Actor George Lazenby spotted wearing a Rolex

George Lazenby's appearance in the 1967 production carries a watch detail that serious collectors have quietly noted for decades: the Rolex Chronograph Reference 6238 on his wrist is not a costume department afterthought but a genuinely significant piece of horological history. The 6238, produced by Rolex roughly between 1963 and 1969, occupies a pivotal chapter in the brand's chronograph lineage — it is the immediate predecessor to the Reference 6239, the first watch to officially carry the Daytona name.

The Reference 6238 is powered by the Valjoux 72, a robust Swiss manual-wind column-wheel chronograph movement that remains highly regarded among movement enthusiasts. The watch measures 36mm in stainless steel, features pump pushers, and is distinguished from its Daytona successors by the absence of a tachymeter scale on the bezel — instead running a smooth, unadorned bezel that gives the 6238 a cleaner, more classical profile. Dials came in various configurations, including elegant two-register layouts with subsidiary seconds and 30-minute counters.

From a collector standpoint, the 6238 is considered one of the most desirable pre-Daytona references. Its production window was relatively short, examples in good condition with original dials are genuinely scarce, and the absence of the Daytona name paradoxically makes it more interesting to advanced collectors who understand the lineage. Tropical dials and exotic variants command serious premiums at auction.

Lazenby's association with the reference is a footnote with real weight. Though he played Bond only once — in 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service — his tenure is now critically reassessed as one of the franchise's finest entries. His on-screen presence during the 1967 production wearing the 6238 ties the watch directly to the golden era of British spy cinema, a cultural moment that has always driven strong crossover interest between film collectors and watch collectors.

On the grey market, the Rolex Chronograph Reference 6238 trades in a wide range depending on dial condition, originality, and provenance. Clean examples with untouched dials regularly achieve five figures at auction, with exceptional specimens crossing well above that threshold. No current retail price exists — this is a vintage reference available through specialist dealers and major auction houses only.