Rolex’s Oyster Cosmograph has become one of the most celebrated vintage wristwatches today, with collectors passionately vying for the best of the best amongst these icons. The “Paul Newman” dial iteration is even loftier amongst the ranks of rare and sought after chronographs, and within this very select group certain configurations are considered the pinnacle. The “Paul Newman Panda” variant is one of the most desirable amongst collectors today. The nickname “Panda” derived from the dial’s similarity to the bear with a similar white and black pattern. It has a modern classic aesthetic with a clear and easily readable dial.

Rolex released the reference 6263, along with the reference 6265, in 1969 as a replacement to their first “Oyster” chronograph the reference 6240. While the 6265 retained a steel engraved bezel, the reference 6263 featured the black acrylic bezel with white tachometer scale first seen on the 6240 when it was introduced in 1965. Both the reference 6263 and 6265 were released in stainless steel or gold and featured the upgraded Valijoux caliber 727.

The present early example has all the hallmarks desired by scholars of the Rolex Daytona. From 1971, the watch features pushers, which are absolutely correct for the reference and serial number, featuring flat-top ridges as opposed to the sharp-top ones found on later iterations. Scholarship suggest these pushers can be found on watches bearing serial numbers between 2.1 and 2.9 million. The caseback is correctly stamped C. R. S. and stamped 6239 indicating that Rolex was using left over cases for their newer production.

The reference 6263 was produced from 1969 until the late 1980s, and while it is a premier reference amongst watch aficionados, the “Paul Newman” version is highly sought after, the present example is in lovely well-preserved condition and with its “Panda” configuration, it will be a watch all collectors want, but few will own.