The listing for this paul newman daytona is quite possessing me..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=221386071463&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

The Sotheby's auction picture is horrendous, but the owners pictures are better and some problems with the dial in the sotheby picture appear less in the other pictures. I've already verified the watch was accepted by Sotheyby's, auctioned in November, and the buyer did not complete (first possible red flag).

A vintage dealer I showed side by side pictures of the dials of two PN of this type (black seconds ring) said in his opinion clearly this one is not original, & the other one in the same auction in November is clearly original.

The watch was allegedly held by a farmer and stored in a drawer, and is either very valuable because it is so minty (the original winning bid) or not very valuable at all (if the dial is not correct).

It is out of my league but now I'm up to my ears in high res pictures of PN dials because I'm consumed with curiosity about the different ways the lettering and so on was placed on these dials. If only the seller could get some better macro pictures all would be clearer, even better, a picture of the reverse of the dial !

 

PN Daytonas are not in my comfort zone but I did find it interesting that, according to the seller, "the watch was worn only on a few oval casinos and it's condition verifies that."

 

am I alone in having no clue what an Oval Casino is? is it a thing?

 

I think the seller has no intention of letting the auction run to completion, they are using it to attract interest however unless they get some much better close ups only someone in the same city is going to have any confidence either way. It is pointless to bid etc.

 

that there is a Texas dial

 

I had heard of that in passing and now did some reading, thanks.
I don't know if this is a good topic but it contains plenty of tidbits

http://www.network54.com/Forum/207593/thread/1322485545/Red Dial Paul Newman Daytona

So the best interpretation on it is a dealer / expert dial maker in Texas in the 80s took it upon himself to recreate the dials using original inventory parts, to fill US demand for the watch, or for whatever other reason, maybe avarice who knows. For a while the "texas dial" was considered by some to be valuable perhaps to support sales at auctions, but in recent years it has become something to be avoided..

The seller of the watch I don't think is calculating to mislead but instead has acquired something perhaps originally sold as vintage and correct in the 80s to a now elderly gent, in good faith. Unlucky for them they're not going to get what they thought it was worth.

 

Keep reading over there and you'll find the tells. Most important thing to see on PN is the back of the dial. There are also tells on the front. Some collectors still defend them as legit. Like mr Mayer

 

Here is a side by side I made, possible "Texas dial" on the left,

authentic dial from same auction, different daytona, on the right.

* ROLEX positioned vertically higher
* generally fatter fonts
* different shaped lume spots
* different serifs on the T of DAYTONA

can't spot anything else because the pictures are still poor.

 

All good points.
The back of the dial is the 1st thing to check and most important.
Then the dial front.
Hintkeep reading)
Indexes
Subdials

 

it is like playing where's waldo

I just noticed the bezel is quite different, e.g. 160 has a dot above 6 on the doubtful watch, but a dot to the left of 160 on the good watch (and seemingly every other good quality picture of 6239s).

Also the 11 pm sub-dial indicator mark clearly points to a different part of the red D

I'm out of ideas beyond that.

 

Occasions. Damn you autocorrect!

 

Noticed that the bezel tics are shorter and closer to the inner edge on the right as well as the oval in the Rolex crown being larger and thinner. font on the bezel is different as well, look at the 7's.

 

I assumed it meant cruise ship.

Total wild-ass guess.

 

after I told the seller their dial was doubtful,
they said that their mother died, and they can no longer focus on much communication with me.

 

The ebay watch is on chrono24 for 149k ha ha

http://www.chrono24.com/en/rolex/cosmograph-daytona--id2699749.htm

yes, I guess the movement, case, etc etc are all excitingly good condition considering the years that have passed. Just the dial is the issue.

What is the market value of this watch with an authentic but not PN dial? no idea.

for example:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ROLEX-Vintage-COSMOGRAPH-DAYTONA-Black-Dial-6262-6263-6265-6239-6241-/321316852188?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item4acffa11dc&nma=true&si=NGPsqHzgdCkHwV6e2VagwtywX%2Bc%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

was available for circa 3000 bucks.
So you take this watch, a non PN dial and what are you left with? A $30k Daytona?

Here is a proper PN Daytona, available elsewhere asking $100k:

 

Sorry, got wrapped up in playing "spot the differences". I'll return to the dunce corner.