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Lot Essay
At the beginning of the 1970s, quartz movements begin to rival mechanical watches. Rolex knows they have to surpass themselves in order to avoid the fate of many of their competitors, who are going out of business. As a result, they create a line of valuable and important timepieces stylistically superior to their peers. This is the epoch that sees the birth of masterpieces such as the gold 6264. The present example features an intense champagne dial incorporating black subsidiary registers, with a warm chocolate shade in extraordinary good condition. The fact that this piece is now offered, while its electronic rivals of the time are no longer considered treasures, demonstrates its superiority.
The 6264 is the 6262's twin, with one essential difference. The bezel houses a track that fits a high resistant acrylic ring, similar to Hesalite, which at the time was used for watch crystals. Consequently, the tachymeter scale is not engraved but internally printed in white on a black field to improve legibility. As for the 6262, this reference also houses the new Valjoux calibre 727 which is an evolution of the previous 722-1 movement.
The present watch is of great interest to collectors not only because of its rarity, but also because of the Tiffany signature on the dial. In extremely rare instances, the most important retailers are allowed to personalise the dial with their trademark. Such is the case for this early 1970s 6264.
Tiffany and Co.
Originally founded as Tiffany & Young by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young in 1837, the firm is now one of the world's foremost jewellers.
Few companies have captured the public imagination to such an extent as Tiffany & Co. The firm's creations have been worn by members of some of the wealthiest nineteenth and twentieth centuries families, including the Astors, the Vanderbilts, and the prominent banker and watch enthusiast Henry Graves Junior.
Tiffany & Co. is strongly associated with its colour "Tiffany Blue", a specific shade of light blue, very similar to robin's egg blue. Tiffany Blue is a trademarked colour and bears the same number, 1837, on the Pantone Matching System as the foundation year of Tiffany & Co. Exuding the material symbolism of romance, Tiffany Blue has been a very notable hue at celebrity weddings.
The house's fame was further immortalized by the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany's starring Audrey Hepburn, and the song Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend sung by Marilyn Monroe in 1953s Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
The cooperation between Tiffany & Co. and Rolex is longstanding, but extremely scarce. Examples signed by Tiffany, such as the present lot, are exceedingly rare, especially in this condition and with all the original parts. Just a handful of Daytonas - all references, all materials - retailed by Tiffany have appeared on the market over the past decade.
The 6264 is the 6262's twin, with one essential difference. The bezel houses a track that fits a high resistant acrylic ring, similar to Hesalite, which at the time was used for watch crystals. Consequently, the tachymeter scale is not engraved but internally printed in white on a black field to improve legibility. As for the 6262, this reference also houses the new Valjoux calibre 727 which is an evolution of the previous 722-1 movement.
The present watch is of great interest to collectors not only because of its rarity, but also because of the Tiffany signature on the dial. In extremely rare instances, the most important retailers are allowed to personalise the dial with their trademark. Such is the case for this early 1970s 6264.
Tiffany and Co.
Originally founded as Tiffany & Young by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young in 1837, the firm is now one of the world's foremost jewellers.
Few companies have captured the public imagination to such an extent as Tiffany & Co. The firm's creations have been worn by members of some of the wealthiest nineteenth and twentieth centuries families, including the Astors, the Vanderbilts, and the prominent banker and watch enthusiast Henry Graves Junior.
Tiffany & Co. is strongly associated with its colour "Tiffany Blue", a specific shade of light blue, very similar to robin's egg blue. Tiffany Blue is a trademarked colour and bears the same number, 1837, on the Pantone Matching System as the foundation year of Tiffany & Co. Exuding the material symbolism of romance, Tiffany Blue has been a very notable hue at celebrity weddings.
The house's fame was further immortalized by the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany's starring Audrey Hepburn, and the song Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend sung by Marilyn Monroe in 1953s Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
The cooperation between Tiffany & Co. and Rolex is longstanding, but extremely scarce. Examples signed by Tiffany, such as the present lot, are exceedingly rare, especially in this condition and with all the original parts. Just a handful of Daytonas - all references, all materials - retailed by Tiffany have appeared on the market over the past decade.