46
Rolex
Ref. 6262
Cosmograph Daytona "Baby Blue"
A very rare and highly attractive stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with “baby blue” Daytona dial and bracelet
Full-Cataloguing
• Rare baby blue Daytona designation at 6 o’clock
• Transitional Rolex Daytona model
Rolex’s Oyster Cosmograph Daytona is a horological icon. In 1963, the brand revolutionized the chronograph with the reference 6239, the first modern iteration available in stainless steel, 14K, and 18K gold as well as the first Rolex chronograph to feature the tachymeter scale outside the dial, incorporated instead on the bezel. Since then, Rolex has proudly produced the Daytona, and over the years and decades, made modifications from caliber types to case diameters, and even incorporating gem-setting.
Rolex introduced the reference 6262 with steel bezel and sister reference 6264 with an acrylic bezel in 1969. These two models are considered transitional as they are very similar to the previous generation references 6239 and 6241 but featured the upgraded caliber 727 and slightly larger cases. The references were discontinued in 1972 when Rolex launched the references 6263 and 6265 with screw-down pushers.
The present watch is a striking example with a stunning and extremely well-preserved original dial highlighted by the now “baby blue” faded Daytona signature at 6 o’clock. A defect in the pigment turned the signature from its original white to a subtle light blue hue. The black dial with contrasting silver sub-dials has luminous plots that are intact and well-preserved. The watch is offered in very good overall condition with original Rolex stainless steel stamped 3.70 conforming with the 2.3 million case serial number. The Rolex Daytona is a sporty wristwatch that impresses, and this example with the rare “baby blue” Daytona dial is sure to be appreciated by Daytona collectors.
Rolex
Swiss | 1905Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.