Two Phillips auction lists have been announced for May. The centrepiece is a Tropical Ref.6263 RCO PN but a lot of excellent connoisseur pieces have recently come up for auction. This is Philips after all.

First is a Daytona Ref.6239, said to be called ‘The Doctor’ of which only 3 exist in the world apparently. There is a scale for measuring the rate at which rare models appear but the normal dial makes quite a difference.

ROLEX
Cosmograph “The Doctor”, Ref.6239, Stainless steel, 1966

Estimate CHF350000 – 700000

Then there is an excellent piece that I prefer, Ref.6240 normal Oyster dial but this is a somehow an ‘OysterDown’ RCO. Ref.6240 are ‘in’ at the moment and think this is going to do very well.

ROLEX
“Oyster Alpina”, Ref.6240, Stainless steel, 1966

Estimate CHF100000 – 200000

This is an 18K ‘Red Sword’ Ref.6265 (Oman Army model). With Ref.6263, it was the best.

ROLEX
Oyster Cosmograph “Oman”, Ref.6265, 18k yellow gold, 1973

Estimate CHF200000 – 400000

​ ​And this 14K Ref.6241 which became brown, which has been called the ‘Copper Tone Dial’. Depending on the choice of leather, the strap looks good.

ROLEX
Cosmograph Daytona, “The Copper-Tone”, Ref.6241, 14k yellow gold, 1966

Estimate CHF80000 – 160000

And now the centrepiece, the 3-step Tropical Oyster PN. Even thought condition is not that good, the estimate has become ridiculous.

ROLEX
Cosmograph Daytona “Paul Newman Oyster Down”, Ref.6263, stamped inside caseback 6239, Stainless steel, 1969

Estimate CHF750000 – 1500000