Rolex Daytona Reference 6239 “Big Daytona” Unpolished

The Rolex Daytona reference 6239 is the original and earliest reference of the Daytona. This example features a “Big Daytona” logo where DAYTONA is large and underneath COSMOGRAPH on the dial. I really love the way the ROLEX / COSMOGRAPH / DAYTONA text lines up in descending order like a pyramid in shape.

This example also has the original early “300” Mark 2 reference 6239 bezel, which differs from later examples by having 300 on the tachymeter bezel and “UNITS PER HOUR” between 12 and 2 o’clock, whereas later bezels have it by 3 o’clock. This is the second version of the steel bezel found on the reference 6239 and the earliest Mark 1 examples have a 275 and dashes rather than dots next to the numbers.

This particular example is weathered, but it is unpolished. It had spent some years in a safe without a crystal on it after suffering some damage until I purchased it, so the dial has some scratches and the central hour, minute, and seconds hands are replacements. The central seconds hand has a slightly longer triangle at the tip and originally it would have had a shorter triangle at the tip. The register hands are all original and have the flared minute and hour hands plus thin subsidiary or running seconds hand.

The case features a 1.6 million serial number dating it to circa 1966. The watch does not come with box and papers. It was recently serviced and is running well. The watch features a new TrueDome D21 crystal

This is a really cool survivor of a Daytona and presents much more attractive in person than in the photos under strong light. It’s certainly the kind of Daytona that would be a dream to inherit - a watch that looks like it has lived a life and seen some things.

PRICE: $29,000 (Item SBUXYT1393)