Watch Paparazzi

Actor Jason Statham spotted wearing Rolex

Jason Statham, the British actor best known for his roles in the Transporter franchise and the Expendables series, was recently spotted wearing one of the most desirable pieces in all of vintage Rolex collecting: a Rolex Daytona Ref. 6239 featuring what collectors call the "Azuli Dial." The sighting places Statham firmly in the upper tier of serious watch collectors, well beyond the territory of merely wearing an expensive watch.

The Rolex Daytona Ref. 6239 holds a singular place in horological history as the very first reference to bear the Daytona name, introduced in 1963 and produced through approximately 1969. Powered by the Valjoux 72 manual-wind chronograph movement — a robust, column-wheel caliber that remains respected to this day — the ref. 6239 featured pump pushers, an engraved tachymeter bezel, and a dial architecture that would define the Daytona aesthetic for generations. Case diameter sits at the classic 37mm, modest by modern standards but perfectly proportioned on the wrist.

The "Azuli" designation refers to a specific and irreproducible aging process. The white printing used for the word DAYTONA on the lower register oxidizes over decades, shifting from white to a soft, unmistakable bluish hue. No two Azuli dials age identically, which means each surviving example is effectively a one-of-one artifact. This dial variation is not a factory option — it is the product of time itself, which is precisely what makes it so compelling to advanced collectors.

Statham has demonstrated consistent taste in high-quality timepieces over the years, and the ref. 6239 Azuli is not a watch one stumbles into casually. It requires either deep collector knowledge, a trusted dealer relationship, or both. It suits his understated, function-first aesthetic while carrying enormous horological weight.

On the current market, standard black-dial Rolex Daytona Ref. 6239 examples are regularly transacting above $100,000 USD at auction and through reputable dealers. An Azuli dial variant — given its extreme rarity and the premium collectors place on original, unrestored patina — would realistically command a significant premium over that benchmark, with exceptional examples potentially reaching well into six figures beyond the standard market rate.