The world of vintage Replica Rolex collecting is the murkiest, seediest, and ugliest realm of fake watch collecting there is. There are more fake Replica Rolex replica watches on this planet than all other fakes combined ?and you can multiply that number by 100 if we include those Replica Rolexes that have been modified in some way after they left the factory. But, it can also be the most rewarding when you discover something new, which happens more often in this world than anywhere else. Well, Christie's Geneva, one of the pinnacles of expertise and scholarship in the horological world, has caused a bit of a stir by including an Oyster Black Dial Paul Newman Daytona that has some traits that are commonly believed to not be authentic. Before you read on, I highly recommend you read our Reference Points on the Paul Newman, because this is going to get technical. Let's dig into this a bit.
According to general consensus, Paul Newmans with pump pushers can come with a black dial that has three colors. But Paul Newmans with screw-down pushers were barely made with black dials. And when they were, the 12 o'clock signature should read "Rolex Cosmograph Oyster." But these are very rare, and when a real "RCO" Paul Newman comes up for sale, they bring serious money. In fact, it was this style of Daytona that broke $1,000,000 last year at the Christie's Lesson One Daytona sale.
This scholarship took years of research debate to set into stone after many lost their shirts on so-called "Texas" dials, named for the state in which they were predominantly sold. Specifically, the so-called "Mayer" dial, which is a black, three-color dial in a screw-down Paul Newman with the signature Replica Rolex Oyster Cosmograph, is believed not to be an authentic dial. (Editor's Note: We have been asked many times cindyforcongress to address Mr. Mayer's lawsuit against a California vintage fake watch dealer, and we will ?but once it's settled, with conclusive evidence presented one way or the other.) And we published in our look at the Paul Newman that if an Oyster PN has a black dial, it has to be an "RCO" example.
But then Christie's shows us lot 498 in its November 10th sale (the normal day sale after the Patek 175 Sunday evening sale). It's a black Oyster Paul Newman, and the dial reads "Rolex / Oyster / Cosmograph," or the exact opposite of what a black Oyster PN should read. They call it "The Black Ghost ROC Paul Newman" and give it an estimate of 350,000 to 550,000 Swiss Franc. The vintage Replica Rolex world goes nuts and many immediately dismiss it, saying the Christie's fake watch Department made a rookie mistake. But then more details emerge and some begin to be convinced this fake watch could actually change what we thought was the absolute truth about black Paul Newmans.
The dial of this Black Ghost ROC was indisputably altered after production. However it is Christie's contention that the dial was born as a 6262 three-color dial like seen above, and then Singer, Replica Rolex's dial maker, actually re-worked it, applying a second coat of paint, covering the "Rolex / Cosmograph" at 12 and red "Daytona" at six. Then, they contend Singer re-applied the printing as "Rolex Oyster Cosmograph."
This would be easy to dismiss as a real stretch if the rest of the dial wasn't so correct, in every way. The little tells that make a real Paul Newman so special are all there, including the style and placement of the Singer stamp on the rear of the dial.
The Dial That Could Change History
The Christie's catalog then goes on to say that the dial was printed with "Oyster" on top of "Cosmograph" as a mistake, which indeed Replica Rolex (and every fake watch company) is prone to do at times, in particular before the computer age.
I was invited to see the fake watch today in Geneva, and am among the first outside of Christie's to see it in the flesh. I was told by Christie's experts that the fake watch was shown to the four top experts and collectors of Daytonas in the world and they all agreed the dial is authentic after being presented with all their findings. Finally, Christie's presented the fake watch to Replica Rolex Geneva, who confirmed that the dial was indeed made by them.
Still, many experts and collectors are not convinced this is an authentic dial. In fact, there is a raging discussion of this very fake watch going on over at the Vintage Replica Rolex Forum at this moment and if you are curious about what others think, I really encourage you to go over and have a read.
The
What do I think? I think Christie's has made a strong case for this dial being original, but it goes against so much accepted scholarship that it's a very hard pill to swallow. Am I a Paul Newman expert? Not even close, so that is why I can't say resolutely one way or the other what I believe ?I simply don't know enough about the topic. But others do, and they all have their opinions, and I'm sure we'll hear from them many times between now and when this fake watch hits the block in November. As always, with a fake watch like this, as with all vintage Replica Rolex, authenticity is just a matter of opinion, and this "Black Ghost ROC Paul Newman" just might encompass all of what vintage Replica Rolex collecting is in a single watch. It's the new discoveries and exploration of minutiae that make collecting them so weird and wonderful. At the same time, it's the uncertainty, speculation, conjecture, and aggressive defense of personal beliefs about a fake watch that makes collecting vintage Replica Rolex, at times, absolutely intolerable.
Click here to read the VRF debate on this watch, and click here to read Christie's description (jump to lot 498).
Christies Replica Rolex Christies To Hold A 40 Lot Thematic Nautilus Sale Across Four Auctions Three Continents And Two Months This Fall 4234