36▼
Rolex
Ref. 18038
Day-Date
A very rare yellow gold calendar wristwatch with bracelet, centre seconds, black lacquered dial, guarantee and box, made for the Sultanate of Oman
- Estimate
- CHF20,000 - 40,000
CHF75,000
Lot Details
- Manufacturer
- Rolex
- Year
- 1985
- Reference No
- 18038
- Case No
- 8'800'008
- Model Name
- Day-Date
- Material
- 18k yellow gold
- Calibre
- Automatic, 3055
- Bracelet/Strap
- Rolex President, end links stamped 55
- Clasp/Buckle
- Concealed deployant clasp
- Dimensions
- 36mm. Diameter
- Signed
- <em>Movement, dial, case and bracelet signed, dial further stamped with the National emblem of the Sultanate of Oman printed in red</em>
- Accessories
- Punched Rolex guarantee, green wallet, fitted Day Date presentation box with applied Kanjar to the inside and outer packaging
Specialist
Full-Cataloguing
Catalogue Essay
The present Day-Date bearing the serial number 8'800'008 was manufactured in 1985 upon special order for the Royal Court Affairs (Diwan) of the Sultanate of Oman, a governmental authority in charge of the placement of these objects given as gifts to those who were close to the Sultan.The highly rare black dial exhibits a closed minute track and is embellished with the red Omani Khanjar and swords insignia, placed at 6 o’clock instead of the traditional “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified” script.The present timepiece reveals an "as new" condition and presents extraordinary accessories. The back case still bears the Rolex sticker displaying the reference number, is accompanied by its original warranty paper, the leather box internally showcasing the crossed-swords logo and the outer cardboard packaging.
Literature
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.
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