What does “Paul Newman” mean?

'Paul Newman' refers to vintage Rolex Cosmograph Daytonas fitted with what Rolex called 'exotic' dials: Art Deco-style numerals in the subdials, small squares at the ends of the subdial markers and a contrasting outer track. The nickname comes from the actor Paul Newman, who wore one, and it caught on among collectors in the 1980s. Exotic dials appeared on several references from the 1960s and early 1970s, including the manual-wind 6239, 6241, 6262 and 6264 and the 6263 and 6265 with screw-down pushers.

These dials were not popular when new and were made in smaller numbers than standard Daytona dials, which is part of why they are rare today. Because of their value, Paul Newman Daytonas are among the most faked and altered vintage watches: aftermarket dials, refinished dials and standard Daytonas fitted with exotic dials all turn up. Any purchase needs expert examination of the dial, hands, case, movement and serial against the reference, ideally backed by a documented history. Colour variants have their own collector names, so describe the dial precisely.

Example: '6239 Paul Newman, cream dial with black subdials, examined by a specialist, provenance documented.'