Rolex - The Geneva Watch Auction: XII Geneva Saturday, November 7, 2020 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Rolex
    Year: Circa 1980
    Reference No: 18038
    Movement No: 0'646'383
    Case No: 6’654’541
    Model Name: Day-Date "Stella"
    Material: 18K yellow gold
    Calibre: Automatic, cal. 3055, 27 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: 18K yellow gold Rolex President bracelet, end links stamped 55, max. length 190mm
    Clasp/Buckle: 18K yellow gold Rolex concealed deployant clasp
    Dimensions: 36mm Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed

  • Catalogue Essay

    The present Rolex Day/Date- in very appealing condition- presents two elements that truly set it apart.

    It features on the one hand a lovely burgundy “Stella” lacquer dial that has captivated collectors worldwide for decades. On the other hand, on left side of the dial one can notice the Khanjar - Oman’s national emblem, composed of a dagger in sheath superimposed upon two crossed swords, meaning that this piece was made on commission for the Sultan of Oman, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said.

    Such watches bearing the Khanjar were given as gifts to close high-ranking officials or foreign dignitaries. According to scholarship, the tradition of gifting watches by His Majesty began following his defeat of the Dhofar Rebellion working in partnership with the British government. As an expression of his gratitude to the teams of Britain’s elite Special Forces branch, the SAS, he presented “Khanjar” watches to the SAS soldiers who were instrumental in defeating the rebellion.

    Shortly after the victory, His Majesty commemorated the occasion by surmounting the Khanjar with a crown. All watches made for him since then feature this attractive, crowned Khanjar.
    His Majesty ascended the Omani throne in 1970 and passed away in 2020.

  • Artist Biography

    Rolex

    Swiss • 1905

    Founded 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.

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Ref. 18038
A rare and attractive yellow gold calendar wristwatch with burgundy "Stella" dial and bracelet, made for the Sultanate of Oman

Circa 1980
36mm Diameter
Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed

Estimate
CHF20,000 - 40,000 
€18,500-37,100
$21,800-43,600

Sold for CHF35,280

Contact Specialist

Alexandre Ghotbi
Head of Watches, Continental Europe and the Middle East

41 79 637 1724
aghotbi@phillips.com

The Geneva Watch Auction: XII

Geneva Auction 6 - 7 November 2020