Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 1970 Reference No: 6264, inside caseback stamped 6241 Case No: 2'417'903 Model Name: Cosmograph Daytona "Paul Newman" Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Manual, cal. 727, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel folded links Rolex Oyster bracelet stamped "7835 19" and "271" to the endlinks, max length 180mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex deployant clasp stamped "D" Dimensions: 37.5mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed Accessories: Accompanied by Rolex original Guarantee booklet date February 1, 1971, service invoice and receipt , two additional braclet links, box and a set of 10 pictures showing the original owner wearing the timepiece in different years from the 60s to nowadays.
Catalogue Essay
With a legendary status among collectors of vintage Rolex watches, Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Paul Newman timepieces are most certainly rare gems as sought-after as they are scarce. Even within the Paul Newman panorama, though, some variations appear to be even less common than other.
The reference 6264 is one such example. Produced in very limited quantities in the early 1970s, it can be considered a transitional reference, featuring the “old school” pump pushers rather than screw-down ones. It is basically a reference 6241 with the upgraded chronometer-grade 727 movement. A similar parallelism can be found between reference 6239 and reference 6262 (pump pushers, metal bezel). Given the superior technical qualities of the screw-down pushers, even though they were met with some resistance at the beginning of their history - with clients deeming them too obtrusive - quite soon (after a 4 years production run) Rolex abandoned these two pump-pushers references, thus resulting in their remarkable scarcity.
Thus already a rare pearl among vintage Daytona models, the present piece is propelled to the top of Rolex collecting thanks to its superb Paul Newman dial. Paul Newman (or “Exotic”, as they were originally known) dials found on reference 6264 have very specific details, of course all present in this example: the t swiss t designation is flat, rather than sing-a-song; the color scheme is rigorously two-tone black & white save for the red Daytona designation; there is no “Oyster” designation (in fact this is not an Oyster case, lacking the screw-down pushers) and the graphics feature softer serifs. All such details are apparent in this incredibly flawless dial, devoid of even the slightest surface marks, presenting absolutely unspoiled graphics and fully retaining all of the original luminous accents in perfect condition. A true “best-in-class” dial which without a doubt belongs in a world class collection.
The presence of the original Guarantee booklet from 1971 and the original box are fabled additions to this already stellar timepiece, and further elevate its standing and collectability.
A final layer of appeal comes from the fact that the watch is consigned by the original owner, to whom it was gifted when he was in his teens. By his own account, the watch was on his wrist for the first summer he had it in his possession, and subsequently it was only sporadically used on special occasions - highlighting the importance the name "Rolex" had already back then. In fact, in order to prove his continuous possession of the timepiece, the consignor was kind enough to provide a set of pictures that shows him wearing the watch "through the ages": a one-owner, full set timepiece which will be without a doubt looked after and enjoyed by its next owner as deeply as it has been by its previous one.
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.
