Rolex - The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVIII Hong Kong Friday, May 24, 2024 | Phillips

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  • Condition Report

  • Description

    View our Conditions of Sale.

  • Manufacturer: Rolex
    Year: Circa 1963
    Reference No: 6238, repeated inside caseback
    Case No: 950’381
    Model Name: "Pre-Daytona"
    Material: Stainless steel
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 72B, 17 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel expandable Rolex riveted Oyster bracelet, max length 180mm
    Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex C&I deployant clasp stamped “7-62”
    Dimensions: 36mm diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed

  • Catalogue Essay

    The Rolex "Pre-Daytona" reference 6238 holds a significant place in their history of chronographs. It served as a precursor to the iconic Daytona collection, which remains one of the most coveted sports watches to this day. Produced between 1960 and 1967, the reference 6238 was available in various case and dial combinations, including steel, gold, and a range of dial colors such as silver, black, and rarer versions with blue or blue and red multiscale.

    Despite sharing a similar case size and pushers with its contemporary, the first Cosmograph Daytona reference 6239, the reference 6238 was exclusively offered with a monochromatic dial. It marked the end of an era as the last Rolex chronograph to feature a smooth bezel and a tachymeter scale printed on the dial. Subsequent Daytona models would feature the tachymeter scale on the bezel instead.

    The present reference 6238 watch features a dial with black and blue scales, a combination typically seen in the predecessor reference 6234. This dial configuration is not uncommon for early reference 6238 watches, as they were produced during the transition period when the reference 6234 was being phased out. Rolex often used dials from discontinued models in subsequent references, showcasing the overlap and continuity of their designs.

    In overall excellent and attractive condition, the present reference 6238 holds importance as it marked the end of the "Pre-Daytona" era and paved the way for the creation of the highly popular Daytona collection tailored for racing drivers.

  • Artist Biography

    Rolex

    Swiss • 1905

    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.

    View More Works

1026

Ref. 6238, repeated inside caseback
A rare and attractive stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with tachymeter, blue telemeter scale and bracelet

Circa 1963
36mm diameter
Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed

Estimate
HK$300,000 - 500,000 
€35,900-59,900
$38,500-64,100

Place Advance Bid
Contact Specialist

Thomas Perazzi
Deputy Chairman, Watches, Head of Watches, Asia
+852 2318 2031
WatchesHK@phillips.com
 

Gertrude Wong
Head of Sale, Hong Kong
+ 852 2318 2045
gertrudewong@phillips.com
 

The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVIII

Hong Kong Auction 24 - 25 May 2024