‘Small Daytona’ Dial 6240 Rolex Cosmograph

The 6240 is, arguably, the most important Cosmograph reference not to be hyped. It would not be a stretch to say that all screw-down Daytonas exist because of this reference’s lineage. Production numbers of the 6240 were exceedingly small at fewer than 2000 examples, as is the frequency of conversation surrounding it today. Two years after the first Daytona, Rolex decided it needed a 100m Oyster case too. Some advertise this fact, with Oyster on the dial. But the (speculated to be) earlier iterations don’t. If you don’t like the hyper-nerd Rolex stuff, best skip this read. There’s a lot to learning in the reference, but it’s worth it. The thing isn’t just attractive, it’s magnetic. Not the balance, but the rest of it.

Two dials are always accepted as correct for the 6240: ‘Large Daytona’ and this ‘Small Daytona’. Most tend to accept that the Rolex-only ‘Solo’ Dials are correct as well, though this is more contentious. Then you get into the hyper rare stuff like the 10 known RCO dials and the occasional ROC, but they’re . . .let’s say iffy. And on the very iffy side there are exotic PN solo dials, like the mythical Neanderthal auction, which seem all but entirely fabricated at this point. Let’s just say there is much grey area, which also requires you to have an informed opinion on where your own line is drawn.

That said, a proper 6240 has two things going for it always: a Mk1 bezel and Mk0 ‘Millerighe’ pushers. Italian for ‘thousand-line’, they are a very early nickel-plated brass pusher only seen in early Oyster cases. These pushers alone are worth tens of thousands, which should give you some indication just how much attention you should pay to the details here. This particular 6240 is thought to be one of the earliest out of the factory, from ’65 with a 600 series winding crown (they were quickly moved to 700 but a year later). I know we all love the legendary RCO Newman, but this is the Oyster OG.

You’ll find non-exotic 6240s regularly hammering between 70-150K USD over the last few years. The nuances described above and condition determine most of that value. They’re very collected, but despite their rarity still nowhere near most Oyster Paul Newmans. Does that make sense? For many it probably does, the cache of Paul and history of that dial are signficant. As someone who quite loves the non-exotic dials, the non-PN 6240 is a Goldilocks zone in Daytona currently of being not outrageously overvalued, historically significant, and surprisingly rare. Particularly solo dials, if you choose to believe, that is. If you love Daytona, it’s got everything you love and some: the double-double animal style of Cosmographs (for our friends further afield that’s an In-N-Out Burger reference).

This example checks all the boxes. Pushers and bezel to start. But then the case is quite sharp still. Its tritium is cream and even, all pips present. Light patina in the subdials to let you know it hasn’t been cleaned. And the Daytona print is all lovely and silvery. It comes from a well-regarded Parisian collector and retailer.