36.5mm Diameter
1963 is a year of paramount importance for Rolex, as it marks the birth of one of the brand’s most beloved lines of wristwatches: the Cosmograph Daytona. A true interpreter of its time, the model is a waterproof, sturdy sport’s chronograph powered by caliber 72B - a Rolex upgrade of Valjoux caliber 72 - with high legibility and equal reliability. Astoundingly enough, the model is first sold in the United States, and it will appear in Europe only the following year. The name Cosmograph Daytona itself suggests how deeply Rolex cared for the US market, as it incorporates two intrinsically American themes: the space race, and the Daytona race track.
The present specimen is one of the earliest representatives of the model, bearing the very early serial number 923’294 which identifies it as part of the earliest batch of Cosmographs made, and furthermore bearing a “Double Swiss” dial. Double Swiss dials are identified by having two “Swiss” designations at 6 o’ clock, one visible and the other mostly hidden by the case. Such a trait is direct consequence of the semi-industrial production process typical of the time: dials made for reference 6238 were employed for some examples from the earliest batch of ref. 6239, most probably either to deplete a stock or to make up for a shortage/delay of appropriate dials. As it turned out, the “Swiss” designation printed on those dial happened to be covered by the new case design of ref. 6239, forcing Rolex to add an additional Swiss designation. In virtue of their rarity and the fascinating insight the offer into the “gears” of Rolex’s workshop at the dawn of the Daytona, Double Swiss examples are highly sought-after and actively hunted down by Rolex collectors.