Press release -
New Auction Record: DKK 1.7 million for a Rolex Daytona
Thursday evening, Bruun Rasmussen achieved yet another Danish auction record with the sale of a Rolex Daytona Cosmograph from 1964-65, also known as the “Paul Newman” watch. It was sold for the extraordinary price of DKK 1.7 million (€297,000 including buyer’s premium), which is the highest hammer price ever achieved at a wristwatch auction in Denmark.
"We are so proud of the impressive hammer price, which shatters all previous price records for wristwatches at our auction house. Our current record for wristwatches is from December 2017, where we sold a Rolex Stelline for DKK 1.175 million. I was present when the record-breaking Rolex Daytona was consigned to our auction. This took place at a valuation event at KUNSTEN art museum in the city of Aalborg, where a married couple came in with the iconic watch without knowing what it was worth. They were expecting an estimate in the area of DKK 30,000-40,000 but were a bit shocked when the valuation landed on DKK 800,000-1,000,000. As the couple watched the sale of the wristwatch in the saleroom Thursday evening, they were almost euphoric over the record hammer price for the watch, which had been hidden away in a bank box for many years. This story is a true ray of sunshine to cap off an already very sunny month of May here in Denmark," says Casper Behrendtzen, Head of Bruun Rasmussen's Wristwatch Department.
The enthusiasm among the bidders was great for the iconic Rolex Daytona Cosmograph, named after a similar version of the watch, which the American actor and philanthropist Paul Newman wore on his wrist. The model has achieved cult status among collectors around the world and is the reason why the watch received so many bids. In addition, the watch is in an extremely fine condition and came with the original box and certificate.
Press photo
Rolex: A gentleman's wristwatch of steel. Model Daytona Cosmograph "Paul Newman", Ref. 6241. Mechanical chronograph movement with manual winding. Valjoux 722-1. Panda dial with index and hands of steel. Rolex bracelet with folding clasp of steel. Circumference 18 cm. Watch diameter 37 mm. 1964-65. Acquired by the current owner in 1971. Original box, outer box and warranty certificate included. Estimate: DKK 800,000-1,000,000 (€108,000-134,000). Sold for DKK 1.7 million (€297,000 including buyer’s premium).
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Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers is one of Scandinavia’s leading international auction houses, and one of Denmark’s oldest. It all started on 6 October 1948, when Arne Bruun Rasmussen conducted the first traditional auction in the saleroom at Bredgade 33 in Copenhagen. Today, Jesper Bruun Rasmussen stands at the helm of the family-run business together with the third generation of the family, his son Frederik and daughter Alexa, and the company’s CEO Jakob Dupont.
In 2004, the first online auction was launched, and today the auction house has expanded to include departments in Copenhagen and Aarhus and representations in Sweden, Germany, England, France, Belgium, Luxemburg, Spain, Italy, Thailand and the US. About 100,000 lots are put up for auction each year at the traditional auctions and daily online auctions. Here you can bid on everything from art, antiques, modern design and jewellery to books, coins, stamps, wine and weaponry.
