Today we have come across a very early and very rare version of the Rolex Cosmograph, later named the Daytona.  In fact, this reference (6239) was the very first Cosmograph made, and because it doesn't feature the word "Daytona" on the dial, we can place it around 1963-1965 or so.  You can also tell this is a very early Cosmograph because it has a serial number of under 1,000,000, and a case back from the previous reference, the 6238 which is a Pre-Daytona chronograph. 

However, being an early Daytona isn't enough for this watch.  It also features a "Double Swiss, Underlined, Tropical" dial.  So what exactly does this mean? It sounds complicated doesn't it? We put together a 30 second video to add some clarity to the situation.  See below:

To add a little further context, it is called a Double Swiss dial because "Swiss" is written in two places, it is called "underlined" because there is a small horizontal line under the word "Cosmograph" and it is called tropical because the back subdials have faded a to nice "tropical" dark brown. It is these little minute differences that make a good watch great, and a great watch epic, but you need to pay close attention, otherwise you might miss something amazing. 

We hope this clears things up for some folks, and this watch is available for sale from a great vintage dealer in San Francisco, who happens to have just re-launched his website so take a look around and see what he's got (we've got our eyes on more than a few pieces).  Click here for the details of the Double Swiss Underlined Tropical Dial Rolex Cosmograph reference 6239.

"Although I was very inexperienced with buying watches, I had always wanted a gold “Constellation” and having had since I was 17 a Speedmaster Professional (1970), when I saw this watch with its “black face” I had to try for it and I was lucky enough to succeed.!"

John continues, "" I spent some time on your excellent web site and became satisfied it was real. Sometime after receiving it, the seller sent me the watch’s original watch box, Certificate of Chronometre and original purchase documents, being receipt and guarantee showing a purchase date of 2/9/1959. It still has the original sheets of carbon paper showing the type writer imprints between the pages! The seller says the old gentleman who was the previous and original owner brought them in after the sale and “thought I might like them” and they then sent them on to me as a gift!""

It's amazing how different a timepiece can be perceived just by changing something ever so slightly.  The Rolex Datejust, AKA the most versatile watch on the planet, can be made clean and simple, interesting and exotic, or even notorious by adding a simple logo or a rock or two.

Today we've found a piece of pure Americana that happens to be in the form of a Rolex wristwatch.   This classic Datejust was made in 1969 for the two participants in that year's Cotton Bowl.  For those who don't remember, it was this game that Texas beat Tennessee by a score of 36 to 13.  These watches were given to only the teams themselves and we can't imagine that every player and coach got one, so this is probably a pretty rare Rolex.

What make this watch so interesting is just how the signature is placed onto the face.  It's done in such a weird, almost careless way that it makes this high-grade Swiss watch into something that can only be an American heirloom.  It's almost campy.

Texas, Tennessee, and college football...just what comes to mind when you think of Rolex.  This very cool piece of American sports history is for sale here courtesy of our friends at Fourtané, the same guys who lent us that amazing Daytona for the SLS Video. 

We've said it before and we'll say it again, the Rolex Explorer is probably one of our favorite watches, period, end of sentence. It is the smallest, simplest, and most understated Rolex sport watch and its purity has been left unchanged for the better part of a century.  We have written about some pretty interesting ones in our day (for a full list, see here) but if there is one uniting quality, it is that each Explorer had a black face. Or did they??

Today's watch is most certainly a Rolex Explorer, but a rare white-dialled version from the early 1960s or 1950s.  It is reference 6610, which pre-dates the more common 1016, which ran all the way up until 1990.  It is being sold on The Vintage Rolex Forum and the seller is asking $11,250.  He seems like a knowledgeable seller and the watch comes with a one year warranty as it was recently serviced by a Rolex technician.

Click here for the details of a very cool and rare version of a Hodinkee favorite, a white-faced Rolex Explorer.

This vintage El Primero chronograph is really unlike any Zenith we've come across, and it's rather cool.  They usually look a lot like this.  The 18 karat yellow gold case is nice against the white face, but it is really the pattern work around the registers that set this watch apart from more traditional El Primeros.

As the seller mentions, it features "a magnificent 3 color silver, champagne, and black dial in elaborate and decorative pattern reminiscent of a Monte Carlo or Las Vegas gambling chip!" While we're not so sure about that, this is definitely a great and interesting looking vintage automatic chronograph.

Price is $8750, which seems rather high, even for a gold case and historic movement, but still a cool watch.  Click here for the details. 

But, what if you really wanted a great Swiss watch from a storied manufacturer that featured the very same movement and was also issued to a South American Military force in the 1960s, AND what if it was about 1/10th the price? 

Today is your lucky day folks.  A rare Heuer Autavia that was made for the Argentinian Air Force is what we've found for you, and it is a total beauty.  It features an engraved case back with the Argentiniam Military sign and issue number.  Inside this classic Heuer is the same Valjoux 72 movement that powers the Daytona as well as many other vintage chronos. 

This watch has a great provenance, is in great, original condition, and even looks a hell of a lot like a Rolex Daytona.  Don't be fooled though, the Autavia is a great watch in its own right and this is a piece we'd scoop up as quickly as possible.  It is priced at 2,850 euros which seems fair to us, but we hope our own network of Heuer experts voice their opinion. 

Actually, a watch just like this is featured in the great Heuer Book written by our friend Arno Haslinger, on pages 36-37. Our advice? Pick up the watch and the book. 

Click here for the details on this 1960s Heuer Autavia issued to the Air Force of Argentina (you have to scroll down past an Indy logo'd Carrera Dato 45). 

Breitling Bentley Mulliner Men's Tourbillon Watch Manual Wind Chronograph Platinum Black Dial on Black Leather Strap L18841TA-B788-761P