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Lot Essay
Sometimes vintage wristwatches have an immediate ‘wow’ factor, capturing one’s attention by their incredible good looks, condition and rarity.
It is a delight for any Rolex collector that the present stainless steel ‘Pre-Daytona’, made in 1964 and fitted with a riveted Oyster bracelet with clasp dated ‘III 64’, has survived in such unspoiled condition. The serial and reference numbers between the lugs are crisp and clearly readable. However, the chief glory of this chronograph is undoubtedly the stunning black dial which shows only the expected natural signs of aging and is one of the rarities of the reference, made in far fewer numbers than its silvered counterpart. The dial features the ‘Rolex Chronograph’ only signature and ‘baton’ hands rather than the ‘Rolex Oyster Chronograph, Antimagnetic’ signature and ‘dagger’ hands of the earliest versions of ref. 6238 and its predecessor, the reference 6234. Furthermore, the ‘baton’ hands of reference 6238s such as this are regarded as the most desirable among collectors because they were also fitted to all Daytona models right up to the 1980s. Therefore the ‘baton’ hands provide continuity and visual harmony, a clear link between the 6238 ‘Pre-Daytona’ and later Daytona references.
Reference 6238 is the last ‘traditional’, Rolex chronograph from the famous Oyster family, and was produced from 1961⁄2 until 1968. It is in fact the last model featuring a monochromatic dial and plain non-graduated bezel, the reference is considered the precursor of the Rolex Daytona and hence gained the nickname ‘Pre-Daytona’ although it was in fact available at the same time as the Daytona reference 6239. Rarer and more understated than its successors, the reference 6238 is now attracting serious attention from collectors. The movement of the present watch is stamped with Rolex’s U.S. export code ‘ROW’ on the balance bridge, confirming that it was produced for the American market.
It is a delight for any Rolex collector that the present stainless steel ‘Pre-Daytona’, made in 1964 and fitted with a riveted Oyster bracelet with clasp dated ‘III 64’, has survived in such unspoiled condition. The serial and reference numbers between the lugs are crisp and clearly readable. However, the chief glory of this chronograph is undoubtedly the stunning black dial which shows only the expected natural signs of aging and is one of the rarities of the reference, made in far fewer numbers than its silvered counterpart. The dial features the ‘Rolex Chronograph’ only signature and ‘baton’ hands rather than the ‘Rolex Oyster Chronograph, Antimagnetic’ signature and ‘dagger’ hands of the earliest versions of ref. 6238 and its predecessor, the reference 6234. Furthermore, the ‘baton’ hands of reference 6238s such as this are regarded as the most desirable among collectors because they were also fitted to all Daytona models right up to the 1980s. Therefore the ‘baton’ hands provide continuity and visual harmony, a clear link between the 6238 ‘Pre-Daytona’ and later Daytona references.
Reference 6238 is the last ‘traditional’, Rolex chronograph from the famous Oyster family, and was produced from 1961⁄2 until 1968. It is in fact the last model featuring a monochromatic dial and plain non-graduated bezel, the reference is considered the precursor of the Rolex Daytona and hence gained the nickname ‘Pre-Daytona’ although it was in fact available at the same time as the Daytona reference 6239. Rarer and more understated than its successors, the reference 6238 is now attracting serious attention from collectors. The movement of the present watch is stamped with Rolex’s U.S. export code ‘ROW’ on the balance bridge, confirming that it was produced for the American market.