Jerry Seinfeld is Putting the First-Ever Daytona-Winning Rolex Daytona Up for Auction

By Ben McKimm - News

Updated: 15 October, 2026

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Table of contents

Table of contents

• Restoration and Provenance
• Porsche’s First 24-Hour Victory
• Auction and Sales Records
• FAQs

Readtime: 5 min

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• Consigned directly from Jerry Seinfeld’s private collection.
• The first documented Rolex Daytona was awarded for a race victory.
• Presented to Vic Elford after winning the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona.
• Seinfeld acquired both the race-winning Porsche 907 and the watch.
• Heading to Phillips New York with an estimate of USD$100,000 to USD$200,000.

Jerry Seinfeld is auctioning one of the most historically significant watches in horology: the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Reference 6239 presented to racing legend Victor “Quick Vic” Elford after his win at the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona. Consigned directly from Seinfeld’s personal vault, the watch will cross the block at Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo during The New York Watch Auction: XV on 5 and 6 December 2026, carrying an estimate of USD$100,000 to USD$200,000.

It’s one to get excited about because the timepiece represents the literal origin of one of motorsport’s most famous partnerships. While Rolex introduced the Cosmograph in 1963 and briefly advertised it as the “Le Mans” in 1964, the brand officially adopted the “Daytona” name around 1965 to align with the Daytona International Speedway. However, it was not until Elford’s landmark victory at the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona that a Daytona was officially presented to a winning driver on the podium, making this exact piece the first known documented example of its kind.

Seinfeld’s connection to the watch runs deep, tying directly back to the very car Elford drove to secure that 1968 victory. The comedian and avid Porsche collector purchased the race-winning Porsche 907 Langheck longtail prototype at auction in 2014, then tracked down and acquired Elford’s companion Rolex to reunite the historic duo. “They made history together,” Seinfeld said. “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.” Gooding & Company sold the car at Pebble Beach for USD$3,305,000.

Restoration and Provenance

During Seinfeld’s ownership period, Reference 6239 underwent a sympathetic restoration by vintage experts to return it to its 1968 podium-winning condition.

The work included colour-matching the hour and minute hands to the dial’s original luminous markers, fitting a period-correct Tropic 21 domed crystal, repairing a rivet on the original riveted Oyster bracelet, and securing a period-correct Rolex presentation box.

It comes with an unbroken chain of documentation, including a 2010 letter from Rolex U.S.A. verifying its authenticity and confirming it was presented to Elford for his 1968 win, a signed letter of provenance from Elford himself, and a 2005 Rolex service invoice bearing the matching serial number.

Porsche’s First 24-Hour Victory

Elford’s victory at the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona marked a pivotal turning point for German engineering, securing Porsche’s first-ever 24-hour endurance race victory. That win served as a vital precursor to the automaker’s first overall win at Le Mans two years later in 1970.

Only eight examples of the longtail Porsche 907 were ever built, cementing the shared legacy between the exceptionally rare vehicle and the historic timepiece that accompanied its maiden 24-hour victory.

Auction and Sales Records

Paul Boutros, Phillips’ Deputy Chairman and Head of Watches, Americas, noted the watch’s significance at the crossroads of motorsport and horological history.

“Bearing truly extraordinary provenance as the first known Rolex Daytona presented for a motorsport victory, it is one of the most compelling trophy watches ever to come to auction and a tangible link to a defining moment in Porsche racing history,” Boutros said. “We are honored to have been entrusted with this remarkable timepiece and delighted to share it with the global collecting community this December.”

Phillips, in Association with Bacs & Russo, holds a dominant position in the vintage watch market, achieving the world record for the most successful watch auction with its Decade One (2015–2025) sale, which realised USD$83 million in 2025. The auction house also holds records for the highest result ever achieved for any vintage wristwatch at auction, with Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona Reference 6239 (CHF 17,709,894 / USD$17,752,500), and the highest result for a vintage Patek Philippe with a stainless steel reference 1518 (CHF 14,190,000 / USD$17,631,075).

FAQs