If you are a watchmaking enthusiast, you will surely have happened to see unusual symbols on the dials of well-known brands for sale at some major dealer or in the catalogs of the most renowned auction houses.

One of the best known is undoubtedly the Khanjar coat of arms, featuring a curved dagger on a belt, superimposed on two crossed swords. This symbol was used from Oman’s earliest years as a modern nation, starting in 1970, and tells the story of the link between the most important Swiss manufactures and the longest-serving monarch in the Middle East, the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said, who passed away in 2020 after seeing his nation rise to international prominence.

In this article we will uncover the history of watches bearing this symbol, analyzing in detail the market for Rolex specimens with these unique features.

History of the Khanjar symbol in watchmaking

To fully understand why these watches with the Khanjar symbol were made, it is appropriate to take a step back into the Sultan’s life. As a young man, he attended a private school in Bury St Edmunds, England, and then continued his education at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst.

His experiences in the United Kingdom enabled him to forge numerous friendships; one in particular, that with Tim Landon, accompanied him throughout his life. Sir Landon not only helped the Sultan in the development of Oman, but also introduced him to the world of art collecting in general and, more specifically, jewelry and watches, by introducing him to John Asprey, owner of one of the most important jewelry stores in London.

Asprey had long had close ties with royal families throughout Europe and was instrumental not only as an intermediary between the Sultan and leading Swiss brands, but also in inspiring Qaboos to place the symbol of Oman on the dials of the timepieces he would purchase not only for himself, but also to donate. In this way, he would promote the young country to the many figures who would support its development.

Those who received these precious timepieces included advisers, high officials from other countries, and also waiters from restaurants where the Sultan had been particularly comfortable. A few years ago, at an important auction, I was told the story of a four-digit Daytona with the Khanjar symbol, donated to a team of Italians specially called in to install the royal palace’s new swimming pool. Back in Italy, the watch was then used in daily life, bearing some marks on the dial caused by water seepage into the case.

One of the most intriguing aspects of how and by whom these symbols were applied to the dial features John Asprey, who, as we have seen, became a figure very close to the Sultan.

Asprey, in fact, had close relationships with several Swiss brands at a time when watch collecting was not yet so widespread; as a result, the demands of wealthier customers were much easier to satisfy than today.

It was Asprey himself who received the watches from the manufacturers and, at the Sultan’s request and with the permission of the individual brands, applied the logo using the décalque technique. The latter is a printing method of transferring an engraved design on a metal plate to the dial, using a silicone or gelatin pad.

Two types of dials on which the symbol was affixed can be distinguished. The first were those of normal production, on which Asprey merely printed the logo where there was sufficient space. The second type, on the other hand, was specially made by the brand with an area reserved for the Khanjar emblem: this variant is significantly rarer and, in some Rolex models, involves the partial or total disappearance of the lettering-including the brand signature. This is the case with some Daytona models, which are particularly sought after on the market today.

The idea that Rolex could remove its name from the dial altogether, to make room for another symbol, seems unthinkable nowadays, but it gives an idea of the influence the Sultan wielded at the time. In addition, on some specimens one can find the Asprey signature (sometimes even in cursive) engraved on the case back, testifying to the role played in the creation of these pieces. Such detail, as a rule, further increases their value.

In some cases, however, the brands themselves were involved in the application of the Khanjar, although these were exceptions. For example, at one point Rolex began to be personally involved in the application of the coat of arms, after receiving the Sultan’s approval.

In addition to Asprey, over the years two other Omani retailers, Khimji Ramdas and Al Qurum Jewellery, also obtained government permission to print the logo on dials, thus becoming suppliers to the Sultan. The former dealt mainly with Rolex, but also with Cartier and IWC, while the latter dealt with all other brands, including Patek Philippe.

Because of the numerous orders placed by the Sultan, it is often difficult to fully reconstruct the history of each one. Not infrequently, in fact, watches were set aside for long periods before being delivered, especially those made of precious metal, which were reserved for particularly important people and occasions.

In addition to the emblem we have been dwelling on, there are two additional variants related to Oman. The first features the addition of a crown on top of the logo and represents the Sultan’s personal emblem, thus differing from the nation’s official symbol. The second, on the other hand, belongs to the Omani police force: in this case, the traditional Khanjar is surmounted by a crown and surrounded by a garland. This variant is extremely rare, as it was only granted to members serving in the police force.

Beginning in the 2000s, brands stopped printing the Khanjar logo on the dials and instead began engraving the case back with this logo. This change undoubtedly causes these watches to lose some of their appeal, but they still turn out to be very popular, with figures in the second-wrist market that can be as much as double that of watches without this distinctive feature.

Khanjar Rolex Market

Wanting to analyze in detail the market and demand for these specimens, I think it is appropriate to look back and study past prices. In particular, we note that the few examples that appeared on the market until 2010 were not particularly appreciated; indeed, they were considered to be of less value and were sold at lower prices than their counterparts without the Khanjar logo. Often the dial was even replaced after purchase, causing the watch to lose precisely that distinctive appeal.

As unthinkable as it may seem today, this is exactly what happened to the Milsub models as well, which are now highly sought after by collectors, but for a long time were considered very unattractive by dealers and users themselves. Starting about ten years ago, major collectors gradually discovered these pieces, and as a result, prices and results from major auction houses have confirmed a steadily growing interest.

As we have seen, over time these watches have presented several variants, and as a result, prices vary widely from specimen to specimen. With reference to Rolex, obviously dominating the scene are the Daytona models, especially those in which the inscriptions on the dial give way to the Khanjar logo.

A significant example is the result of a Daytona 6265 in yellow gold, sold by Phillips in November 2023 for CHF 570,000 (about EUR 605,000). The same reference, but in a configuration with a black dial and “champagne” subdials and red logo, recently reached a valuation of HKD 4,950,000 (about EUR 615,000).

Among other Rolex models, a major achievement was made, again by Phillips in 2016, with a Sea-Dweller 1665, which sold for HKD 4,040,000 (about EUR 500,000).
For watches with the Oman Police Force logo-mentioned above- mention may be made, for example, of a GMT-Master 16750 sold by Phillips Hong-Kong for HKD 1,070,000 (about EUR 125,000).

Day-dates with this feature are also quite popular; in this regard, two results obtained in past Monaco Legend Group auctions show how much the logo on the dial affects the valuation, making it in many cases significantly higher for Rolex’s specially designed versions.

A ref. 1804 example was sold in April 2024 for EUR 169,000, while in 2021 a yellow gold ref. 1807 changed hands for only EUR 20,000. The difference is certainly due to the material and diamonds used in the platinum version, but also to the fact that the gold example has a much smaller Khanjar logo at 9 o’clock.

Also from Monaco Legend, I had the opportunity in October 2023 to take a close look at a white gold Datejust that belonged to John Goldberger’s collection. Thanks to its extraordinary lapis lazuli dial, this piece attracted a great deal of attention, reaching the remarkable sum of EUR 350,000.

Mercato dei Rolex Khanjar moderni

Come accennato, a partire dal 2000 Rolex smise di stampare il logo Khanjar sui quadranti, iniziando invece a inciderlo sui fondelli. Questa scelta si allinea con la politica di Rolex di ridurre le personalizzazioni concesse ai clienti, le quali, nella seconda metà del secolo scorso, portarono alla creazione non solo di orologi con il Khanjar, ma anche di quadranti e design unici. Un esempio? I nove esemplari di Day-Date 1831 realizzati per un altro capo di Stato, lo Shah dell’Iran.

Sebbene i collezionisti si concentrino prevalentemente sui modelli vintage, anche queste reinterpretazioni più recenti riscuotono un notevole interesse, grazie alla loro caratteristica distintiva.

I modelli più richiesti sul mercato sono quelli in cui la domanda è già alta a prescindere dalla presenza del Khanjar; ci riferiamo in particolare a referenze di Daytona, GMT-Master II e Submariner.

A livello indicativo, il prezzo di mercato di questi sportivi con simbolo Khanjar risulta spesso due o tre volte superiore rispetto ai corrispettivi privi del logo. Un esempio è dato da un Daytona 116500LN, venduto da Sotheby’s nel 2022 per 75.500 dollari (circa 73.200 euro).

Il discorso cambia per modelli come il Day-Date, dove il premium da pagare per ottenere il Khanjar risulta decisamente più contenuto. Ne è una prova il Day-Date referenza 228238, venduto lo scorso ottobre da Sotheby’s a Hong Kong per HKD 375.000 (circa 46.800 euro).

Conclusion

The appeal of these timepieces lies not only in the dials featuring the fascinating Khanjar logo, but also in the history of the leading Swiss brands’ partnership with Asprey and the Sultan of Oman over several decades.

As we have seen, these watches often command important figures in the second wrist market, but in some cases they give the opportunity, at still low figures, to add a true example of horological history to the collection.

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