Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 1962 Reference No: 6238 Case No: 866'420 Model Name: "Pre-Daytona" Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Manual, cal. 72B, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Rolex C&I bracelet, max length 195mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex deployant clasp stamped 1.58 Dimensions: 36mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed, movement further signed ROW
Catalogue Essay
The present watch demonstrates how a watch can be preserved in exceptional and outstanding condition, even 57 years since it left the Rolex factory.
The case extremely is remarkable. It features full proportions and extremely sharp finishes on the top of the lugs. The numbers between the lugs are particularly noteworthy. Deep and precise, the serial and reference numbers are engraved directly onto the factory-satin finish, demonstrating how they have never seen intervention in the past. Even the bottom of the lugs are sharp to the touch, as well as the edge of the bezel.
The dial of the present watch is also extremely rare as very few examples have appeared on the market with the brand name in raised relief.
The "Swiss" signed dial is printed in English, and is correct for the serial number of the timepiece. An incredibly rare dial variant, it is preserved in excellent condition with barely any signs of aging, which is impressive given the age of the watch. The luminous dots are all round, intact, and have aged consistently with the hands. There are no visible signs of tarnishing or spotting. Furthermore, the movement is stamped ROW, which was an export code for the United States - fitting, considering the dial language.
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.