Christie’s Middle East will hold ‘Watches Online: The Dubai Edit’ from the 5th to 19th October 2023.
Highlights of the ensemble include ‘Arabic Dial’ watches, day- date Rolexes, timepieces gifted by the late Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said, and a one of only twenty ever made Patek Phillipe.
Remy Julia, Head of Watches Christie’s Middle East, India & Africa said: “It’s not often you see a collector with such a keen eye for unique and spectacular gem-set watches. The collection is very diverse – from vintage Rolex Day-Dates retailed by Asprey and commissioned by the late Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said, the former ruler of Oman, to more contemporary rarities such as the unique Harry Winston Opus 7 with a gem-set bezel. It is a nuanced and well-organised collection that has taken considerable time and effort to curate.”
The late Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said owned and gave as gifts many such timepieces. Depending on the level and importance of the occasion, gifts of a “horological nature” ranged from a simple timepiece to a stunning Rolex or Patek Philippe timepiece.
Each year, Patek Philippe introduces a selection of dials with a variety of themes to showcase various arts such as enamelling, miniature painting and marquetry. The dial on this platinum variant of the Calatrava Ref. 5077, first commercialised in 2007, serves as the canvas for an enamel creation inspired by the works of Orientalist painters such as Georges Washington, Henri Émilien Rousseau, and Eugène Fromentin.