When one thinks of t🧸he quintessential classic sports watch, the Rolex Daytona immediately comes to mind. Designed to ꦇmeet the exacting needs of motor racing professionals and launched in 1963, the Daytona has captured the imagination and aspirations of collectors all over the world ever since.

An iconic vintage Daytona model, the reference 6263 was produced from 1969 to around 1988, al꧋ongside reference 6265. The two are distinguished by their beze🐼ls: the 6263 is fitted with a black acrylic insert, while the 6265 features a stainless steel bezel.

Possessing all the charm and timelessness of vintage Daytona models, the 6263 is notable for its larger, screw-down pushers and crown—an evolution from earlier Daytonas, such as the 𒐪6239 and 6241, and the "Pre-Daytona" reference 6238, which were equipped with pump pushers.

The 6263 was also among the last manually wound Daytona ꦬreferences to house a Valjoux movement—specifically, the caliber 727. This marked a significant technological advancement over earlier calibers such as the 722-1. The caliber 727 operated at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour, a notable increase from the 18,000 vibrations per hour of previous generations. In 1988, the manual Valjoux movements were replaced by the automatic caliไber 4030 by Zenith, concluding 25 years of Valjoux powered Daytonas.

The present lot, known affectionately as the "Big Red" by collectors, earned its nickname from the prominent red DAYTONA text above the sub-dial at 6 o’clock. A classic and instantly recognizable variation of the 6263, it was offered in either black, as in the present example, or silver, both with 𒊎contrasting sub-dials. We are pleased to offer this fresh-to-market example, consigned directly from the family of the original owner.