Manufacturer: Rolex Year: 1968 Reference No: 6241 Case No: 1'764'772 Model Name: Cosmograph Daytona "Paul Newman" Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Manual, cal. 722-1, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet reference 7205, endlinks stamped 71, max length 210mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex deployant clasp stamped S X3 and 7835 Dimensions: 37mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed
Catalogue Essay
In a market that is becoming more and more demanding, few traits command more interest than provenance and quality in a rare timepiece. Luckily, the present 6241 “Paul Newman” Daytona amply checks both boxes.
The piece was rediscovered in Spain, where it was originally purchased in the 1960s. A wristwatch is one of the most classic - and appreciated, one may say - coming of age gifts. Fully respecting tradition, the buyer did not keep the watch for himself, but purchased it as an eighteenth-birthday present for his child. Thus, the watch was safely treasured for about half a century by the recipient who finally gifted it to his children as well, in this case one can truly speak of “history repeating”. A veritable family heirloom, the watch has thus been in possession of three generations of the same family.
Condition-wise, the dial of the piece is as breathtaking as its outstanding provenance. Perfectly preserved, it boasts absolutely no flaws, scratches or spotting of any kind. The luminous material as well is fully original, and the canvas onto which time left its mark via a charismatic color-shift to a strong ochre tonality. Of particular interest is the well noticeable step to the outside track. While virtually every collector knows that the Paul Newman dial features an outer contrasting track, it is often overlooked how the track is recessed into the dial, similarly to the subsidiary counters. This construction is highly complex to achieve and gives the piece the tridimensionality which is undeniable part of its appeal. The step to the outside track can vary from dial batch to dial batch, a consequence of the semi-industrial production process of the time. In this instance the step is highly prominent, allowing the beholder to fully appreciate this complicated construction detail and the near-subliminal aesthetic impact of it on the overall dial looks.
Founded 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.