Tiffany Dial 6263 Rolex Daytona in 14k Yellow Gold

For many, many years, I envied the one-watch man. I pictured a Swiss man who was given an IWC by his parents for graduation, never longing for more, wearing it to the grave. There are tales of such people, myth that intrigues us as addicts all searching for that next hit of dopamine. We all start there; we scrape pennies, forego nice wine, and take up international drug smuggling in order to afford our first ‘real’ watch, with the intention that we’ll have it forever. Then the sickness starts in, and before you know it you’re buying the second eight-watch box.

Somewhere in this stage, you may hear whispers of friends talking about the ‘exit watch’. As if it were a unicorn capable of world peace, we all dream that there may be some magical antidote, worth selling our entire collecting journey, that can take us back to reason. I used to laugh blatantly in the face of such a proposition. But since, I’ve come across a handful of collectors who have, mind-blowingly and successfully, returned from mass exploration to be one-watch people. And the watches always match their personality to a tee, perfectly represented. It’s kind of like finding out someone who’s been married for three decades used to be a pornstar. It doesn’t seem possible, but I’m sure it must be. For the right sort of Rolex collector, this is probably that sort of watch. The end.

Gold Paul Newmans are so collected that for mere mortals they are effectively long gone. A good JPS is over 1M and if you ever manage to find an Oyster PN in gold it is multiple Ms. The thing is, though, non-PN is no less incredible on wrist. It’s a little more classic, and there’s not as much of the deranged hype that surrounds Paul. So for a paltry half-million, consider a 6263 with an extra line. After all, Joanne Woodward actually purchased Paul Newman’s watches from, you guessed it, Tiffany. Rolex and Tiffany maintained a close relationship from the 1950s until the 90s, when Rolex drastically tightened their control over supply. It’s a dial from a different, more friendly, and less-absurd time. They even changed metals just for American imported watches back then, this case is in 14k, not 18k, yellow gold.

There are collectors who know intimately everything I just ranted on. And further, some probably know of some obscure secret bevel on the bridge of this movement that I’ve never learned about. In Rolex, you don’t ever get to stop learning. There’s as much to learn about the 6263 as there is about many brands (cough, Uni-Racer 1949, cough). For those that have realized that fact, are intimately aware of it, and have pushed on as far as they like, this might be what a culmination looks like. You already know the exact correct serifs on the ‘y’ of tiffany, you can distinguish Oyster Daytona pusher marks, and you know what the back of this dial should look like. Then, if this speaks to you loudly enough, maybe, just maybe, you can be that one-watch man again too. But please don’t take this as advice, I’ll be out a job.

The condition on this example is wild, dial and case. Starting on the case, the edges are perfect, lovely. You’ll note some reddish patina on the brushed portions, which is some that happens to this alloy and is a sign it hasn’t been touched. It is on its original gold rivet, which is worth more than many Subs. Its dial shows light patina and is sporting honey tritium. That’s all to note. It comes from a well-regarded California retailer.