ROLEX, DAY-DATE REF. 18038 ‘CROWN KHANJAR’, A GOLD AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH WITH OXBLOOD STELLA DIAL MADE FOR THE SULTANATE OF OMAN

CASE NUMBER: 6’512’636, MOVEMENT NUMBER: 1’444’218

Details

CIRCA: 1980
CASE MATERIAL: 18k yellow gold, inside caseback stamped 18000
DIAMETER: 36 mm.
BRACELET: Rolex 18k yellow gold President bracelet
DIAL: Oxblood Stella dial with Crown Khanjar – the Royal Crest of the Sultanate of Oman – imprint in green
MOVEMENT: Cal. 3055, automatic, 27 jewels
FUNCTIONS: Day, date
CLASP: Rolex 18k yellow gold folding clasp stamped 7286
WITH: Rolex service card from Khimji Ramdas, Rolex agent in Muscat, stamped November 28, 2022


Lot Essay

Rolex introduced glossy lacquer dials known as Stella dials on their Day-Date models in the 1970s and made them through the 80s. These lacquered dials had a high gloss finish and were available in a riot of colours, tones you wouldn’t expect to see on a Rolex.
Flamboyant, whimsical and in stark contrast to Rolex’s tool watch aesthetic, they were not popular initially but are highly collectible today. Some believed the name is a reference to artist Frank Stella, who specialised in bright colours.
However, it is now widely accepted that Stella is the name of the Swiss company that provided the special lacquer to Rolex’s dial makers. It is believed that these dials were originally produced for a few markets including the Middle East and Asia but found their way to other regions as well.
The present Ref. 18038 has a further layer of exclusivity, courtesy the green Crown Khanjar symbol visible at 6 o'clock position. Bearing the royal crest of the ruling family of Oman, this timepiece is one of those commissioned by Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said, the former ruler of Oman.