Launched in 1968 and stemming from Rolex’s acceptance of the idea that some of their customers would like to own a second watch, the Rolex Cellini collection is perhaps one of the brand’s most widely varied collections, with round leather strapped dress watches to oval shaped watches and tonneau-shaped pieces on integrated bracelets to rectangular-shaped dress watches like the Cellini ref. 4014 that we have here. Featuring an 18kt yellow gold rectangular case, the ref. 4014 is an unusual timepiece given Rolex’s typically reserved design language and the ref. 4014’s aesthetic similarity to watches like the Tank. Featuring a metallic finish dial in orange, this particular example lacks any hour markers or dial furniture that could be used to tell the time besides its applied Rolex coronet at 12 o’clock. However, marking it as a special piece indeed, this example does feature the Khanjar dagger at 9 o’clock, which designates this watch as belonging to the Sultanate of Oman after it was special ordered from Rolex by the Omani Royal Family to then be gifted or kept in the Royal Family’s collection.

Aesthetically exciting and historically important, this Khanjar Dagger-bearing ref. 4014 combines an already distinctive dial with one of watchmaking's most sought-after co-signatures.