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Royal Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi spotted wearing Rolex

Crown Prince of the Emirate of Ajman Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi was recently spotted wearing one of the most revered objects in vintage horology — a stainless steel Rolex Cosmograph Daytona reference 6239 featuring the so-called Paul Newman exotic dial. For a member of one of the UAE's ruling families, the choice signals something beyond wealth: it signals genuine watch knowledge.

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 6239 was introduced in 1963 as Rolex's answer to the burgeoning motorsport chronograph market. It was the first reference to bear the Daytona name on the dial, powered by the manually wound Valjoux 72 base caliber — a robust, column-wheel movement with a 17-jewel construction that earned a strong reputation for reliability among racing drivers of the era. The case measured 37mm in diameter, fitted with an acrylic crystal and Rolex's signature pump pushers flanking the crown. Production ran until approximately 1969, when it was succeeded by the ref. 6241 and later the 6262 and 6264 series.

The designation 'Paul Newman' refers to a specific dial variant featuring Art Deco-style square subsidiary registers, contrasting outer chapter ring markings, and a distinctive color-blocked aesthetic quite unlike standard Daytona dials of the period. The nickname derives from actor Paul Newman's own documented ownership of a ref. 6239 — gifted to him by Joanne Woodward — which sold at Phillips Geneva in 2017 for $17.75 million, permanently anchoring the reference in popular culture and driving global collector demand to extraordinary levels.

Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi has cultivated a reputation as a serious collector and patron of culture within the Gulf region. Wearing a ref. 6239 Paul Newman rather than a contemporary complications piece speaks to an appreciation for horological history over spectacle — a distinction that resonates strongly within the serious vintage watch community.

On the current grey market, a stainless steel Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 6239 with an authentic exotic Paul Newman dial commands approximately $250,000, with exceptional examples or those with documented provenance pushing considerably higher. There is no current retail equivalent — this reference exists entirely within the secondary and auction market, making each confirmed sighting a genuine collector event.