906
Rolex
Ref. 6265
Cosmograph Daytona, “The Quraysh Hawk”
An extremely rare, well-preserved and highly important stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with UAE Quraysh Hawk dial and bracelet, made for the UAE Ministry of Defense
Full-Cataloguing
- Extremely rare UAE Quraysh Hawk dial with Arabic script signature of the Ministry of Defense
- Commissioned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
- Fresh to the market
- Excellent case and dial condition
The present commissioned dial features the UAE Quraysh Hawk emblem at 12 o’clock, rendered in vibrant polychrome relief printing, while the signature of the Ministry of Defense in Arabic script replaces the standard “Daytona” designation above 6 o’clock. Following the foundation of the United Arab Emirates on December 2, 1971, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was appointed as the nation's first Minister of Defense at age 22. This rare configuration was specially produced for his department, with only a handful of examples known to exist—making it even rarer than its sister reference 6263.
Rolex historically executed two styles of dials for these official state commissions: modified and unmodified. The modified dials—which are significantly rarer and found in earlier examples before circa 1978—featured the removal of the standard "Rolex Oyster Cosmograph" text at 12 o’clock to accommodate the prominent UAE Quraysh Hawk, reflecting the Sheikh’s standing and influence. In contrast, later Daytona iterations applied state symbols at 6 o’clock over an unmodified dial layout.
The present period correct dial is flanked by two Sigma symbols around "T SWISS T" at 6 o’clock, denoting that the hour markers are crafted in solid white gold.
The stainless steel case retains sharp edges and crisp proportions, while the dial remains beautifully preserved, punctuated by round luminous plots that have aged to a warm ivory patina.
Rolex
Swiss | 1905Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.