffed 5 million.

Sure guitars lack the internal complexity of a mechanical chronograph, but they are skillfully crafted works of art in their own right and also a direct extension of the musician, providing the outlet for that artist's creations. They're inexplicably tied to the player. It's hard to believe that this watch which Newman himself gave away is so very much more valuable.

 

It's hard to believe that this watch which Newman himself gave away is so very much more valuable.

I found that funny as well. It wasn't Newman's watch and hasn't been for more than 30 years. Someone paid $17.8 million for a watch owned by Newman's daughters boyfriend...

 

Right on Eric and in the not too distant future many won't even know who PN was

 

Right on Eric

Thank you, Steve.

 

For me the object does not contain the essence, talent or creativity of the person that owned it. It seems as though the people who pay these prices believe on some level that if they own the guitar or in this case the watch, they somehow have become part of and share in the talent, skill or success of the original owner.

In my opinion they don’t. Owning Claptons guitar does not mean you are a better player or that you now have a piece of his talent. Owning Newmans watch does not mean you are a better person because you somehow absorb a portion of who he was because you’re wearing his watch.

There are cannibalistic tribes that believed you could absorb your enemies power and strength by consuming their flesh. I can’t help but wonder if this is a modern socially acceptable variation.

 

It's more about the people associated with an object than the object itself. Take for instance art that was once accepted as genuine, later found to be fake. Same artwork now a fraction of its value. Object unchanged, but association is.

 

Sorry...no watch is worth $17 million. Just my 2¢.

Jeff

 

I like the vintage automobile auction shows on television. I find some of the pricing to be crazy also.....but I understand it a little bit more due to rarity and condition. Other than it belonged to McQueen, it is not that special?

Jeff

 

Yes and no. The watch itself was not one of the most popular models. This series came with an 'exotic' (according to Rolex) dial of witch less were produced. In my country the Daytona was gathering dust up to the late Eighties. I only got interested in this watch when Rolex abandoned the Zenith El Primero movement and started to produce their own movement. After that the market went crazy with prices that went 50% over list. But I like the earlier models better than what Rolex offers now. Not that I can afford one to be honest. Addition: similar models (not owned by a celebrity) in good condition fetch between US$100,000 to US$200,000. So yes, a very good investment when you bought the watch new.

 

Space View:
This is beyond all limits of sanity
$17 millione is more'n the budget of some 3rd
world countries.

And the registers with different color than the
dial? Wonder what the MSRP was originally?

So Pauly owned it. Did he annoint it too?The
world is going nutz,

Lou Snutt

 

Back in the 70?s I had the great honor (I was a teenager) of meeting Paul Newman and his wife Joanne Woodward . Newman racing was at the Pocono Raceway , and my friend and I had pit passes complements of my friends uncle who was an official at the raceway . While checking out Paul?s car with my hands on the widow sill , a hand rested right next to mine , touching it and a voice said ? What do you think of my car? , I turned to see Mr Newman , his blue eyes and his wife standing right behind him . I muttered ?nice Z? and he said ?yea? . Wow , the imprint is burned in my head forever . I wasn?t star struck, but I did feel that they were down to earth people .
As I read about this watch fetching such an exorbitant price , I reminisced, and wondered if he was wearing it that day . So cool , cool hand Luke .

 

WFs:
To use the oft used missive "This is off topic:
IMO if someone, or some entity is disposed to spend almost $18 mill
for a watch (assuming it was sold by Sothby's) go fer it. Didn't cost me
a farthing.
Not only did millions appreciate P N's theatrical abilities, but also his
penchant for generosity. To wit his salad dressing, accoutrement profit
donations. Heckkuva guy. Maybe this selling price will be a reminder of
his humanity. Never made a bad film IMHO.

Lou Snutt

 

$17+million is just too much for any watch.

 

If this money was going to fund his charitable foundations for years to come I think I would feel so much better than revulsion I feel about everything about this sale

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