Skip to content
The Encyclopedia of Horology

Wristwatch · Chronograph wristwatch

Rolex Daytona reference 6239

Partially verified

This Rolex Daytona, reference 6239, is a manual-winding chronograph wristwatch dating to circa 1967. The watch features a 36mm stainless-steel Oyster case equipped with a fixed metal bezel engraved with a tachymetric scale. It is operated via non-screw-down chronograph pushers. The timepiece is powered by a manual-winding caliber 722-1 movement, which incorporates 17 jewels. The dial is a three-colour configuration consisting of a black base with three cream-coloured subsidiary registers, featuring Art Deco-style numerals and square markers. It displays a red outer scale and the red "DAYTONA" signature positioned above the six o’clock register. The watch is presented on a stainless-steel Rolex bracelet measuring approximately 185mm in length. The case, dial, and movement are signed by the manufacturer. This specific watch is registered in the "Archivio Pucci Papaleo," a database maintained by the scholar Pucci Papaleo.

Front view of the Rolex Daytona reference 6239 showing the three-colour dial, tachymetric bezel, and stainless steel bracelet.
Front view of the Rolex Daytona reference 6239 showing the three-colour dial, tachymetric bezel, and stainless steel bracelet. — Monaco Legend Group / Invaluable. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Wristwatch · Chronograph wristwatch
Maker / attribution
Rolex
Reference
6239
Catalogue / lot identifier
206855702
Source-reported date
circa 1967
Source-reported place
Switzerland
Source-reported serial
1'626'226

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Case and Dial

The timepiece is constructed with a stainless-steel Oyster case measuring 36mm in diameter. It features a fixed metal bezel that carries an engraved tachymetric scale. The chronograph functionality is controlled via two non-screw-down pushers located on the side of the case, flanking the winding crown.

The dial is a three-colour arrangement, utilizing a black background with three contrasting cream-coloured subsidiary registers. Details on the dial include Art Deco-style numerals and square markers, complemented by red outer scales. A red "DAYTONA" signature is applied above the subsidiary register at the six o’clock position.

Evidence for this section
  • “a stainless-steel Oyster case, fixed metal bezel engraved with a tachymetric scale and three contrasting subsidiary registers, operated by non-screw-down chronograph pushers.”
  • “The present three-colour configuration features a black dial with three contrasting cream-coloured subsidiary registers, enhanced by characteristic Art Deco-style numerals and square markers.”
  • “Red outer scales and the red DAYTONA signature above the six o’clock register”

Movement and Identification

The watch is powered by a manual-winding movement, identified as caliber 722-1, which features 17 jewels. The case, dial, and movement all bear the manufacturer's signature. The individual case number is recorded as 1'626'226.

The watch is attributed to approximately 1967. It is specifically identified as being part of the production lineage of the reference 6239, which introduced the tachymetric bezel and chronograph configuration for the Rolex Cosmograph model line.

Evidence for this section
  • “Movement: Manual, cal.722-1, 17 jewels”
  • “Case N°: 1'626'226”
  • “Signed: Case, dial and movement”
  • “Dating to 1967, the present example is particularly significant as it belongs to the earliest production of the so-called “exotic” dials”

Provenance and Archival Status

The watch is listed as being registered in the "Archivio Pucci Papaleo." This archive was established by Pucci Papaleo, a collector and author recognized for scholarship regarding vintage Rolex chronographs, with a specific focus on the Daytona series.

The registration of this watch within the archive provides an supplementary record of the timepiece beyond its basic physical attributes. The auction description reports that the listing object ID for the item is 206855702.

Evidence for this section
  • “Of particular interest, the present timepiece is registered in the “Archivio Pucci Papaleo”, the independent archive founded by Pucci Papaleo”
  • “The registration provides an important additional record of this timepiece.”

Open research questions

  • What specific evidence links this serial number to the initial production run of the 'exotic' dial series in 1967?
  • Does the current bracelet match the original factory specifications for reference 6239?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Rolex Daytona reference 6239
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Reference6239“Reference: 6239”
Serial number1'626'226“Case N°: 1'626'226”
MovementManual, cal.722-1, 17 jewels“Movement: Manual, cal.722-1, 17 jewels”
Case materialStainless Steel“Case Material: Stainless Steel”
Dial detailsBlack dial with three contrasting cream-coloured subsidiary registers“The present three-colour configuration features a black dial with three contrasting cream-coloured subsidiary registers”
Archival statusRegistered in the Archivio Pucci Papaleo“the present timepiece is registered in the “Archivio Pucci Papaleo””

Visible details

  • Fixed metal bezel with engraved tachymetric scale
  • Non-screw-down chronograph pushers
  • Three-colour dial with cream registers
  • Stainless steel bracelet

Research qualifications

  • Authentication of the exotic dial configuration requires independent specialist verification.
  • Precise production date beyond the circa 1967 attribution is unverified.

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

Wristwatch, Rolex Daytona 6239, 1967

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 61da2f71d0

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.

Other chronograph wristwatch records