As the release of the new Ref. 16500LN has most definitely reminded us, there’s no racing chronograph with a following quite like that of the Rolex Daytona. A simple ceramic bezel, “Superlative Chronometer” certification, and a new dial design—the only official updates—have been met with unparalleled demand, and as a result, examples are trading for well above the retail price of the watch. In both black and white, the new watch bears a striking resemblance to vintage references like the Valjoux-powered 6263. What’s comparable on the used market?
Rolex Daytona Ref. 6262 Tropical Dial
Price: $70,000
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Although I absolutely love a clean Ref. 6263 Daytona, there are definitely more interesting options in the vintage Daytona market if you’re looking for something truly unique. Like this: a Ref. 6262 with tropical subdials, currently available for sale from Alessandro Ciani. This transitional reference featured the updated Valjoux Cal. 727 movement, and after years of UV exposure, its chronograph subdials have turned from black to an even, “tropical” shade of chocolate brown. One hell of a Daytona, if I do say so myself.
Gallet MultiChron 12H Chronograph
Price: $3,250
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At the height of Jim Clark’s success in motorsport, he could often be seen wearing a Gallet Multichron on his wrist whilst speeding around the track. While Clark wore an example with a black dial, pieces featuring the white dial have their own charm, and offer an entirely different look.
Miami’s Menta Watches has a white dial Multichron 12H (The H designation in the 12H’s name stands for high precision) for sale at the moment, and aside from a bit of lost luminous compound, this is an incredibly well preserved, minty looking piece. Over just a nine year span, these watches were produced to be used in scientific applications, aviation, military use, and auto racing,
Heuer Camaro
Heuer’s Camaro is an interesting watch in that it’s one of the few, if not the only Swiss watches named after an American muscle car. In an interview, Jack Heuer once mentioned that the watch was named after the Chevrolet of the same name because the brand was looking to strengthen their position in the American market.
Of all the variants of the Camaro produced by Heuer, this black dial example from Casowatches is most likely the one you’d want, or is at least one of the more desirable configurations of the watch. With the rarer three subdial layout and a thick, well defined case, this one seems to check all the boxes and then some.
