Rolex has created some of the most surprising, beautiful, and unusual watches for the Arab States in the Gulf. The manufacture's custom pieces date back to the 1950s, when Rolex fitted Arabic discs to the most luxurious Day-Date models.
Beginning in the 1970s, the United Arab Emirates and its seven Arab nations specially commissioned watches from Rolex to be given as gifts for high-ranking officials, foreign dignitaries, and diplomats. Today, they are coveted treasures sought after by collectors around the world.
One of the rarest of these commission pieces is the Cosmograph Daytona “Desert Eagle”, made upon special request for Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Minister of Defense for the United Arab Emirates beginning in 1971, and currently the Ruler of Dubai since 2006. This example was part of a small order of timepieces.
Rendered in polychrome relief printing, the UAE emblem (the Quraysh Hawk) is emblazoned at 12 o’clock, with the signature of United Arab Emirates proudly displayed below. While the modern emblem shows the colors of the flag within the chest of the hawk, in the 1970s and 1980s, the crest displayed an Arabian sailboat with two sails – a single sail sailboat is visible on the family emblem of the House of Al Maktoum, one of the ruling families of the UAE.
Most intriguingly, above 6 o’clock is not the signature of the Ministry of Defense (Wazarah Ad Difa’A) as seen in several other examples, but the personal signature of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Thus, while the Ministry of Defense examples bear serial numbers close together, probably ordered for multiple ministers, those examples bearing the personal signature were likely one-off orders as special gifts and are extremely rare.
Interestingly this is one of the very rare instances where Rolex removed its name from the dial to make place for the “Quraysh Hawk”. Preserved in excellent overall condition, we are thrilled to offer this “Desert Eagle” Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, emblazoned with the personal signature of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
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.
Ref. 6263; inside caseback additionally stamped 6264 An extremely rare and highly attractive stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with UAE Quraysh Hawk dial and bracelet, made for Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Circa 1975 37.5mm Diameter Case, dial, movement, and bracelet signed.
