A milestone of Rolex’s chronograph production, the reference 6238 was produced in a variety of case and dial combinations, in stainless steel, 14K or 18K yellow gold with a variety of dials such as silver, dark grey, black and even the rarer versions with blue or blue and red multiscale.

Produced for only seven short years from 1960 to 1967, the Rolex reference 6238 also called “Pre-Daytona” shared similar case size, pushers and baton hands as its contemporary, the first Cosmograph Daytona reference 6239.

The present watch is an exceedingly striking example, as the dial has turned from white, to an intense espresso brown tone. Such a dramatic color change could only have occurred if the watch was exposed to an extreme source of heat over time. Fortunately, the result is nothing short of extraordinary. Even better, despite the aging of the dial, the luminous material still reacts to a black light. A subtle detail truly sets this watch apart: the underline below the Oyster Chronograph signature, which collectors and historians believe was used to signify a transition from radium to tritium on the dial. The underline is absolutely correct when one considers the serial number.