Rolex

When one thinks about the quintessential classic sport swatch, the Rolex Daytona immediately comes to mind. Designed to meet the exacting needs of motor racing professionals and launched in 1963, the Daytona has captured the imaginations and aspirations of collectors all over the world ever since. 

An iconic vintage Daytona model, the 6263 was produced from 1971 to around 1988 along with the reference the 6265, the two distinguished by the 6263 being fitted with a black acrylic insert bezel whereas the 6265 is fitted with a stainless steel bezel. 

Possessing all the charm and timelessness of vintage Daytona models, the 6263 is distinguished by its larger, screw-down pushers and crown, an evolution from earlier Daytonas which had pump pushers such as the 6239 and 6241 and the 'Pre-Daytona' 6238. 

The 6263 was also one of the last manually wound Daytona references to house a Valjoux movement. Powered by the Valjoux 727, the 6263 represents a significant step up in technological advancement from older Daytonas which housed the 722-1. The Valjoux 727 boasts a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour, compared to previous generations of Valjoux movements that had a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour. The manual wound Valjoux calibers will eventually be replaced by the automatic caliber 4030 by Zenith in 1988, thus concluding 25 years of Valjoux powered Daytonas.   

The present lot, known affectionately as 'Big Red' to collectors, was nicknamed for the extra large red DAYTONA printed above the subdial at 6 o'clock. A classic and instantly recognizable variation of the 6263, it was offered in either black or silver with contrasting subdials. The present lot is fresh-to-market, and is offered by the family of the original owner.