A Omani grail find!

By Berend Bulang - December 2025

Every now and then, an extraordinary watch comes with an equally extraordinary story. Today, we’re excited to share not just one, but two remarkable timepieces that carry a history sure to make every vintage Rolex collector’s heart skip a beat. In today’s world of watch collecting, it’s increasingly rare to see truly fresh pieces surface — watches that come directly from their original owners and are accompanied by a story as authentic as their patina.

With great pleasure, we present to you two exceptional watches, each personally gifted by none other than Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said of Oman to a former Minister of Tunisia! Their provenance, beauty, and history make them treasures in every sense of the word.

 

 

Oman and the love for watches

Let’s wind the clock back a few decades, to the 1970s — a pivotal era when Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said stepped into the footsteps of his father, Sultan Said bin Taimur. The young Sultan had a bold vision for his homeland. Upon taking the throne, he renamed the country Oman and began an ambitious journey of transformation that would continue until his passing in 2020, making him the longest-reigning monarch in the Middle East.

Under his leadership, Oman blossomed into a modern nation — one marked by economic growth, social progress, and greater openness to the world. Sultan Qaboos played a key role in fostering peace and stability across the region and became one of the most respected and influential figures of his time. Yet beyond his political stature, he was also known for something far more personal — his deep passion for watches.

The Sultan was a man who deeply valued personal relationships, diplomacy, and friendship. For him, gifting a watch was not merely a gesture, but a language of gratitude and respect. These timepieces were often presented as tokens of appreciation to close friends, trusted advisors, military officers, and foreign dignitaries. Many of these extraordinary watches were personally commissioned by the Sultan or the royal court, often bearing his special request — the addition of the national emblem of the Sultanate, the Khanjar dagger crest. This iconic symbol, introduced under Sultan Qaboos, became the proud national emblem of Oman and a signature mark of his reign.

 

 

While many watches in the vintage world bear special crests or insignias, few hold the same power, prestige, and emotional resonance as the Khanjar. More than just a mark of royalty, it represents the Sultan’s values — honor, strength, generosity, and a deep sense of heritage. For collectors today, a watch bearing the Khanjar is not only a rare and beautiful object, but also a tangible piece of history — one that captures the spirit of the Sultan himself.

 

A unique pair of Submariner and Sea-Dwellers carrying the Khanjar crest, royal Oman police crest and Qaboos signature - commissioned watches by the Sultan

 

These remarkable dials — and the watches that carried them — were most often commissioned through Asprey, one of the oldest and most prestigious jewellers in the United Kingdom. As a young man, Sultan Qaboos was educated in private schools in Britain, reflecting the close historical bond between Oman and the UK. During his studies at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and later in London, he formed a lasting friendship with Brigadier Sir James Timothy Whittington Landon, one of Britain’s wealthiest and most influential figures.

Through this friendship, Sultan Qaboos was introduced to John Asprey, the head of the renowned Asprey firm in London. John Asprey would go on to play a pivotal role in fulfilling the Sultan’s personal commissions for unique watches, jewellery, and antiques. With its long-standing heritage and exceptional network within the world of fine craftsmanship, Asprey became the key link between the Omani royal court and leading Swiss watchmakers such as Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and IWC.

Not only did Asprey supply the watches requested by the Sultanate, but they also made possible one of the most extraordinary details in watchmaking history — the application of the Sultan’s personal insignia. This included the Khanjar dagger crest, Oman’s national emblem, and at times the signature of Sultan Qaboos himself, printed or engraved on the dials and occasionally on the casebacks.

 

Red large Khanjar crest on the dial of a Day-Date 1803 commissioned by Asprey in London

A ingraved Khanjar Crest on the Case-back of a Rolex 18079 

 

To accommodate these special markings, watches were often delivered by the manufacturers with clean, unprinted dials, ready for the royal emblems to be added in London. This distinctive detail transformed each watch into a symbol of status, gratitude, and royal authority, personally commissioned and infused with the Sultan’s influence. 

Most of these dials feature the large Khanjar crest, which collectors believe was used for watches presented to government officials and political figures in Oman. Another popular and highly collectible variation is the smaller Khanjar topped with a crown, often given to family members and close friends within the Sultan’s inner circle. While most of these unique dials were produced through Asprey, a select few were printed or engraved directly by the Swiss brands themselves. In Oman, Khimji Ramdas and Al Qurum Jewellery, both trusted establishments granted royal permission, lso carried out a number of these special commissions, further enriching the legacy of these exceptional timepieces.

It is believed that most of the dials seen after the early 1980s were also commissioned through Omani dealers and stamped with the royal crests at their boutiques.

 

A IWC Yacht-Club featuring the Khanjar crest and crown on the right-side of the dial. These are regarded as delivered by one of the omani retailers, often not by the brands or Asprey with crest applied before the sale.

 

Beyond being an avid enthusiast, Sultan Qaboos eventually became one of the most significant watch collectors in the world. His remarkable generosity, however, meant that countless timepieces were not kept for his own enjoyment but instead ordered by the Sultanate as gifts of diplomacy and friendship. These watches served as meaningful tokens — strengthening ties with visiting dignitaries, trusted partners, close friends, and political allies.

As a result, a substantial number of Khanjar-signed watches were presented as gifts, each carrying the Sultan’s personal touch and the spirit of gratitude he was known for. This tradition also explains why many of these exceptional watches do not come with original paperwork or boxes. In fact, legend has it that some of them were handed over in the most unassuming way — wrapped in a simple sheet of newspaper — a gesture that perfectly reflects the Sultan’s humility and authenticity.

 

 

Two of the rarest Daytona's in existence, 6263s featuring the iconic Big Khanjar crest at 12 o'clock position 

 

 

A unique Day-Date 18079 in 18k white gold "Bark-finish" with the vibrant Khanjar Crest 

 

A seldomly seen and collectible Rolex 16800 issued to the Omani Royal Police

 

 

A rare and collectible AP Royal-Oak Quartz 6005BA, with Khanjar Crest

 

 

And that brings us to the heart of our story — two extraordinary watches that we are deeply proud to present today in our Grail Collection.

Two unique finds...

Let’s wind the clock back just a few months before the posting of this article — to the spring of 2025 — when we had the privilege of meeting an incredibly kind family who approached us with two very special watches. These pieces had belonged to their beloved grandfather, a former Minister of Tunisia during the 1980s.

Out of respect for their privacy, and in accordance with their wishes, we will not disclose the family’s name or any personal details. What we can say, however, is that throughout our many heartfelt conversations, it became clear how much they admire and cherished their father and grandfather. During one of these talks, they mentioned two gold watches he had received during his years of service as Minister — gifts presented to him personally by none other than Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said of Oman.

When the family later shared more information and photographs, our excitement grew. It soon became clear that this was an extraordinary discovery:

• A Rolex Day-Date Ref. 18038 in yellow gold, featuring a striking purple dial adorned with the red Khanjar and crown crest
• An IWC Ingenieur 9227 in 18k yellow gold, showcasing a gold linen dial with the same red Khanjar emblem.

 

The outstanding Rolex 18038 with striking Purple Khanjar dial in original condition

 

The elegant and refined IWC Ingenieur SL 9227 in 18k yellow gold commissioned by Sultan Qaboos and gifted to the Tunisian minister

 

 

Both were authentic gifts personally from the Sultan himself — an almost unbelievable provenance that bridges diplomacy and history.

As many of you know, our company was born from a deep-rooted family passion, more than twenty years of collecting and studying fine timepieces, with a particular love for Middle Eastern and Omani crest watches. To be entrusted with these two examples was nothing short of an honour. Cases like this, where such pieces come directly from the original family, are exceptionally rare in today’s world of watch collecting! This rarity continues to be appreciated and celebrated in many ways, including through remarkable results at auction houses.

Collecting vintage watches has been part of the enthusiast community for decades now, yet we can still be incredibly proud and fortunate that fresh-to-market pieces continue to surface and are valued in the right way. Recent auction results illustrate this beautifully—for example, the early Rolex Day-Date, formerly owned by Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser, which sold at Sotheby’s last year for a record $840,000 USD.

After months of correspondence, we finally arranged to meet the family in person during their vacation in France. We travelled to Paris, where we had the unforgettable privilege of holding these two watches for the very first time. The moment we saw them, we were utterly blown away! 

The watches were remarkably well preserved, remaining in outstanding and completely original condition. Every detail told a story of care and authenticity — the cases had never been opened and the gold had developed a beautiful, warm patina over the decades. Unpolished, unaltered, and completely genuine — they embody everything we love about true vintage watches.

 

The magical unpolished case of the 18038 gifted by Sultan Qaboos to the Tunisian Minister. 

 

The unique sight of an original-owner Day-Date, unpolished and showing all the signs of wear and history from its previous owner before any cleaning. Note the developed layers of patina and the smudging on the case, exactly as the watch appeared when we first discovered it.

 

 

A charming and gentle purple-dark patina developed on the 18k gold case during its time in preservation.

 

The 18k gold case, showing a gentle patina developed on the case of the IWC

 

 

Sharp hallmarks and rich case patina on the back of the IWC.

 

 

To make this story even more meaningful, the family provided a handwritten letter of provenance, penned in green ink—the same style their late father and grandfather always used. They also shared treasured photographs: one of him proudly wearing the Rolex Day-Date, and another capturing the historic moment in which he shook hands with Sultan Qaboos during an official meeting. Out of respect for the family’s wishes, we have chosen not to share these images publicly. However, they have given us the privilege of showing them to a future buyer or collector, and we can assure you that their authenticity and emotional weight speak for themselves! 

 

The handwritten letter of provenance provided by the daughter and granddaughter of the Tunisian minister, written in green ink, just as their (grand)father always used when writing his letters.

 

We are deeply grateful to the family for sharing these memories, stories, and photographs — they allow these watches to be appreciated not just as objects, but as living pieces of history.

We are truly proud to offer these two extraordinary timepieces for sale in our Grail Collection, and we sincerely hope they find their way to a collector who will cherish them as deeply as the original owner did, as the Sultan did, and as we do today! 

These watches are time capsules, embodiments of heritage, diplomacy, and human connection — representing not only a remarkable chapter in our wold of collecting, but also in the shared history between Oman, the Middle East, and our own family as collectors.

 

 

The breathtaking 18038, featuring a unique purple dial with the striking red Khanjar crown crest. The smaller crest, with the crown on top, is believed to have been presented to close friends and family of the royal household!

 

The stylish presence of the elegant IWC 9227 in 18k yellow gold, featuring a linen dial and red Khanjar crown crest, so elegantly refined!