Rolex Day-Date 1802 'Khanjar'

Asprey-retailed 1802 in platinum for the Sultanate of Oman

Among vintage Rolex Day-Dates, few watches carry a story as compelling as a "Khanjar" dial. Commissioned for presentation by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, these watches were never available through traditional retail channels. Instead, they were presented personally to a select group of diplomats, senior officials and trusted associates. The red Khanjar emblem of Oman on the dial remains one of the most significant and desirable symbols found on any vintage Rolex, representing a unique chapter where watchmaking and international diplomacy intersected.

The present reference 1802 is exceptional in every respect. Produced in platinum, a metal used only sparingly for Day-Dates of this period, it is further distinguished by its smooth bezel, a combination encountered only on the rarest examples. The rich blue dial is fitted with factory diamond hour markers that are noticeably larger than those found on gold models, creating an unmistakable presence while remaining perfectly proportioned within the cool tones of the platinum case.

One of the most remarkable aspects of this watch is its rarity. To date, only three examples of this exact configuration are known, all carrying serial numbers in extremely close succession, all being 3873xx. This strongly suggests a tiny special-order production run executed by Rolex specifically for the Sultan's office on order of a famous London-based retailer. The caseback bears the Asprey engraving, an important detail as this retailer supplied many of Sultan Qaboos' earliest presentation Rolex watches. Inside, the matching case number further confirms delivery as a special-order watch, reinforcing its unquestionable originality and historical significance.

Equally impressive is the watch's provenance. This example has appeared at auction twice and originates from the celebrated collection of Guido Mondani, one of the most known names in the world of vintage Rolex scholarship. Comparable opportunities are exceptionally scarce: another example of this configuration was offered by Christie's in 2023, achieving an all-inc result of more than €260,000, underlining both the rarity of these watches and the strength of collector demand.

Finding any vintage platinum Day-Date is difficult. Finding one with a Khanjar dial is extraordinarily rare. Finding one of only three known examples, with Asprey provenance, documented auction history and ownership tracing back to Guido Mondani, places this watch among the most important and collectible vintage Day-Dates from the middle-east.