Rolex - The Hong Kong Watch Auction: SIX Hong Kong Monday, May 28, 2018 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Rolex
    Year: Circa 2000
    Reference No: 116519, case back stamped "2119" to the inside
    Case No: K200850
    Model Name: Cosmograph Daytona Beach
    Material: 18K white gold
    Calibre: automatic, cal. 4130, 44 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: blue leather Rolex strap
    Clasp/Buckle: 18K white gold Rolex deployant clasp
    Dimensions: 40mm diameter
    Signed: case, dial, movement and clasp signed
    Accessories: accompanied by Rolex punched Garantie stamped by Geneva retailer Bucherer, dated November 14, 2001 and in the name of His Royal Highness Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, green leather wallet, and wooden presentation box

  • Catalogue Essay

    The present example is offered in absolutely unpolished condition; in fact it still bears the factory protective stickers to the band - in our opinion not a service replacement but the never removed original ones. An additional confirmation to this hypothesis is the well preserved blue strap. It is well known how delicate these straps are: only a few months of wear and the delicate tint will completely fade. In this case, however the fading is only slightly hinted to: unmistakable sign that the strap is not a new one, but also that the watch has only been sparsely used.

    Last, but not least, the Garantie holds the key to the true importance of this timepiece: it was originally sold to His Royal Highness Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, who was obviuosly visiting Geneva in Novemebr 2001. Combining stunning looks, iconoclastic design, high rarity, unpolished condition and even royal provenance, this is without a doubt one of the most collectible examples of Cosmograph Daytona Beach to ever appear on the market.

    H.R.H PRINCE NAIF BIN ABDULAZIZ

    Born in Ta'if, Saudi Arabia in 1934, Prince Naif (also spelled "Nayef" or "Naeif") received his education at the Prince's School in Riyadh - an istitution established, as the name suggests, for the education of members of the royal family and the children of other influent Saudi personalities. After regional political responsibilities, he was appointed in 1970 both deputy interior minister and minister of state for internal affairs and in 1975 he became Minister of Interior. Some of the most important aspects of his tenure include a fierce fight against terrorism - exemplified by the myriad of terrorism-related arrests which he order in 1994, and the successful 2003-2006 campaign against domestic Al Qaida activities - and the decision to issue ID cards to all Saudi women, who were previously registered under their husband's or father's name.
    In 2009 his powers were further expanded as he became second deputy prime minister, and on October 27, 2011 he was eventually appointed first deputy prime minister and Crown Prince - that is: heir apparent to the Throne of Saudi Arabia. He passed away before the death of King Abdullah, thus never becoming King, but during his rule as deputy prime minister he sustained a campaign of moral modernization of the country, with actions such as the removal of religious authorities who objected to the mingling of men and women in public spaces.

  • 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.

    View More Works

Σ1019

Ref. 116519, case back stamped "2119" to the inside
A fine and extremely attractive white gold automatic chronograph wristwatch with blue dial, Garantie and box, sold to H.R.H Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia

Circa 2000
40mm diameter
case, dial, movement and clasp signed

Estimate
HK$160,000 - 240,000 
€17,600-26,400
$20,500-30,800

Sold for HK$225,000

Contact Specialist

Thomas Perazzi
Head of Watches, Asia
+852 2318 2001
thomasperazzi@phillips.com

Ziyong Ho
Specialist
+852 9386 2032
ziyongho@phillips.com

Jill Chen
Specialist
+852 2318 2033
jillchen@phillips.com

The Hong Kong Watch Auction: SIX

Hong Kong Auction 29 May 2018