Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 1978 Reference No: 6265, inside caseback stamped 6262 Case No: 5'582'756 Model Name: Daytona Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Manual, cal. 727, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet, reference 78350 19, 2nd links stamped 571, max length 185mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex deployant clasp Dimensions: 37mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed Accessories: Accompanied by Rolex presentation box with outer packaging, punched guarantee dated June 16, 1981, hang tag, leather wallet and product literature
Catalogue Essay
In 1969, Rolex simultaneously launched references 6263 and 6265, replacing the first Oyster Cosmograph - Model 6240. The Cosmograph Daytona with screw-down pushers was in production for almost 20 years and was offered in either stainless steel or gold. The present example is categorized amongst collectors as the ‘Big Red’, distinguished by its large red ‘DAYTONA’ signature above the 6 o’clock register. This watch is fitted on a stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet, enhancing the sporty aesthetic it is famous for. The silvered dial is in excellent condition, with fully luminous hour markers along the outer ring, all of which are present and intact. Additionally, the flawless solid-finished dial glistens brilliantly against its contrasting black subsidiary dials. The present reference 6265 from 1978 is presented at auction as a full set; the watch is accompanied by its original box with outer packaging, the original punched guarantee and even the original Rolex hang tag bearing the detail of the watch. This versatile watch can easily be worn during the day at the office, on a weekend getaway at the beach, or even for black tie events.
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.