Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 1979 Reference No: 6263 Case No: 6’043’808 Model Name: Cosmograph Daytona “Big Red” Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Manual, cal. 727, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless Steel Rolex Oyster bracelet, reference 78350/19, endlinks stamped 571, max length 210mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex deployant clasp reference 78350, stamped ‘G’ Dimensions: 37.5mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement, bracelet, and clasp signed. Accessories: Accompanied by Rolex punched warranty dated December 19th 1981, one extra link, instruction manual, product literature, original retailer valuation dated June 23rd 1983, original retailer shopping bag, fitted Rolex presentation box, and outer packaging.
Catalogue Essay
One of the most coveted vintage timepieces of the current era is the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona “Big Red”, as it even became the basis for the design of the extremely coveted modern stainless steel Daytona, the reference 116500LN with ceramic bezel. Perfectly proportioned for daily wrist wear and with a dramatic splash of red text over the hour counter, its elegant yet casual design has captivated seasoned and beginner watch collectors alike. References 6263 (the present watch) and 6265 (its metal-bezel sibling) were both launched in 1969, replacing the first Oyster Cosmograph model, reference 6240. The stainless steel model with screw-down pushers was in production for almost 20 years, a lifespan outlasting the early pump-pusher variations by a considerable length.
The present reference 6263 “Big Red” with black dial stuns due to its exceptional state of preservation and completeness. Fresh-to-the-market, the watch has never been polished and is fitted with all of its period-correct details: Early mark II pushers, bezel, and matching tritium handset and luminous dots on the dial. Amongst the best-preserved black dial examples Phillips has ever offered, it comes complete with its original punched guarantee and all accompanying original accessories.
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.
