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Lot Essay
The property of an important private Italian collector, the present wristwatch is a very attractive example of the rare and desirable Daytona chronograph with Paul Newman dial. With a coveted and well preserved dial, original crystal and the highly reliable Valjoux 722-1 movement, the timepiece features clearly legible serial and reference numbers as well as a case back stamped 6239 to its inside.
Today amongst the most coveted timepieces at auction, it is around 1967 that the first Rolex chronographs, such as the present example, were provided with “exotic” dials bearing a new tridimensional graphic layout. Diverting from standard dials, the background of the outer fifths of a second division matches the subsidiary registers, both slightly sunken with regards to the central surface of the dial.
Furthermore, square shaped hour indexes were applied instead of the common baton indexes.
Originally offered to customers as an alternative, “exotic” dials arose to fame once the celebrated actor Paul Newman was seen wearing a Daytona chronograph with such a dial in a publicity shoot for the film Winning. Following their discontinuation, Rolex chronographs with “exotic” dials have become undisputed icons in the world of vintage watch collecting and part of the most prized trophies for astute collectors.
Today amongst the most coveted timepieces at auction, it is around 1967 that the first Rolex chronographs, such as the present example, were provided with “exotic” dials bearing a new tridimensional graphic layout. Diverting from standard dials, the background of the outer fifths of a second division matches the subsidiary registers, both slightly sunken with regards to the central surface of the dial.
Furthermore, square shaped hour indexes were applied instead of the common baton indexes.
Originally offered to customers as an alternative, “exotic” dials arose to fame once the celebrated actor Paul Newman was seen wearing a Daytona chronograph with such a dial in a publicity shoot for the film Winning. Following their discontinuation, Rolex chronographs with “exotic” dials have become undisputed icons in the world of vintage watch collecting and part of the most prized trophies for astute collectors.