Watch Paparazzi

Actor Jason Statham spotted wearing Rolex

Jason Statham was recently photographed with fiancée Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, the camera catching a glimpse of one of the most storied wrist pieces in all of vintage horology: a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 6263 in stainless steel, fitted with a white dial and contrasting black sub-dials — the configuration collectors call 'Big Red.'

The reference 6263 was produced by Rolex between approximately 1971 and 1987, representing the final evolution of the manually-wound Daytona lineage before the caliber 4030-equipped ref. 16520 arrived. Powered by the Valjoux 727 movement — a column-wheel chronograph ebauche refined by Rolex — the 6263 distinguishes itself from the near-identical ref. 6265 by its screw-down pushers rather than pump pushers, a detail that improved water resistance and added tactile satisfaction. The case measures 37mm in diameter, modest by today's standards but perfectly proportioned on the wrist. The 'Big Red' designation refers specifically to the bold red 'Daytona' text printed below the 12 o'clock sub-dial, introduced in the mid-1970s and now the single most recognizable detail separating a standard 6263 from its most collectible variant.

Among vintage Rolex collectors, the ref. 6263 'Big Red' in stainless steel occupies near-mythological status. It bridges the gap between the earliest exotic-dialed Paul Newman references and the modern era of mechanical chronograph appreciation. White-dial examples with black registers — exactly what Statham is wearing — represent the most traditional and arguably most elegant execution of the model, free from the rarity premium of exotic dials but deeply desirable in their own right. Provenance, condition, and originality of the dial and pushers are everything at auction.

Statham's taste in watches mirrors his on-screen persona: purposeful, mechanical, and unshowy. The actor has been previously linked to serious timepieces and this sighting confirms an appetite for vintage steel sports watches with genuine horological credibility rather than flashy novelties.

On the current grey market, a stainless steel ref. 6263 'Big Red' in solid condition regularly trades between $80,000 and $150,000 depending on dial originality and case sharpness. Retail is no longer applicable — Rolex discontinued the manually-wound Daytona decades ago — but comparable examples have cleared $120,000 at specialist dealers, consistent with the figure cited at the time of this sighting.