When it comes to the copy Rolex Daytona, this has been a special year. Looking ahead to Watches & Wonders later this month, there are quite a few predictions that we will see an evolution of the model. I’m not counting on that, as Rolex is notorious for not catering to the wishes of the masses. However, the moment will be perfect, as the first Daytona ref. 6239 made its debut in 1963. There is also the obvious question of whether the current Daytona needs updating.
This is a direct result of Rolex’s contrasting subdial and moving the tachymeter scale from the dial to the steel bezel. Rolex used the same hand-wound Valjoux calibre 72B and 722 for the Daytona ref. 6239. 6239 was the same as the previous 6238. 6238. Later models used the 722-1 movement, a slightly improved version of the 722 movements. A striking detail is that the ref. 6238 was produced at the same time as the first Daytona models for several years.
The Daytona ref. 6239 was produced between 1963 and 1969 with several dial variations. The original Daytona debuted with either a black dial and white subdial or a white dial and black subdial. Rolex replaced the white dial with the famous silver dial in later collections. In addition to this, Rolex introduced the famous “Paul Newman” exotic dials for the ref. 6239 and ref. 6239. 6239 and ref. 6241 with black bezels.
We should have gone into a modern automatic Daytona after this, but it would have been quite a leap. That’s why we chose the Daytona ref. 6263. It’s the last manual-winding model with a black bezel and screw-down pushers. This model presents a tougher and more massive overall image compared to the earlier pump pushers. Number 6263 was produced in 1971. 6263 was in production from 1971 until the first automatic Daytona replica watches took its place in 1987. In its 37 mm case, Rolex equipped the Ref. 6263 with the Valjoux 727 movement. This updated Valjoux 722-1 was based on the Valjoux 72A. The most important change is the increased operating frequency from 18,000 to 21,000 revolutions per hour for greater precision.
