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Ed Sheeran hands out free pizzas while wearing a six-figure “Paul Newman” Rolex Daytona ref. 6263

Ed Sheeran hands out free pizzas while wearing a six-figure “Paul Newman” Rolex Daytona ref. 6263

Time+Tide

If you’re a budding watch-spotter, Ed Sheeran is the gift that just keeps on giving.  Highlights in his watch box include the Patek Philippe Ref.1518 – the first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph in the world of which just 281 were produced – and the Patek Philippe Ref.5208P-001, a platinum-cased grand complication that is valued north of A$1.5 million.  Not that Sheeran restricts himself to grail dress watches. The pop star is no watch snob and happily rocks a MoonSwatch on occasion, although he owns plenty of other head-turners including the A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk in white gold.  We could go on (and on), but you get the idea. Sheeran is a collector with the means and disposition to enjoy a full spectrum of horological treasures. He demonstrated that once again at the weekend when the singer wore a six-figure “Paul Newman” Rolex Daytona ref. 6263 while doling out free pizza to his fans.

 

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Before his concert at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Sheeran made the special stop at a local fast-food joint, Caliente Pizza in Crafton, where he gave away 50 free pizzas and 50 sets of tickets to fans. He wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty in the kitchen while wearing a serious Rolex, too.

Produced from the early 1970s through to 1987, the Daytona ref. 6263 features the second-generation screw-down chronograph pushers that offer superior water resistance to the traditional pump-style pushers. A signature feature of the watch is its black acrylic bezel, a  vintage design element that doesn’t find its way onto modern Daytona watches that have their bezels in ceramic instead.

In fact, the Daytona ref. 6263 Paul Newman is the model that vintage collectors tend to salivate over the most. Many consider it the the final true vintage Daytona model as it’s the last of the manual-wound range that came before automatic winding movements, sapphire crystals, and larger 40mm cases were introduced.

In short, this Rolex is a serious horological flex that shows, once again, that Sheeran is a man of great taste. Although not perhaps when it comes to his views on pizza.  The owner at Caliente’s said that Sheeran’s favourite pick at his shop is apparently “buffalo chicken pizza”. Not a choice the purists will endorse.