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Lot Essay
At the very top level in the rarefied world of vintage Rolex Daytona collecting, the present chronograph can be considered one of the undisputed holy grails of the model.
Amongst the most desirable timepieces for any Rolex enthusiasts, this wristwatch is of indisputable rarity, not only being one of the rarest variants of the iconic Daytona chronograph but for also being the only example of the reference 6262 in gold to be prominently displayed on four pages of the internationally renowned book “The Ultimate Rolex Daytona” published by Pucci Papaleo Editore. Appearing for the first time at auction, the chronograph features a very well preserved Nero dial with Cherry Logo signature, propelling it to the very pinnacle of Daytona collecting.
A true rarity, the reference 6262 succeeded the 6239 and represented an upgrade notably through the use of the new Valjoux calibre 727 as well as a more athletic case design. Made in 1970 for only a year, the production of the reference 6262 is scarce and can be considered as part of the smallest production runs of the iconic chronograph. An elitist timepiece, a chronograph made in 18K gold was considered a true contradiction in the 70s. With a high retail price and of fragile nature, the creation of a gold Daytona would be incomprehensible to most, being too ostentatious and fragile for daily use but at the same time too bulky for an elegant evening. Of the thousands of timepieces created by Rolex in 1970, only 35 were gold reference 6262, only made in 18K gold with no examples manufactured in 14K, making this timepiece even rarere than its sister reference 6264.
Making a striking visual impact, the rarity of the chronograph is made paramount through its captivating and very well preserved dial. While the steel version of the reference can be purchased with the choice of a white background with black registers dial or the opposite, the gold version offers similar options but the white is substituted and the champagne tonality matches the gold case. Diverging from commonly seen dials, the present reference 6262 features a black dial with the magnificent and unusual cherry red Daytona designation. Dramatically enhancing the overall aesthetics of the timepiece, the signature gives an overall sense of modernity to the wristwatch and represents the stylistic explorations of the Rolex manufacture. A forerunner to the choices Rolex will make for the dials of later models, the curved Daytona writing on top of the central register will be a typical characteristic of the later 6262 and 6264. The cherry red will be used as a standard colour for the Daytona designation on the later references 6263 and 6265 in steel.
The present watch is illustrated in the book “The Ultimate Rolex Daytona” published by Pucci Papaleo Editore p. 284 to 287. Another example of the reference 6262 in 18K gold with Cherry Logo signature was sold in the Rolex Daytona Lesson One auction as Lot 013 Sale 4002, Christie’s Geneva 01 November 2013. A similar example is displayed in the 111 Fabulous Daytona book by Davide Parmegiani p. 44-45.
Amongst the most desirable timepieces for any Rolex enthusiasts, this wristwatch is of indisputable rarity, not only being one of the rarest variants of the iconic Daytona chronograph but for also being the only example of the reference 6262 in gold to be prominently displayed on four pages of the internationally renowned book “The Ultimate Rolex Daytona” published by Pucci Papaleo Editore. Appearing for the first time at auction, the chronograph features a very well preserved Nero dial with Cherry Logo signature, propelling it to the very pinnacle of Daytona collecting.
A true rarity, the reference 6262 succeeded the 6239 and represented an upgrade notably through the use of the new Valjoux calibre 727 as well as a more athletic case design. Made in 1970 for only a year, the production of the reference 6262 is scarce and can be considered as part of the smallest production runs of the iconic chronograph. An elitist timepiece, a chronograph made in 18K gold was considered a true contradiction in the 70s. With a high retail price and of fragile nature, the creation of a gold Daytona would be incomprehensible to most, being too ostentatious and fragile for daily use but at the same time too bulky for an elegant evening. Of the thousands of timepieces created by Rolex in 1970, only 35 were gold reference 6262, only made in 18K gold with no examples manufactured in 14K, making this timepiece even rarere than its sister reference 6264.
Making a striking visual impact, the rarity of the chronograph is made paramount through its captivating and very well preserved dial. While the steel version of the reference can be purchased with the choice of a white background with black registers dial or the opposite, the gold version offers similar options but the white is substituted and the champagne tonality matches the gold case. Diverging from commonly seen dials, the present reference 6262 features a black dial with the magnificent and unusual cherry red Daytona designation. Dramatically enhancing the overall aesthetics of the timepiece, the signature gives an overall sense of modernity to the wristwatch and represents the stylistic explorations of the Rolex manufacture. A forerunner to the choices Rolex will make for the dials of later models, the curved Daytona writing on top of the central register will be a typical characteristic of the later 6262 and 6264. The cherry red will be used as a standard colour for the Daytona designation on the later references 6263 and 6265 in steel.
The present watch is illustrated in the book “The Ultimate Rolex Daytona” published by Pucci Papaleo Editore p. 284 to 287. Another example of the reference 6262 in 18K gold with Cherry Logo signature was sold in the Rolex Daytona Lesson One auction as Lot 013 Sale 4002, Christie’s Geneva 01 November 2013. A similar example is displayed in the 111 Fabulous Daytona book by Davide Parmegiani p. 44-45.