Green Khanjar Dial 6263 Rolex Daytona

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While living in London through his early 20s, Sultan Qaboos made friends with a man named Tim Landon. And we should all be glad he did. Tim went on to become fabulously wealthy in age, and helped his friend Qaboos to develop Oman. He also introduced him to a friend, John Asprey. Asprey was instrumental…

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‘Big Red’ 6263 Rolex Daytona

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If you ask anyone to close their eyes and picture a manual Daytona, this is probably what comes to mind. Despite PNs, early pump pushers, and even the JPS, this is the variant that defines an entire era of Daytona production. The Oyster pusher, white dial, acrylic bezel, Big Red dial look is quintessential manual…

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‘Desert Eagle’ UAE Dial 6263 Rolex Daytona

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Some of the sickest, most historically significant Daytonas in the world don’t say Daytona anywhere on them. But only a handful are so important that they don’t even say Rolex. Rolex did not bow this deeply for Tiffany, Beyer, or Assad. Rolex only agreed to make dials that didn’t say Rolex at the special request…

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Tropical Dial 6263 Rolex Daytona

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There is nothing like a tropical manual Daytona. The ageing process which has so beautifully crafted these subdials is somehow even more proudly and vividly displayed when contrasted directly against a silvered-white sunburst panda dial. I’ve said this before, but I like to imagine tropical dials as God’s way of saying ‘Wear your damn watches’.…

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FAP 6263 Rolex Daytona

FAP-6263-Rolex-Daytona

This is one of those exceptions we love here where the caseback holds more interest than the dial. Say what you will about the Peruvian Air Force (Fuerza Aérea del Perú or FAP), their military had style. FAP military engravings on provenance cover basically all the best professional 60s offerings. Where the UK military made…

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Tiffany Dial 6263 Rolex Daytona in 14k Yellow Gold

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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…

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Qaboos 6263 Rolex Daytona

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This is very literally Daytona royalty. The red signature at 12 is that of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said, then Sultan of Oman. Qaboos was a well-known watch lover and would occasionally gift visiting foreign dignitaries, heads of state, high ranking government officials, or noteworthy servicemen a Rolex. Most were gifted with…

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FAP 6263 Rolex Daytona

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You should always read the caseback, but also know what you’re looking at. There’s the famous story where Dr Jim Norton, driver of the Porsche Cayman team which won the GX Class at the 2013 24 Hours of Daytona, brought his Daytona to a Tampa jeweler to be told it was ‘likely’ a fake because…

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‘Desert Eagle’ 6263 Rolex Daytona

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Imagine being invited into Jean-Frederic Dufour’s palatial office, sitting in some absurdly sumptuous modern leather chair, and asking him if he might be able to remove the name ‘Rolex’ from his dial for you. Just a few pieces, of course. You think asking an AD for ceramic Daytona is implausible? I suspect Mr. Dufour would…

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Non-Sigma 6263 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona

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Today we’re getting a little nerdy within steel sport Rolex. 6263s can be found in a wide range of configurations, even for an early sport Rolex reference. Of those that don’t have Daytona in above above the 6 o’clock subdial, most are what are called ‘sigma’ dials. Sigmas either side of Swiss Made indicate precious…

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