The “Khanjar” is the national emblem of Oman featuring a traditional dagger used for ceremonial occasions. When found anywhere on a watch, it signifies an important object of royal provenance. Such watches were made on commission for the Sultan of Oman, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said, and presented as gifts to his closest dignitaries and officials. Khanjar logos come in a variety of colors and positioning on the dial, but the green Khanjar is amongst the rarest.

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said (1940-2019) was known also for his own formidable watch collection and his passion for horology. His Majesty ascended to the throne at age 30 following studies under the President of India and military training at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, England, where his reign was one of great success. With revenues received from oil sales, he drove transformational advances in healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

According to our research, only two other Daytonas, both reference 6263s in stainless steel with silver dials and “Green Khanjar” emblems, have appeared at auction, the last of which sold here at Phillips New York in December 2024. Another is known privately in this same configuration. The case number sits exactly where it should in the production range and falls only two digits away from a Daytona Ref. 6263 with “White Khanjar” that sold at the Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: XVI, in November 2022. Furthermore, it is also in close range of the other Green Khanjar bearing case serial 6’047’200.

The present reference 6265 in stainless steel is the only known black dial example featuring both the Green Khanjar displayed within the 12-hour subsidiary register at 6 o’clock and a “Big Red” Daytona logo at 6 o’clock, rendering it possibly unique. Furthermore it is absolutely fresh-to-the-market, consigned by the son of the original owner. In his words:

This Rolex Daytona “Khanjar” was gifted to my father in the 1970s by the royal family of Dubai in appreciation of his service as their personal pilot.

My father was a career officer and pilot in the United States Air Force. After retiring from the military, he worked in the Middle East initially for Iran Air and later became a trusted member of the Dubai royal family’s flight crew. He primarily flew Boeing 707 aircraft and frequently piloted international flights to Europe for the royal family's travel and shopping trips.

As a gesture of gratitude and respect, the family presented him with this Rolex — one of the rare “Khanjar dial” Daytonas specially commissioned by the Sultanate of Oman for gifts of state. He later gave the watch to me when it was new, and I wore it during my medical school years. It has remained in my possession ever since.

My father passed away a few years ago, and this watch stands as a unique and personal legacy of his extraordinary career and the deep trust placed in him by a Gulf royal household.