The reference 6241 occupies a particularly important position within the history of the manual-winding Cosmograph Daytona. Produced for only a relatively short period during the second half of the 1960s, it is distinguished by its black acrylic tachymeter bezel, contrasting with the metal bezels found on references such as the 6239 and giving the watch the appearance that would later become closely associated with the screw-down reference 6263.
The present example is particularly compelling for its 14K yellow gold case, a configuration specifically associated with the American market. During this period, Rolex produced certain gold watches in 14K rather than the 18K standard more commonly encountered in Europe, responding to the particular commercial and import conditions of the United States. The inside caseback is clearly stamped “14K 0.585”, providing an important indication of its intended market.
This American-market character is especially coherent with the Tiffany & Co. signature appearing on the dial. Rolex watches retailed through Tiffany & Co. in the United States could receive the celebrated retailer’s name in addition to the Rolex signature, creating a direct connection between two of the most recognisable names in twentieth-century luxury. The combination of a 14K yellow gold Daytona and Tiffany-signed dial therefore forms a particularly appropriate and historically consistent pairing.
The black dial provides a striking contrast against the yellow gold case, with three light-coloured subsidiary registers creating the classic reverse-panda configuration. Together with the black acrylic bezel, pump pushers and approximately 36 mm case, the watch retains the purposeful character of the early Daytona while acquiring considerably greater presence through its precious-metal construction.
Powering the watch is the manually wound calibre 722-1, a 17-jewel chronograph movement characteristic of the period. Visible beneath the caseback, it represents the traditional hand-wound mechanical architecture that defined the Daytona before the model’s eventual transition to automatic winding two decades later.
Dating from circa 1969, this reference 6241 brings together several highly desirable characteristics in a single watch: an early manual-winding Daytona, a 14K yellow gold case intended for the American market, the contrasting black acrylic bezel and, most significantly, a Tiffany & Co signed dial.
