Vintage Rolex Daytona 6239 Baby Blue

This Daytona is in overall great, honest vintage condition. The case is in overall good condition with some scratches, nicks, and normal signs of wear. The numbers are clearly visible between the lugs. The inside caseback is stamped "6239 CRS." The bezel is in great condition with scratches normal signs of wear; it's a later replacement. The bottom pusher is fully functional and takes a firm push to operate. The dial is in overall excellent condition with light patina; the lume has aged to a lovely and even yellow color. The white sub-registers have light patina and have remained clean. Most of the lume plots are still fully intact and round; a couple plots show signs of degradation (8 and 11 o'clock). The hands have developed patina and the lume in the hands has aged similar color as the lume on the dial. This watch has a no. 78350 bracelet with no. 557B end links and 12 links. The clasp is stamped "AD4" indicating it a later replacement from 2003. The bracelet is in overall great, honest condition with some scratches and normal signs of wear. The crystal is a later service replacement with light wear. 

While Rolex had been producing chronographs since the 1930s, it wasn’t until the release of reference 6239 that the model was officially named and defined. The earliest examples didn’t yet carry the “Daytona” name, originally called the “LeMans," but Rolex’s sponsorship of the 24 Hours of Daytona soon gave the watch its now-iconic title: the Cosmograph Daytona.

The 6239 introduced two major firsts for Rolex chronographs: contrasting color sub-dials and an engraved tachymeter bezel. Produced from 1963 through roughly 1970, it marked the beginning of what would become one of Rolex’s most iconic lines.

The circa 1970 example here features a black dial with white sub-registers and “Daytona” printed above the six o’clock register. Collectors often refer to this variant as the “Blue Daytona” due to the subtle blue-grey hue of the Daytona text—seen only on the final batches of the 6239 and the following 6262 models with black dials. When looking closely this dial also uses silver paint for the text (besides "Daytona") and minute hash-marks around the edge which is a nice detail.

This watch is in great, honest condition and ideal for someone seeking a classic steel bezel, pump-pusher Daytona with a twist. These “blue” 6239s tend to fly under the radar, appealing to collectors who appreciate the discreet, “if you know, you know” charm. This particular example comes directly from its original owner, who received it as a college graduation gift from his parents in 1971.