Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 6239 Matte Black Small Daytona Dial, 1966

Dealer description — Bulang & Sons

The Daytona is the giant of watch collecting, supported by one of the most passionate fan bases in horology. Introduced in 1963 as the first chronograph to feature a tachymeter scale on the bezel—reference 6239—it has remained a cornerstone of the Rolex collection ever since. Today, across all metals and references, close to 300 distinct dial variants are known. Because the Daytona is one of the most obsessively studied watches ever made, new dial distinctions continue to surface. Two watches that appear identical at first glance can, to the trained eye, reveal meaningful and fascinating differences. Presented here is a lovely early reference 6239 from 1966, featuring a beautifully preserved case and its original tachymeter-scale bezel. The dial is black and distinguished by the rarer silver “Cosmograph Daytona” signature, while the Rolex logo and “T SWISS T” designation are printed in white. The dial is truly striking—remarkably clean and crisp, with silvered sub-dials and luminous plots that have aged to a warm, attractive yellow hue. This is quite rare for black dials, which are often known to show a bit of smudging. True to early Daytona nuance, the left sub-dial features a thinner hand, while the remaining two are slightly thicker—details that matter deeply in the world of Daytona collecting. This icon is paired with a Rolex spring-loaded Oyster bracelet, reference 6635, with end links stamped 57 and a clasp dated 2/67. The watch is further accompanied by its rare inner and outer boxes, along with a desirable Daytona booklet. The booklet charmingly describes the Rolex Cosmograph as a “magnificent precision stopwatch for men of action,” highlighting its many intended uses. For amateur sailors, it could calculate speed, distance from shore, and even position at night. For pilots, navigators, or passengers of small aircraft, it promised assistance in checking ground speed and wind speed. As for us—we rather enjoy timing the perfect soft- or hard-boiled egg. This exceptional Daytona, powered by its hand-wound Caliber 72B, has been fully serviced by our watchmaker and is ready for many years of faithful use—whether by true men of action, or those who simply appreciate one of the greatest chronographs ever made , let us discuss Cosmograph with you! Specifications: Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 6239 36mm steel case Serial 146xxx dating to 1966 Pump pushers and 6mm winding crown Black ‘T SWISS T’ dial with white and silver printed text;”Small Daytona” Steel tachymeter bezel Rolex Spring loaded riveted bracelet ref 6635 with clasp stamped 2 67 Rare inner and outer Rolex boxes Very rare Daytona booklet Hand wound cal.72 B movement Fully serviced by our watchmaker