The specific model of Rolex that the airman bought was an Oyster Chromograph 6263, also known as a Daytona. According to Rolex itself, the watch was first made in 1963, and its Daytona name was meant to connect to the famous racetrack in Florida. It picked up a third name, the Panda, for its white face with black counters, though later iterations of the Daytona have played around with the colors.
The airman was attracted to the 1971 Daytona through the pilots he knew who wore them, but those pilots may have been inspired to wear that particular watch by someone else. The Daytona was associated with Paul Newman, who was in turn associated with race car driving as well as acting. The appraiser the airman spoke to on “Antiques Roadshow” named the 1969 movie “Winning” as providing the connection between the actor and the watch. One of Newman’s own Daytonas sold at auction for more than $17 million in 2017 (per Bloomberg), and two more went for over $1 million each in 2023 (per Fortune).
