Nell Newman
Foundation
Foundation
To Make Donation To
Boys Republic
In Honor of
Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen
Ever wonder where those many millions of dollars from the auction of Paul Newman's Rolex Daytona are going? You are about to find out!
I recently spoke with James Cox who is the Treasurer of the Nell Newman Foundation and is also famous for being the young man Paul Newman gave his first "Paul Newman Daytona" to as a gift in 1984. Nell Newman is pictured below with her father Paul Newman wearing his now trademark white exotic dial Paul Newman Daytona before he gave it as a gift to James Cox.
In 1984, James Cox was dating Nell Newman at the time her father, Paul Newman gave James his Rolex watch. James Cox is pictured below with Nell Newman years later and notice James is wearing Paul Newman's Daytona.
Nell Newman is pictured below wearing a Rolex Ladies Datejust on an Oyster Bracelet that her father, Paul Newman gave her.
If you are not familiar with this story, James Cox wore and took care of Paul Newman's Daytona for four decades and recently put it up for auction with Phillips Auction House where it sold for $17.8 Million. The photo below shows James Cox and Nell Newman attending the recent Phillips Auction which set the all-time record for not only a Rolex at auction, but also set a world record high for any wristwatch ever auctioned.
James Cox is donating the vast majority of the proceeds from his auction proceeds to the Nell Newman Foundation which generously helps many different people and organizations. The superb Hodinkee video below covers the Phillips Paul Newman Daytona auction which was absolutely mesmerizing!
James Cox mentioned two different projects to me that the Nell Newman Foundation is supporting:
Céline Cousteau Project
The first donation James Cox mentioned the Nell Newman Foundation making is going to Céline Cousteau to complete a documentary that covers her expedition to return to the Amazon.
Young Céline Cousteau is pictured below at age nine in front of her Grandfather Jacques-Yves Cousteau's Calypso, as it made its way down the Amazon River.
Jacques-Yves Cousteau is pictured below in 1953 wearing a prototype Rolex Submariner with his loyal right-hand man, Albert Falco in the background assisting Captain Cousteau with his aqua lung. Jacques Cousteau is the greatest explorer to ever live.
I am super excited as I will soon be publishing an interview with Céline Cousteau about her amazing project as well as her incredible lifetime achievements. Céline Cousteau is pictured below swimming in the ocean with dolphins.
Boys Republic Project
James Cox also mentioned the Nell Newman Foundation will also be making a donation to the Boys Republic and it is being made in honor of Steve McQueen who was the most famous advocate of the Boys Republic. This is due to the fact that when Steve McQueen was a young man, he lived at and was enrolled in the Boys Republic. Steve McQueen claimed the Boys Republic, which is located in the Chino Hills of California saved his life by teaching him discipline.
James Cox mentioned that when he and Nell Newman read my first two stories (Part 1) & (Part 2) of the Loren Janes / Steve McQueen Rolex Submariner Mystery they were deeply inspired on many levels. James Cox said:
"When Nell Newman and I learned Phillips Auction House was going to also be auctioning Loren Janes Rolex Submariner that was a gift from Steve McQueen it put a huge smile on our faces! I say this as we got to know Aurel Bacs and Paul Boutros from Phillips really well thought the entire process of auctioning Paul Newman's Daytona which Paul Newman gave me as a gift so many years ago. The Phillips team could not have been more professional, honest, gracious or effective with the way they handled Paul Newman's Rolex Daytona. So when we learned Phillips Auction House would also be auctioning Loren Janes engraved Submariner we knew it was in great hands!
Also when we learned that the current consigner of Loren Janes Rolex, Michael Eisenberg was donating 1/3 of the auction proceeds to The Boys Republic, as well as 1/3 to the Janes family, that act of kindness also really inspired us. So Nell Newman and I decided we also want to make a significant donation to the Boys Republic in Steve McQueen's honor.
Both Nell and I plan to attend the October 2018 Phillips Auction at which time we plan to formally make the donation to the Boys Republic. I would love to see Chad McQueen and his mother Neile also attend, and it is interesting that Loren Janes daughter will also be attending. So both Loren's daughter and Paul's daughter will be attending, which is interesting as they are both the daughters of famous men with watches at auction!"
The supreme irony—if you think about it—is the money the Nell Newman Foundation will be donating to the Boys Republic in Steve McQueen's honor is essentially coming from Paul Newman and his famous Rolex Daytona!
Steve McQueen and Paul Newman are pictured below in a photo from the 1956 movie "Somebody Up There Loves Me."
Steve McQueen and Paul Newman are pictured below with Faye Dunaway on the set of the major motion picture from 1974 titled, The Towering Inferno.
Steve McQueen was good friends with Paul Newman, and they shared a love of racing cars, and Rolex watches. In the photo below, taken in the early 1970s, we see Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Barbra Streisand, and Sidney Poitier when they were announcing the formation of First Artists Production, which would be their own movie production company.
Boys Republic Culinary Center
Steve McQueen returns to Boy's Republic
I remember hearing a story about how Steve McQueen's first wife, Neile Adams McQueen was surprised to see how well dressed up Steve got when he would visit the Boys Republic and she asked him why, since he usually dressed down whenever he could? Steve McQueen said "I try and dress as well as I can so I can show the boys how if they work hard what they can become!"
Michael Eisenberg who is the current owner of Loren Janes Rolex Submariner which is coming to Phillips Auction House has been a long time benefactor of the Boys Republic. As previously mentioned Michael confirmed he will be donating 1/3 of the auction proceeds to The Boys Republic in honor of Steve McQueen, as well as graciously giving 1/3 to Loren Janes family.
Michael Eisenberg who is the current owner of Loren Janes Rolex Submariner which is coming to Phillips Auction House has been a long time benefactor of the Boys Republic. As previously mentioned Michael confirmed he will be donating 1/3 of the auction proceeds to The Boys Republic in honor of Steve McQueen, as well as graciously giving 1/3 to Loren Janes family.
I interviewed Michael Eisenberg about this and he said: "I LOVE the Boys Republic and I know when I donate money to them all the money is going directly to a great cause. The donation is not getting diluted or trickling down. It is pure. The boys are getting a complete necklace, not just a bunch of random beads."
Michael also mentioned the Boys Republic is currently working hard on raising money to upgrade their Boys Republic Culinary Center. This is profoundly ironic if you think about it that the donation the Nell Newman Foundation will be making, which is coming from the proceeds of the Phillips Auction House will be going to the Boys Republic Culinary Center. I point this out as Paul Newman through his Newman's Own Foundation has contributed more though Paul's Culinary proceeds than anybody else on earth. Nell Newman, who first came up with the concept of Newman's Own Organics is a major pioneer and trailblazer in the amazing value proposition of Organic foods. I think it would be really cool if Nell Newman can find some time to work with the Boys Republic Culinary Center to teach and brainstorm with them about all amazing benefits of organic food.
Paul & young Nell Newman
"If people knew how much fun it is to give away money they wouldn't wait until they are dead to enjoy doing so." —Paul Newman
The torch has been passed to the next generation, including Nell Newman, James Cox, Chad McQueen, Céline Cousteau, Erika Janes and Eric Janes.
I would like to thank James Cox for his amazing contribution to this story! James, you are extremely inspirational and I realize you meant every word you said after the Paul Newman Auction had concluded when you said:
"Nell and I are both very pleased. This means a lot to her foundation. We are going to take that karma we just turned into cash and play it forward. So it is going to be really exiting! This story really just begins for us. I am really excited about that. The whole thing has been like a fairy tale. We are part of history now! It's cool." —James Cox
It is so heartwarming and impressive to see you and Nell continuing in the generous footsteps of Paul Newman!!!!!
I have much more interesting news coming up on this exiting story so stay tuned!!