Important Watches: Part II

Important Watches: Part II

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 581. 'Khanjar' Datejust, Ref. 1601  Stainless steel and pink gold wristwatch with date and bracelet  Circa 1969.

Rolex

'Khanjar' Datejust, Ref. 1601 Stainless steel and pink gold wristwatch with date and bracelet Circa 1969

Lot Closed

November 11, 01:18 PM GMT

Estimate

4,000 - 6,000 CHF

Lot Details

Description

Rolex

 

'Khanjar' Datejust, Ref. 1601

Stainless steel and pink gold wristwatch with date and bracelet

Circa 1969

 

Dial: silvered, 'Khanjar'

Calibre: cal. 1570 automatic, 26 jewels

Case: stainless steel and 18k pink gold, screw-down back

Case number: 2’174’454

Closure: stainless steel and 18k pink gold Rolex Jubilee bracelet and folding clasp

Dimensions: 36 mm, bracelet circumference approx. 185 mm

Signed: case, dial and movement 

Box: no

Papers: no

Accessories: Certificate from the British Embassy in Muscat, noting the watch as a gift by His Majesty The Sultan of Oman (1973)

 

Rolex introduced the Datejust in 1945 as the first chronometer water-tight wristwatch with an automatic calendar. The Datejust reference 1601 was introduced in 1959 as a variant of the 1600 with a fluted bezel. Datejust pieces can be found with a myriad of variations. The present example, ref. 1601, has a pink gold fluted bezel and winding crown and has the same bi-metal combination in the bracelet. Besides these characteristics, what really makes this piece stand out is the presence of the khanjar, Oman’s national symbol on the lower half of the dial.


Commissioned by the Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said of Oman (1940-2020), via London retailer Asprey and primarily intended as diplomatic gifts. Rolex modified the dials to accommodate for the khanjar being placed at 6 o’clock. Such pieces are highly collectible and the present example’s appeal is enhanced by an accompanying letter from the British embassy in Muscat certifying the origin of the watch, something quite rare given the spontaneous nature of gift-giving.