248 Rolex A truly attractive and impressively rare, Pre-Daytona, manual chronograph wristwatch in 14K yellow gold, with woven herringbone Gay Frères bracelet and "underline" dial, reference 6234.

Estimate: € 70.000 –⁠ 140.000

• Model Pre Daytona
• Year 1962
• Reference 6234
• Case Material 14K yellow gold
• Case Number 807'500
• Bracelet Material 18K yellow gold Gay Freres bracelet, approximate length 185mm
• Movement Manual, cal. 72B, 17 jewels
• Dimension 36.5mm Diameter
• Signed Case, dial and movement
• Literature This specific watch is published in Pucci Papaleo’s Book “I Cronografi Rolex - La Leggenda” at page 272-273.

With its warm golden presence and resolutely technical character, the Rolex reference 6234 captures a fleeting moment when the Oyster chronograph stood on the threshold of becoming legend. Introduced in 1955, references 6034 and 6234 form one of the final evolutionary chapter before the emergence of the Cosmograph Daytona, sharing the same sculptural case architecture that would define Rolex’s most celebrated chronograph. While the vast majority were produced in stainless steel, only an exceptionally small number were made in yellow gold, transforming a purpose-built instrument into something quietly luxurious.
The present watch is a particularly compelling expression of that rarity. Crafted in 14k yellow gold for the American market, as confirmed by the “ROW” import stamp on the balance bridge, it is further distinguished as a transitional example fitted with the coveted “underline” dial, a subtle mark beneath the “Anti-Magnetic” signature that denotes the early use of tritium luminous material. Set against the softly silvered dial, the applied gold markers and finely printed tachymeter scale create a composition of remarkable balance and refinement.
Preserved in exceptional condition and fitted with a magnificent period Gay Frères woven yellow-gold herringbone bracelet, the watch possesses a tactile and visual richness seldom encountered today. Celebrated in Pucci Papaleo’s I Cronografi Rolex – La Leggenda, this reference 6234 is a beautifully preserved document of Rolex at a pivotal moment, when function, form and future iconography converged in a single, quietly extraordinary creation.