ROLEX, DAY-DATE REF. 1802 ‘QABOOS’ , A RARE AND IMPORTANT GOLD AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH WITH THE SIGNATURE OF SULTAN QABOOS BIN SAID
Lot 26

ROLEX, DAY-DATE REF. 1802 ‘QABOOS’ , A RARE AND IMPORTANT GOLD AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH WITH THE SIGNATURE OF SULTAN QABOOS BIN SAID

CASE NUMBER: 3’781’730

Closed19 October 2023

Estimate

USD 35,000–55,000

More Information

How to sell

ROLEX, DAY-DATE REF. 1802 ‘QABOOS’ , A RARE AND IMPORTANT GOLD AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH WITH THE SIGNATURE OF SULTAN QABOOS BIN SAID
CASE NUMBER: 3’781’730
CIRCA: 1974
CASE MATERIAL: 18k yellow gold, caseback engraved with K.R., the initials of Khimji Ramas, the Rolex retailer in Oman
DIAMETER: 36 mm.
BRACELET: Rolex 18k yellow gold President bracelet
DIAL: Silver with applied hour markers and ‘Qaboos’ signature in red print transfer – a reference to Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, the former ruler of Oman
MOVEMENT: Cal. 1556, automatic
FUNCTIONS: Time, day, date
WITH: Rolex service card dated 23 June 2019 from Khimji Ramdas, Muscat

Specialist note

It was common practice among Gulf royalty and prominent Government establishments in the Middle East to commission watches with their names/ logos etc on the dial. These were given as State gifts or as commemorative tokens to people or diplomats or business partners. Within the esoteric world of watch collecting, these watches with “Arab Dials” were deemed more collectible than the regular production versions.
A man of undeniably exquisite taste and also a watch enthusiast, the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said, owned and offered as gifts innumerable timepieces. Depending on the level and importance of the occasion, gifts of an "horological nature" vary from simple timepieces to fine Rolex watches. The present watch has the initials of Khimji Ramdas, the authorised dealer of Rolex in Oman.