NASA Engineer’s Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona Heads to Heritage Auction

A Rolex “Paul Newman” Cosmograph Daytona with a direct connection to the early U.S. space program is coming to auction for the first time.

The circa-1969 Rolex Ref. 6239 was the personal watch of Oran W. Nicks, an aeronautical engineer and NASA leader who directed lunar and planetary programs before later working at Texas A&M University. The watch will be offered September 16 in Heritage Auctions’ Watches & Fine Timepieces Signature Auction.

Nicks joined NASA in 1960 and became involved with some of the agency’s early missions to the Moon, Mars and Venus, including Ranger, Surveyor, Lunar Orbiter and Mariner. Later in his career, he helped establish major research programs at Texas A&M and led the university’s Low-Speed Wind Tunnel, which now bears his name.

The Daytona has remained with Nicks’ family and is being consigned by his son, making its September appearance the first time it has reached the collector market. Heritage Director of Watches & Fine Timepieces Jim Wolf described the provenance as one of the qualities that makes the piece particularly notable, pointing to both Nicks’ career and the fact that he kept the watch for so many years.

The stainless steel watch features a 37mm case, matte black dial and contrasting beige subsidiary dials, along with the red outer seconds scale associated with the “Paul Newman” configuration. It uses Rolex’s caliber 722-1 movement and is fitted with a steel Rolex bracelet.

Its documented history extends beyond family provenance. The lot comes with a Rolex service invoice and correspondence from 1995 showing that the watch received a complete service and a new steel bracelet. A copy of the payment check, Rolex model pamphlet and original Styrofoam shipping box are also included.

The Nicks Daytona is one of 55 Rolex watches in the September 16 auction, but it is far from the only major vintage piece on the schedule. Heritage is also offering a circa-1986 Rolex Ref. 6263 “Big Red” Cosmograph Daytona, a model known for its screw-down chronograph pushers and the large red “DAYTONA” lettering above the lower subdial.

Patek Philippe will have a significant presence as well. A circa-1984 gold Ref. 3800/1 Nautilus is among the highlights, along with a diamond-set Calatrava Ref. 4978/400G-001. Heritage says this auction contains more Patek Philippe watches than any previous sale it has held.

Seven Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks are also included among the auction’s 273 lots, joined by an A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 “Darth” in platinum and even a circa-1959 Rolex advertising poster featuring Santa Claus.

But the Nicks watch brings together two collecting worlds that rarely overlap so directly. Beyond being a sought-after vintage “Paul Newman” Daytona, it carries decades of provenance tied to an engineer who played a role in NASA’s formative lunar and planetary exploration programs.

Heritage Auctions’ Watches & Fine Timepieces Signature Auction takes place September 16 in Dallas.