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Lot Essay
US$20,000-30,000
The present vintage Rolex is a formidable collector's example of a chronograph reference 6238, offered here in overall good and well-preserved condition.
Known in the watch world as the "Pre-Daytona", reference 6238 enjoys enormous popularity due to its rarity and historical significance within the company's history. In production only from approximately 1962 to 1967, this three-body watch was the company's last traditional chronograph with polished bezel. It is the immediate predecessor of Rolex's successful line of Cosmograph Daytona watches launched in the 1960s. With its diameter of 36 mm. it is also a very sporty, yet very subtle, watch and easily wearable on any occasion.
The Pre-Daytona came with a Valjoux base calibre 72B or the modified Rolex version cal. 722.
For more detailed descriptions and illustrations of reference 6238 see 100 Years of Rolex by Franca and Guido Mondani, pp. 104-106, as well as 100 Superlative Rolex Watches by John Goldberger, pp. 128-137 and I Cronografi Rolex - La Leggenda, Pucci Papaleo Editore, p. 278-291.
The present vintage Rolex is a formidable collector's example of a chronograph reference 6238, offered here in overall good and well-preserved condition.
Known in the watch world as the "Pre-Daytona", reference 6238 enjoys enormous popularity due to its rarity and historical significance within the company's history. In production only from approximately 1962 to 1967, this three-body watch was the company's last traditional chronograph with polished bezel. It is the immediate predecessor of Rolex's successful line of Cosmograph Daytona watches launched in the 1960s. With its diameter of 36 mm. it is also a very sporty, yet very subtle, watch and easily wearable on any occasion.
The Pre-Daytona came with a Valjoux base calibre 72B or the modified Rolex version cal. 722.
For more detailed descriptions and illustrations of reference 6238 see 100 Years of Rolex by Franca and Guido Mondani, pp. 104-106, as well as 100 Superlative Rolex Watches by John Goldberger, pp. 128-137 and I Cronografi Rolex - La Leggenda, Pucci Papaleo Editore, p. 278-291.