Officially released in 2013 in commemoration of the Cosmograph Daytona's 50th Anniversary, the Rolex ref. 116506 was the first Daytona to be encased in platinum. Garnering instant success amongst collectors, it was often also seen on the wrists of some of the greatest musicians, celebrities and athletes of our time. Platinum Rolex models have all been fitted with an irresistible ice-blue dial. The Cerachrom bezel is offered with a chestnut brown hue, creating the perfect contrast between warm and colder tones.

The present ref. 116506 however has been fitted with an even rarer ice blue Eastern Arabic dial. Rolex's collaboration with the Arab States in the Gulf dates back to the 1950s, to a time when Rolex fitted Arabic discs to the most luxurious Day-Date watches. Produced in extremely limited quantities, the first "Arabic" Rolexes were almost exclusively cased in platinum.

According to our research, Rolex in the past had produced one manual winding Daytona with such numerals. Known as "The Arabian Knight", it was sold at Phillips' Daytona Ultimatum auction for 1,932,500 Swiss Francs. The present example, produced in exceedingly limited numbers and sold only by Middle East retailers, most probably pays homage to "The Arabian Knight".

Extremely rare and sought-after, the present example is offered in excellent overall condition with guarantee and presentation box. This platinum Daytona with Eastern Arabic dial will surely delight even the most discerning of collectors, not just for the Middle East but across the globe.