“Bond surveyed his weapons. They were only his hands and his feet, his Gillette razor and his wristwatch, a heavy Rolex Oyster Perpetual on an expanding metal bracelet. Used properly, these could be turned into most effective knuckle busters,” wrote Ian Fleming in his James Bond novel On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. In the 1969 movie adaptation of the same name, Bond, played by none other than the legendary George Lazenby, was seen on the silver screen with a ref. 6238 on his wrist.

So robust and reliable, the ref. 6238 was Bond’s most reliable tool when he makes his epic escape by skiing down Piz Gloria while the antagonists chase in the film. The watch has an equally epic background story off the silver screen as well. The Rolex ref. 6238 epitomizes a turning point in the history of Rolex history of chronograph. Produced for a short period from the beginning of the 1960s to 1967, it was not only the last Rolex chronograph to feature a smooth bezel with a tachymeter scale on the dial, but also a model that paved the way to the ref. 6239.

Collectors today refer to ref. 6238 as the “Pre-Daytona”, as it is the immediate predecessor of ref. 6239 — the first Cosmograph Daytona made by Rolex. In overall excellent condition with a sharp bezel, the present ref. 6238 is a very pleasing example. With a very elegant chic, the watch is easily wearable on any occasion and is a great timepiece for the savvy collector.