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Jerry Seinfeld's Vic Elford-Owned Rolex Daytona Heads to Auction

Jerry Seinfeld's Vic Elford-Owned Rolex Daytona Heads to Auction

The first documented Rolex Daytona awarded to a 24 Hours of Daytona winner.

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A Rolex Daytona with motorsport history is heading to auction this December, and it comes from the collection of none other than Jerry Seinfeld. The stainless-steel Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Reference 6239 was presented to racing driver Vic Elford after his victory at the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona, making it the first documented Rolex Daytona awarded to a race winner. Now, the historic watch will cross the block at Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo during The New York Watch Auction: XV. It's estimated to bring between $100,000 and $200,000.The watch's backstory is closely tied to one of Porsche's early endurance racing milestones. Elford, nicknamed “Quick Vic,” drove a Porsche 907 Langheck to victory at Daytona in 1968, securing the manufacturer's first win in a 24-hour endurance race. The result helped set the stage for Porsche's eventual overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970. At the time, Rolex's chronograph was still establishing its identity. Initially sold as the Cosmograph, the model was briefly advertised as the “Le Mans” in 1964 before the Daytona name became official in 1965.Seinfeld's connection to the Daytona goes beyond his love for watches. He bought the winning Porsche 907 Langheck at auction in 2014 and later tracked down its companion timepiece. “I've always loved objects that not only serve a purpose but have a great story behind them. This Daytona watch has one of the best,” Seinfeld said. “When I acquired the Porsche 907 that won Daytona in 1968, the watch was already part of its lore. They made history together. It has been a privilege to be the steward of both, and I'm excited to see this watch begin its next chapter with another collector.” Before offering it for sale, Seinfeld worked with vintage watch specialists to restore the piece, retaining its original case, bezel, dial, and bracelet while making a handful of period-correct adjustments, including matching the hands to the dial's luminous markers and a period-correct Tropic 21 crystal.

Backing up the watch's history is an extensive collection of documentation, including a 2010 letter from Rolex USA confirming its authenticity and presentation to Elford following the 1968 race. The sale also includes a signed provenance letter from Elford, records relating to the watch's ownership and restoration, and a 2005 Rolex service invoice bearing the matching serial number.

Source: Phillips Auction

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