Rolex

Dainius Makauskas 'The Mountain Tiger'

Dainius Makauskas was a Lithuanian mountaineer and rock climber. In 1967 he won a Bronze Medal at the USSR Championship and was later given the title of Champion of the Soviet Union following an ascent of Chatyn (4,368m) in the Caucus mountains in 1970.

Offered by the Makauskas family, who confirmed the origins of the watch, the present watch with a case dating to 1971 was presumably one of the few Rolex Daytonas to adorn a wrist on the eastern side of the Iron Curtain. During a particularly treacherous descent in the Caucus mountains, Dainius had saved the life of a Swiss mountaineer, who upon his safe return to Switzerland in 1972, arranged for Dainius, at the time part of the USSR National mountaineering team, to climb the Swiss peaks including the Matterhorn accompanied by two KGB minders. It was on this trip where Dainius was gifted the present 6265 Daytona by the unnamed Swiss Mountaineer, featuring the symbol of the Foundation for Alpine Research, (pictured on his wrist during an ascent). In 1991 during a climb of the Himalayan peak of Daulagyris (8,167M) adverse cold weather conditions and an knee injury saw Dainius not return from the expedition after a successful summit.

Similar to the previously known Alpine signed pieces, this Daytona falls within the 2.7 million serial range, with the last three digits of the serial number engraved on the inside case back, which is also stamped with 6262. It is currently believed that these watches were produced to commemorate the 1952 expedition. However, it is possible that they were also commissioned for special members of the foundation throughout the production. This watch is intricately linked to the foundation that commissioned it and indeed it is accompanied by a decorative plate featuring the logo for Foundation for Alpine Research.

Until recently, only four examples of the Rolex Daytona reference 6265 were known to bear the emblem of a Swiss cross surrounded by a knotted rope, baffling collectors and scholars for many years. However, a Perezscope article in July 2021 linked this logo, engraved on the case backs of these models, to supply sacks used during the 1952 ascent of Mount Everest. These sacks were supplied by the Swiss Foundation of Alpine Research. This discovery represents a significant and fascinating development in understanding the story behind these exceptionally rare timepieces.

Reference 6265

In the early 1970s, Rolex introduced references 6263 and 6265. These models remained available until 1988, and the main distinction between them was the type of bezel insert - the 6263 featured a black bezel insert, while the 6265 had a stainless steel one. Both models were powered by the renowned manually-wound Valjoux 727 caliber. Reference 6265 retained its classic stainless steel tachymeter bezel and featured screw-down crown, back and pushers ensuring waterproofness of the watch, thus enhancing its functionality. Besides these elements, the watches also included the Oyster signature. All these elements have become defining elements of the Daytona family and are indeed still used in many Daytona iterations.

The historical importance of the 6265 in the development of the Daytona family makes any example of this reference a coveted piece. However, the present 6265 not only conveys this, but is also an exponent of Rolex's mysterious history, accentuating the attractiveness and rarity of the watch. Precisely, vintage Rolex watches are known for their extraordinary stories and unsolved mysteries only to be solved when previously unknown watches are discovered.