When Rolex introduced the Cosmograph in 1963, it was conceived around motor racing’s demands for legibility, precision and reliable timing. Its chronograph and bezel-mounted tachymetric scale enabled the wearer to measure elapsed time and calculate average speed. The Daytona name linked the model to Florida’s celebrated racing tradition. Over the following decades, it evolved from a practical instrument for racing drivers into one of the most recognised and widely collected watches in the world.
Introduced around 1969, reference 6263 occupies a distinctive place in that evolution. With screw-down chronograph pushers, a black acrylic bezel insert and the manually wound calibre 727, it combines the robustness of the Oyster construction with the unmistakable design of the early Daytona. Alongside reference 6265, it belongs to the final generations of manually wound Daytonas, preceding the introduction of a self-winding Daytona in 1988. The black bezel gives reference 6263 its distinctive appearance, accentuating the contrast between the light dial and the dark chronograph registers.
For collectors, the dial configuration is central to the model’s appeal. The term “Big Red” refers to the prominent red DAYTONA signature, arranged in an arc above the 12-hour counter at six o’clock. A small detail with considerable visual impact, the red lettering provides an immediately recognisable accent against the otherwise restrained colour scheme. Big Red dials have consequently become a sought-after collecting category within the wider world of vintage Daytonas.

The story of this Daytona, however, leads beyond motor racing and into international football. It belonged to Anders Mattsson (1943–2024), the FIFA referee from the Åland Islands known as “Mason”, consigned to Bukowskis by his family.
Mattsson’s career took him from IFK Mariehamn to some of the sport’s greatest occasions. A FIFA referee from 1971 to 1984, he officiated at 108 matches in Finland’s top division and was named the country’s referee of the year on four occasions. Among his most distinguished appointments was serving as a linesman in the 1980 Moscow Olympic final between Czechoslovakia and East Germany. He was inducted into the Football Association of Finland’s Hall of Fame in 2016 and became an honorary member of the association in 2023, the first person from Åland to receive that distinction.
The year after the Olympics, Mattsson travelled to Qatar to officiate at the World Military Football Championship in Doha. The family’s account describes an unforgettable visit marked by exceptional hospitality. The referees were provided with their own drivers and photographers, while memories of both the matches and their experiences away from the pitch were preserved in hand-bound photograph albums.
One episode captures the spirit of the visit. Mattsson had promised to bring home two Sony Walkmans for his children. Having made the purchase with the assistance of his driver, he was surprised the following morning to discover that the other referees had also received equivalent gifts, while the money he had spent was returned to him. According to the account, this generosity towards the guests continued throughout their stay.
It was also in Qatar that Mattsson received his Rolex. According to the family’s account, Omar Sey of The Gambia, a senior figure in international football and then chairman of the Confederation of African Football's Referees Committee, had expressed a wish for a Rolex watch. This reportedly resulted in each of the referees receiving a Rolex, presented by a representative of Qatar’s then emir, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani. Mattsson immediately put his watch on and continued to wear it for many years.