Rolex Daytona 6262

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It was nearly impossible to sell this watch when it rolled off the production line in the early 1970s. Daytonas like this 6262 languished in dealer windows for years, until some good Samaritan finally took pity and gave it a new home for just a couple hundred bucks. Nowadays, of course, Daytonas both new and vintage are among the hottest and most collectible watches on the market. The ref. 6262 is an uncommon transitional reference that was produced only from 1970-1971. As the watch did not yet feature screw down pushers, and thus lacked true water resistant capabilities, it wasn’t very popular and Rolex quickly phased out production. Consequently, its rarity makes it very desirable among collectors.This ref. 6262 dates back to 1971 and features a 37 mm stainless steel case and stainless steel bezel with engraved tachymeter scale. The watch comes on a rare ‘coffee-bean’ Jubilee bracelet that was made for the American market with a ‘big logo’ Gay Frères clasp. The black dial with silver recessed subdials is known as a ‘reverse panda’ dial among collectors due to its resemblance to a giant panda’s white face and black eye patches. The dial is in spotless condition with thick creamy tritium lume dots that match the luminous compound in the hour and minute hands.

Introduction

Rolex Cosmograph DaytonaRolex started making chronographs in the 1930s, but it was only in 1963 that a named product line was introduced: the Cosmograph. In some early advertisements, Rolex referred to the watch as the ‘Le Mans’ after the famous race track in France, although the name never appeared on the dial. After a few years, the line was officially renamed Cosmograph Daytona, after the racetrack in Florida.The most noticeable difference between these Cosmograph (Daytona) models and earlier Rolex chronographs was the tachymeter scale (used for measuring distance and speed) that was moved from its traditional placement on the dial to the bezel. Furthermore, the dial was updated with the introduction of contrasting sub-dials.It's hard to imagine now, but Daytonas received little love after their release. Most Daytonas languished in dealer displays for years and only started to get noticed by Italian collectors and dealers in the late 1980s. Nowadays, Daytonas are among the most sought after Rolex models, fetching prices from $20,000 for modern ones to many millions for rare vintage references. A big contrast with the $210 list price when it was first released!Non-waterproof 62xx DaytonasThe ref. 6239 is the first Rolex Cosmograph reference to follow the 6238 (also known as the ‘pre-Daytona’). Between 1963 and 1972, four references featuring pump pushers were produced. As pump pushers meant that these watches were not water resistant, they featured dials without "Oyster" designation. The following four references were produced in this period:

  • Ref. 6239: Produced from 1963-1969 in steel or gold, with a metal bezel
  • Ref. 6241: Produced from 1966-1969 in steel or gold, with a metal bezel and black acrylic inlay
  • Ref. 6262: Produced in 1970 and 1971 in steel or gold, with a metal bezel
  • Ref. 6264: Produced from 1970-1972 in steel or gold, with a metal bezel and black acrylic inlay

Specifications

Shipping

Packages are generally dispatched within 2 days after receipt of payment and are shipped within the Netherlands by Registered Mail through the Dutch carrier PostNL and for other countries by Fedex. Consult us if you prefer another method of shipping. For most destinations tracking is available.