Everything You Need to Know About Khanjar Dial Watches

The late Sultan Of Oman, Qaboos bin Said al Said (1940 – 2020), was a passionate watch enthusiast and prolific buyer of high-end timepieces. Not only did he acquire watches for his private collection but the Sultan also regularly gifted them for services rendered or diplomatic reasons. As a result, there are a number of different types of Khanjar watches floating around. Read on as we have a look at the history of Khanjar dial watches, outline some of the variations available, and discuss their current market value.

What exactly is a Khanjar Watch?

Qaboos bin Said bought timepieces made by various watch brands including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Omega, and others — often through the London jeweler Asprey and almost always stamped with an Omani royal crest on the dial. The stamped crest is characterized by a traditional Omani dagger called a khanjar over a pair of swords. These royalty-commissioned watches with Khanjar Dials are now highly collectible on the secondary watch market.

Qaboos bin Said al Said and the Khanjar Dial

Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said was the longest-serving monarch in the Middle East and Arab world, taking over in 1970 after a British-supported coup against his father. Unlike his father, Sultan Qaboos wanted to modernize Oman and end the country’s isolation from the rest of the world.

Sultan Qaboos not only used oil revenues to fund his modernization plans but he also became a deft diplomat who managed to bring peace and prosperity to his nation despite the turmoil surrounding his region.

Nation-building aside, the Sultan of Oman was also known for his love of classical music, cars, yachts, and of course, luxury watches. He was known to give watches as gifts, including to members of the British Armed Forces that helped him attain power as well as SAS soldiers for their contribution to the quelling of the Dhofar uprising in the 1970s. Other Khanjar watches were given as a token of appreciation for services rendered. Not only were the watches marked with the royal emblem, but they were often presented in custom boxes that also featured the Khanjar crest.

While the Sultan passed away in 2020, the watches he had stamped with his royal Khanjar crest are now a thriving part of the watch collecting space. Khanjar dials, particularly Rolex watches with Khanjar dials, are highly collectible among watch enthusiasts, valued multiple times those without the stamp.

Types of Khanjar Dials

Although all Khanjar dials will have the Omani royal crest with the J-shaped dagger and swords, there are some variations in color and designs.

Khanjar Dial Stamp Features, Color and Placement

For instance, while the most common color for the Khanjar stamp will be red, there are also variations in white and green. Interestingly, these are the colors of the Omani flag where red symbolizes battles against foreign invaders, white for peace, and green for the fertility of the land. There are also some ultra-rare variants with a gold Khanjar.

Some designs will include a royal crown above the dagger and sword emblem while others don’t. Finally, placements on the dial can vary: above 6 o’clock, below 12 o’clock, at 3 o’clock, or at 9 o’clock.

Khanjar Caseback Variations

Aside from Khanjar Dials, there are also some watches engraved with the Omani crest on the caseback — particularly modern Rolex watches. These watches with the Khanjar insignia on the back are commissioned via Khimji Ramdas, an Omani retailer that’s the authorized dealer of Rolex and Cartier.

Another Omani retailer that has permission to engrave the royal Khanjar insignia on the back of watches is Al-Qurum Jewellery, an authorized dealer of Patek Philippe and other high-end watch brands.

Khanjar dials delivered by Asprey of London will sometimes also have an “Asprey” engraved caseback.

Other Omani Stamped Dials

Closely related to the Khanjar dials but slightly different are the Qaboos stamped dials and the Omani police stamped dials with the Royal Oman Police insignia.

The Qaboos stamped dials feature a print of the signature of His Majesty Qaboos Bin Said, which is “Qaboos” in Arabic, generally in red or black. Some famous examples include vintage Sea-Dwellers ref. 1665 watches with a red Qaboos signature where the two lines of red text would normally be on a “Double Red Sea-Dweller.” According to vintage Rolex expert Daniel Bourn, these were commissioned by Sultan Qaboos via Asprey of London in the early 1970s to give to SAS troops that served during the Dhofar Rebellion.

A particularly rare Rolex dial from Oman is one intended for its police force and stamped with the Royal Oman Police logo. According to vintage watch expert Stefano Mazzariol, these are found on vintage Rolex GMT Ref. 16750 and Submariner Ref. 16800 watches.

Rolex Khanjar Dials

Of all the various watch brands available with Khanjar dials, Rolex Khanjar watches are some of the most well-known. Today, Khanjar Rolex watches, (as well as the related “Qaboos” Rolex examples) are some of the most collectible timepieces in the market.

While Rolex Day-Date and Datejust watches are the most common to find with Khanjar dials (apparently these were a favorite of the Sultan to gift to dignitaries, businessmen, and other notable people that served Oman in some fashion), there are also examples of Rolex sports watches such as the Daytona, GMT-Master, and Sea-Dweller stamped with the Omani Khanjar royal crest on the dial.

A few examples of vintage Rolex watches that have been stamped with Khanjar logos on their dials include:

• Datejust 1601
• Day-Date 1803
• Day-Date 18038
• Daytona 6265
• Daytona 6263
• Sea-Dweller 1665
• GMT-Master 1675

More on Unique Rolex Watches:
A Complete Guide to Every Special Rolex Dial Ever Produced
Rolex and Tudor Watches Only Meant for North America

Other Watches with Khanjar Dials

While it’s safe to assume that Rolex was the Sultan’s favorite watch brand judging by the number of Rolex watches with Khanjar dials he gifted to people, he also commissioned other high-end watches with his royal crest. Here are some examples:

• Patek Philippe Nautilus Khanjar
• Audemars Piguet Dress Watch Khanjar
• Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Khanjar
• Omega Constellation Khanjar
• Cartier Santos Khanjar
• IWC Dress Watch Khanjar

How Much is a Khanjar Watch?

Given their provenance, historical significance, and low production rate, it comes as no surprise that watches with Khanjar dials are much more expensive than the same references without the royal marking on the dials.

For example, a Rolex Day-Date Oysterquartz ref. 19018 with a Khanjar dial will cost around $70,000 while a regular dial variant would be valued at around $16,000 to $20,000. Similarly, a yellow gold Day-Date President ref. 18038 with a Khanjar dial is priced over $40,000 while the same reference with a standard dial would be priced at around $15,000 to $20,000.

Don’t Miss: How Much Does a Rolex Day-Date Cost? The Ultimate Rolex Day Date Price Guide

In short, Khanjar watches are highly collectible models that command high prices on the secondary market. Plus, remember that you can’t just walk into an authorized retailer and buy a Khanjar dial or Khanjar watch–you would either have to be given it by the Omani royal court or buy one from the secondary market.

Notable Khanjar Auction Results

Some of the most notable Khanjar watch auction results in recent years are as follows:

• Rolex Sea-Dweller 1665 Khanjar – Sold by Phillips in 2016 for HK$4,040,000 (approx. US $515,994)
• Rolex Daytona 6263 Khanjar – Sold by Phillips in 2018 for CHF1,212,500 (approx. US $1,354,329)
• Rolex Day-Date Rainbow 18059 Khanjar – Sold by Sotheby’s in 2022 for $1.3 million
• Patek Philippe Nautilus 3700/1 Khanjar – Sold by Monaco Legend Group in 2023 for €1.3 million (approx. US $1,416,675)

Further reading: The Most Expensive Rolex Watches Ever Sold: Listed By Model

If you ever come across a watch with a Khanjar logo on the dial or the caseback, you’ll now have a better understanding of its origin and status in the collector’s market. In short, these are royalty-commissioned watches that have become highly valuable thanks to the interest of many watch collectors.