Rolex Daytona 6263 “Big Red”

Big Red Daytona 6263 Key Features:

• Reference Number: 6263
• Production Years: 1971 – 1987(Approx.)
• Case Size: 37mm
• Materials: Stainless Steel
• Functions: Time w/ Running Seconds, 12-Hour Chronograph
• Dial: Black or Silver w/ Luminous Hour Markers
• Bezel: Fixed, Black Acrylic w/ Tachymeter Scale
• Crystal: Acrylic (Box Shaped)
• Movement: Valjoux 727 (Manual Wind)
• Water Resistance: 100 Meters / 330 Feet
• Strap/Bracelet: Oyster Bracelet

A Vintage Rolex Chronograph

There are icons among icons. It is fair to say that within the pantheon of the greats, some watches reign supreme. The word iconic is grossly overused in the watchmaking industry, but few would argue it does not apply to models such as the Rolex Submariner, Datejust, or Daytona. However, within each of those families, there are superstars – the legendary references that stand head and shoulders above the rest. These models’ influence echoes down the ages and the Rolex Big Red Daytona 6263 is one of those pieces.

The Rolex Daytona collection was designed with race car drivers in mind and serves as an everlasting symbol of the brand’s ongoing relationship with the world of motor racing. Although universally known as the “Daytona” today, the original 1963 Cosmograph was not known as a Daytona at all; it was only in 1965 that we would start to see the “Daytona” name first appear on the dials and even then, it would be many years before the “Daytona” name would become a standardized presence on all of Rolex’s Cosmograph Daytona watches.

Among the various references of the legendary Rolex Daytona, the ref. 6263 is an important and exceptional model from the first generation of manually-wound Daytona watches. Instantly recognizable, the reference 6263 consistently ranks among the most desirable vintage Daytona models available. It looks equally at home on the wrist today as it did way back when it was first released in the early 1970s, further underlying the timeless appeal of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona.

The Big Red Daytona 6263

Although the reference 6263 Daytona watches fitted with exotic Paul Newman dials receive the lion’s share of the press attention and sell for truly astronomical prices whenever they manage to surface at auction, the “Big Red” is another dial variation of the iconic reference 6263 Daytona that is frequently sought-after by vintage Rolex collectors. Offered in either black or silver with contrasting colors for the sub-dials/chronograph registers, the reference 6263 “Big Red” gets its name from the bright red “Daytona” name that appears in an extra-large font, right in the center of the dial above the sub-dial at 6 o’clock.

Not all reference 6263 Rolex watches were fitted with dials that had the red “Daytona” name on them. Depending on the year of production and style of the dial that was fitted to the watch, some reference 6263 watches do not have the “Daytona” name on the surface of the dial at all. Additionally, even among those that do have the red “Daytona” name on them, the size of the font can vary from one example to the next, which is the reason for the “Big Red” versus “Small Red” designation that is frequently mentioned in regards to vintage Rolex Daytona watches within certain collecting circles.

Contrasting colors – either light dials with dark counters or dark dials with white counters – was important to the Rolex Daytona collection for both practical and aesthetic reasons. In terms of practicality, inversely colored sub-dials allow for easier at-a-glance readability for the wearer. Regarding the aesthetic side of this design decision, the contrasting elements were a departure from the existing monochromic Rolex chronograph dials and offered users a more modern and sporty overall appearance while still remaining a classically styled vintage sports watch.

A Black Tachymeter Bezel and Screw-Down Pushers

One of the defining characteristics of the reference 6263 Rolex Daytona is its black acrylic bezel with a tachymeter scale. Throughout the history of the Cosmograph Daytona, most references have been fitted with metallic bezels (made from either stainless steel or yellow gold). However, the black acrylic bezel on the reference 6263 adds a ring of dark color around the face of the watch, significantly changing the overall aesthetic and giving it a slightly larger appearance than its metal bezel counterparts. The iconic stainless steel Oyster bracelet that tops off the ref. 6263 “Big Red” Daytona completes the timeless allure of this legendary racing chronograph.

On the original 1963 Cosmograph watch, Rolex used pump pushers, but later the brand introduced screw-down chronograph pushers to offer increased water resistance. As one of the later models from the first generation of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, the ref. 6263 is indeed equipped with the screw-down style of chronograph pushers, in addition to a solid screw-down case-back and a waterproof screw-down winding crown. The screw-down pushers resulted in the presence of the label “Oyster” on the dial of the watch as a way to denote its superior water resistance. The Rolex “Big Red” Daytona Ref. 6263 is powered by a Valjoux-based manually wound chronograph movement as the brand did not introduce an automatic-winding movement to the Daytona collection until the Zenith-powered generation arrived in 1988.

Technical, sporty, and (most importantly) a true vintage masterpiece, the reference 6263 “Big Red” is a bonafide industry classic, and the ongoing popularity of the “Big Red” Daytona is a testament to its timeless appeal and ageless charm. There are certainly other vintage Rolex Daytona watches that are worth more or are more difficult to find, but the Daytona 6263 “Big Red” is a classic and likely one of the first watches that comes to mind whenever the words, “vintage Rolex Daytona” are mentioned. An important player in Rolex’s illustrious racing heritage and the evolution of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona collection as a whole, the reference 6263 is a quintessential example of a purpose-built vintage sports watch.