Aurel Bacs.
My name is Aurel Bacs, I am Swiss and since my earliest years I am crazy about and madly in love with beautiful watches. Whereas I wanted to become a lawyer, destiny had other plans for me … and I am now since 30 years in the auction industry. My most recent “baby” is “Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo” which was launched in 2014 by Livia, my wife, and myself, and tailored to meet an ever-growing demand for rare collectors’ watches, scholarship and transparency.
The Daytona plays a hugely important role in my life.
I remember very well my very first one (a steel reference 6263, bought on the flea market in Zurich), my second one (I was lucky enough to secure an example of newly launched reference 16520 from a Zurich retailer in the late 80s) and then my most important one, a 6263 in steel, a gift from Livia and our daughter on the occasion of the landmark auction “Daytona Lesson ONE” in 2013 – which also marked the end of a 10-year marathon at my previous employer. Then, finally, the auction of Paul Newman’s Paul Newman – still the world’s highest price ever achieved for any Daytona – actually, for any vintage wristwatch ever sold. And let’s not forget the second thematic Daytona auction, held at Phillips in 2018, again with 100% sold and multiple world-records.
So, for over 35 years, the Daytona has been constantly present in my life – and that would be a bold understatement.
Sorry, it may sound banal, but my one and only instant reply is Paul Newman. Without him, the Daytona wouldn’t be anything but another steel chronograph in today’s world.
Paul Newman and his exotic-dial Daytona, reference 6239.
For sure the late-night call from James Cox, the owner of Paul Newman’s Paul Newman, saying “You don’t know who I am but I know who you are and I have Paul Newman’s Paul Newman”. The rest is history.
Paul Newman’s Paul Newman Daytona with its unique engraving on the caseback. This watch was sold by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo for 17.8 millions USD in 2017.
My goodness – why can’t I have them all, exactly in this order…? But seriously, if there was one Daytona that I consider the “best looking”, it is probably the 6265 “Panda”. But then again, there is the 6264 “Lemon”. And then again, how about a steel 16520 “Floating R-Series”? And what about the first generation 6239 “Double Swiss”. You see, Daytonalogy is a highly addictive field, beware!
Steel Paul Newman “Panda” reference 6265.
18K yellow gold 6264 Paul Newman “Lemon”.
Steel 6239 “Double Swiss”.
Steel 16520 “Floating Cosmograph” R series.
For me personally, the world’s most precious Daytona is the steel 6263 I received in 2013 from my family with a very meaningful presentation inscription on the back.
Ask my wife and she will say “Too many!”. Ask me and I will reply “… but not enough!”.
I really appreciate the work that Tiffany, Anthony and you did as it is a new, fresh approach to the “Daytona”. Not a costly coffee table, not a cheap pocketbook featuring only technical information. It is instead, on one hand, a great introduction for novice collectors to the topic and, at the same time, a highly complete tome for experienced Daytona-geeks who can learn a great deal of new information. It is not a religiously rigid approach to the topic but takes the Daytona for what it is: the world’s greatest sports watch of the last 60+ years.
Titanium as a case metal – a sports watch needs to be light!
I am always a huge fan of the motto “Less is more”!
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