207
Rolex
Ref. 6238
"Pre-Daytona"
A beautiful and extremely well-preserved stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with soleil dial, bracelet, guarantee and hang tag
Full-Cataloguing
- Chronograph
- The last Rolex Oyster reference before the introduction of the Cosmograph Daytona
- Preserved in remarkable condition
- Accompanied by original accessories
Please see the Archivio Pucci Papaleo digital archive record here.
Whether you call it Rolex's last classical chronograph or its first sporting one, reference 6238 stands as a genuine milestone for the Geneva maison.
Made from roughly 1960 to 1967, the 6238 is the timeless chronograph distilled to its essence. Collectors know it as the "Pre-Daytona," and the nickname fits: it shares its case dimensions, pump pushers and baton hands with its contemporary, the first Cosmograph Daytona reference 6239.
The distinction lies in the dial. Where the Cosmograph Daytona always paired contrasting tones — black with silver registers, or the reverse — the 6238 was offered exclusively in monochrome. It also closed a chapter in another way, as the final Rolex chronograph with a smooth bezel and a graduated tachymeter scale printed on the dial itself. Every Daytona that followed would carry that scale on the bezel.
This example stands out for its remarkable state of preservation. The present watch is almost as "factory spec" as one can imagine with a case that displays crisp lines and sharp edges. The numbers between the lugs are deep and visible, and they have never seen intervention throughout their lives. The watch retains a beautiful soleil dial that barely shows any signs of ageing. The luminous dots are round and intact, and now show a warm shade of patina, matching the hands. As an even nicer touch, it is accompanied by its original guarantee and numbered hang tag.
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.