Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 1967 Reference No: 6240 Case No: 1'658'463 Model Name: "Solo Daytona" Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Manual, cal. 722-1, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet, reference 7835, end links stamped 71N, max length 175mm. Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex folding deployant clasp stamped 4.67 Dimensions: 37.5mm. Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed Accessories: Accompanied by a customized and unique copy of FERO 150 Steel Chronographs "Special Cover Edition 6240 Solo Daytona" by Pucci Papaleo Editions, featuring a special cover with an image of the present watch, which will be delivered upon completion of the book. Literature: The present watch is prominently displayed in FERO 150 Stainless Steel Chronographs by Pucci Papaleo Editions.
Catalogue Essay
In 1965, Rolex created a new member of the Cosmograph Daytona family by introducing reference 6240. Manufactured exclusively in stainless steel, the reference featured an acrylic bezel to display the tachymeter, and was the first "Daytona" wristwatch equipped with screw-down chronograph pushers to provide improved water resistance. A 'transitional' watch in all senses, reference 6240 eventually evolved to the beloved reference 6263 and 6265. The reference was fitted with a variety of dials, ranging from the famous "Solo Rolex" to various "Daytona" placements.
The present watch is a very unusual variant of reference 6240. The placement of "Rolex" is decidedly lower than most examples, featuring the additional "Daytona" signature only. Most interestingly, there is no "Oyster" or "Cosmograph" text on the dial, as Rolex experimented with a variety of dial configurations during this period that did not necessarily reference its screw down pushers.
It is entirely possible, given the serial number, that the dial started its life as a solo "Rolex", only to have the firm print "Daytona" below in the smaller font, to experiment with different design codes. This configuration really displays Rolex's willingness to experiment with the DNA of the Daytona wristwatch.
Other features are the correct 'Mk 0" pushers, with the brass peeking through the pushers, having aged with patina over time giving the watch a lot of character. The watch furthermore retains its original twinlock 700 series winding crown, characterized by the Rolex coronet on the crown.
The present watch, to the best of our knowledge, is the only known "Solo Daytona" watch that has ever graced the market, delighting the "purist" scholar and collector. It is furthermore accompanied by a unique copy of FERO 150 Steel Chronographs by Pucci Papaleo Editions, featuring a special cover with an image of the present watch, that will be delivered upon completion of the book.
Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.