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A fresh to the market find that will blow your mind: factory bling 222 'Jumbo' in white gold, from the family of the original owner. The story of the 222 goes back to the 1970s. At the time, the Swiss watch industry experienced important changes, among which the introduction of an entirely new category of watches: the stainless steel luxury sports watch with integrated bracelets. The Gerald Genta designed Audemars Piguet Royal Oak that was released in 1972 was the progenitor of them all. Patek and IWC followed in 1976 with the Nautilus and the Ingenieur SL, both designed by Genta as well. Vacheron Constantin followed suit in 1977 with the introduction of the ‘222’ to celebrate the company’s 222nd birthday. Unlike the earlier three brands, Vacheron Constantin did not turn to Gerald Genta but opted to enlist Jörg Hysek, an upcoming designer, to envision a new watch. Hysek employed the same basic design language found in Genta’s creations: an ultra-thin cushion shaped case with broad shoulders and an integrated flat-link bracelet with large geometric center links. The distinctive serrated screw-down bezel and stamped Maltese cross on the lower-right corner of the case, however, clearly set the design apart from its Genta-designed forebears. The 222 was produced for just seven years and came out in three sizes: this ‘Jumbo’ version -in 37 mm- being the most coveted. The production numbers were divided among steel, two-tone, yellow & white gold executions, totalling up to 700 pieces. Only a handful were crafted in the last mentioned material. The ones known carry sub reference 44518, which is a variety -with diamond set bezel -of the 44018. The case and bracelet remain strong with the gold hallmarks clearly visible. Besides the bezel, we can also find 11 brilliant cut diamonds on the satin-finished grey dial. According to the original papers, the carat weight totals up to 0.56, divided into 60 stones. Another interesting aspect of this dial, as opposed to the more common varieties with baton markers, it does not feature a minute track with hash marks. Furthermore, since there is no lume on the indices, the handset used is different and more elegant: faceted dauphine hands. The periphery of the dial has some slight imperfections and the surface has aged over time, resulting in minor blistering. The 222 is powered by the ultra-thin caliber 1121 automatic movement, itself based on Jaeger-LeCoultre’s legendary caliber 920 that can also be found in the original Nautilus and Royal Oak references. This historically important model surely experienced a surge of renewed interest due to the 2022 reboot. But only true connoisseurs will choose the real vintage one. But before people like Brad Pitt found out about this beauty, some 40 years ago a timepiece aficionado from Colombia ordered this special execution. This renowned gentleman acquired numerous uncommon examples from multiple brands, including Vacheron. After his daughter reached out to us to sell this specimen, we asked her about the backstory. She explained that her father travelled to Geneva on the 9th of September In 1982, to pick up his special order, for the agreed 10'000 Dollar. Vacheron Constantin honoured their word regarding the price, but mentioned to him that the project turned out to be costlier than they had expected. Over the years he proudly wore his beloved 222 and kept the box and all documents. We are very grateful to the family of the original owner, who trusted us with this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Vacheron Constantin 44518 'Jumbo 222'

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A unique specimen from the Parisienne house; Cartier and executed in white gold. The Cartier Cheich, known for its four brethren being designed to celebrate the victors of the famous and dangerous rally; The Paris Dakar Rally or 'The Dakar'. Inspired by the Tuareg men's headscarf which also happens to be the logo of the Dakar Rally itself. This difficult and challenging race used to start in Paris, France and would end in Dakar, Senegal. With Paris being the home to the most renowned jewellers in history, Jacques Diltoer (creative director of Cartier), decided to draw up this design. The CEO of this French company, Dominique Perrin, came up with the idea of the "Cartier-challenge". In the unlikely event that someone were to win it back-to-back, he or she was gifted one of these magnificent creations. This incredible feat was only accomplished once and thus there are mere four specimens total in existence: the one won by Rahier, the successor that was crafted in case someone would win consecutive races again, a smaller one with diamond setting for the ladies race and one for Thierry Sabine, the founder of Dakar. Sadly there has never been a second winner of the Cartier-challenge, which seized to exist after Rahier death after a helicopter crash, so the 2 remaining Cheichs reside in Cartiers archive. The one from Sabine is believed to be lost forever. However, there is a fifth one almost no-one knew about. This one. Created for, arguably, the most important collector of white metal Cartiers: Giorgio Seragnoli in 2010 as it also mentions on the case-back. He was lucky enough to be granted the opportunity to bring this stunning design back to live; yet in his personally preferred metal. Sadly mister Seragnoli could never collect the watch due to bankruptcy. However someone lucky got the opportunity to collect this dream creation.

Cartier Cheich

There are many sub-references of specific bejewelled executions amongst the 5 digit Day-Date's, the elusive 18068 has to be one of our favourites. When does a watch deserve the moniker "elusive" you ask? Well, after extensive research, we were able to track down merely 7 examples of this rare bird; 5 of which have been publicly sold on auction. This particular timepiece realised an auction result of over half a million euro (close to the high-estimate) when it hammered at Christie's in 2022. What makes it so exceptionally valuable and coveted? The use of gemstones isn't necessarily an oddity in the Rolex line-up. Especially during the 80's many Day-Dates rolled out of the factory with some bling. But there are levels to it, and the "Crown Collection" is about as glamorous as it gets. The Ruby-set bezel is decisive for it to be an 18068. It features 44 square cut Rubies. Only very few Rolex models ever saw the light of day with this intriguing stone embellishing the bezel. It doesn't stop there with the red corundums as the hour-markers have brilliant cut ones, and baguette shaped for the 6 and 9 o'clock position. A perfect balance with the day and date, which for this special execution, are carried out in a matching tone. The dial itself is intricately set in a pavé-style. To increase visibility for reading the time -against this flashy background- a black handset is mounted. The Rolex brandname and coronet are added on the inside of the sapphire crystal. The bracelet is a no-nonsense President, with a date stamp corresponding to the production period of the watch: 1983. The historical retail value of this exact configuration was more than quintuple a "regular Day-Date" as it was one of the costliest offerings at a humongous price tag of 50.350 USD. No wonder the watch has been carefully enjoyed by the previous owner. The appeal of rare examples, combined with ostentatious aesthetics, aren't for the novice collectors; but unquestionably charms some of the most esteemed aficionados in the Day-Date space.

Rolex Day-Date 18068 'Ruby Pave'

Rolex Datejust 6305-1 'Red Depth'

Contrary to what most people think, the Cartier Crash was not inspired by Salvador Dali's melting clocks in the 'Persistence of Memory'. The accepted story is that either a Cartier executive (many people say the Cartier manager of that time) or a client was involved in a very bad car accident. He or she probably wore a Cartier Baignoire Allongee or Maxi Ovale. Due to the fire ensued by the crash, the watch melted which changed its shape. The remains of this watch became the blueprint for the Cartier Crash. The first Cartier Crash was released in 1967 in London. Through the decades, it has only been launched in limited batches. Initially, the production of this model took place in London but in 1991 production was taken over by Cartier Paris and a re-edition was introduced: the Cartier Crash Paris. The re-edition was smaller measuring just 38 mm as opposed to 43 mm and displayed 'Paris' above the 6-hour position instead of 'London'. While it received resistance in the beginning, the Crash has become a cult classic and recently was embraced by the pop-culture as it has been graciously flaunted by the likes of Kanye West, Kim Kardashian and Tyler the Creator. Allow me to enlighten how we managed to get a hold of such a memorable and complete example of this elusive model. Our crew went on a culinary trip to Florence previous summer and shared our experience via our Instagram account. Somebody reached out via DM to let us know he lives nearby and has a watch he wanted to show us. Little did we know his father was the owner of an all original, LNOS Crash! After meeting up with the family over some coffee and pastries, we managed to take home this incredible keepsake. After a full service at Cartier -It haven't had a service since the gentleman purchased it some 30 years ago- and some new boots (green Cartier croc strap) we are happy to present this exceptionally well-preserved Crash.

Cartier Crash

Crafted in a bygone era, this Rolex Daytona Reference 6262 from 1970 has gracefully withstood the test of time. The condition, for its age, is an ode to the meticulous care and reverence it has received over the years. Every facet of this watch has been preserved with utmost devotion, allowing it to retain its charm and functionality. This particular dial has a subtle, barely noticeable stripe between the 9 and 6 o'clock subdials. However, most importantly the tritium lume plots are perfectly intact, original and creamy colored, matching to the hands precisely. The riveted Oyster bracelet 7205 is stamped 1970. One of the most distinguishing features of this Rolex Daytona is its iconic 'Paul Newman' dial. Introduced as an extra dial option with art-deco design features and an overall different look, dubbed by Rolex as the 'Exotic' dial. Obviously, it's better known today for its unofficial nickname. The Reference 6262 is the second iteration of the Daytona with the 'Exotic' dial option and was only produced for one year (1970 until 1971). And as much as it looks identical, from the outside, as its predecessor there are quite a few changes on the inside. The upgraded Valjoux 727 movement for example. The base 722 found in the 6239 beats at 18,000 vibrations per hour, whilst the new 727 runs at 21,600 beats per hour. A stunning watch that fits perfectly in our exclusive selection of watches at Collectors Gallery Dubai.

Rolex Daytona 6262 'Paul Newman'

A 'Star Marker' dial or also referred to as a 'Stelline' is a dial that makes every vintage watch collectors' eyes sparkle. Pun intended. What we see here is the Rolex Oyster Perpetual reference 6098. It is the second reference to come out with a 'Star Marker' dial after the 6024. There is one earlier reference 2075 which is rumored to have a prototype 'Star Marker' dial and is owned by the great collector John Goldberger. There are two iterations of the reference 6098, either with a black glossy dial or with a white 'Honeycomb' dial such as ours. There are rumored that only 8 of these white dialed 'Stelline' OP's 6098 exist. So to say this piece is rare, is an understatement. Our watch is from 1953 and is sits in the 36mm Oyster case, same case that was used for the famous reference 6062. It is run by the 'Gilt' caliber A260 automatic movement. Hence the word 'Perpetual'. We at Collectors Gallery Dubai are proud to have sourced such a sought after and legendary piece. Here to offer all of you a glimpse and closer look.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 'Stelline' 6098

One of the first Rolex Submariner references ever! The watch dates back to 1954 and is executed with the highly sought-after 3-6-9 'Explorer' dial. This watch is also known as the 'Big Crown' as it has the larger crown. Furthermore, it has the Mercedes hands and collectible lollipop seconds hand. Around 300 pieces were made, but so far only 20 have surfaces the market making it one of the most collectible Submariner executions out there.

Rolex Submariner 6200 'King Sub'

This is stealth-wealth. The Datejust was primarily made in steel as it was and has always been an entry-level model. Therefore, precious metal Datejusts are rare. Especially, the ones made in white gold like this 16019 from 1983. The 16019 was not very popular back in the day, as it looked very similar to an 'ordinary' steel Datejust, yet it required a way larger sum of money. To make it even more low-key, this one was ordered on a white gold Oyster bracelet instead of the more conventional President bracelet. The bracelet alone is exceedingly rare! To spice it up just a little, this beautiful watch has a dial made from dark burl wood that has complex twists, spirals and swirls which give it a unique and mesmerising pattern.

Rolex Datejust 16019 'Wood'

The Tank à Guichets was introduced in 1928. Back then, this mechanical jumping hour wrist watch was already an odd one out. Hence, it was only produced in a very limited quantity. Only in 1996 Cartier re-released a 3-piece set, in 1997 a 150-piece platinum version was launched and finally, in 2005 the 100-piece rose gold model was born. The 18k rose gold, brushed case of this 2817 measures 26 x 37 mm. Don't be fooled by the size! This solid block of metal with just two apertures maintains great wrist presence. Fun fact: jazz icon Duke Ellington had the old model.

Cartier Tank À Guichets 2817

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak with perpetual calendar complication and dial made from Mother of Pearl with diamond indices. Rare example in good condition with a flawless dial and minor signs of wear on the bracelet. Watch dates back to 1986 and comes with an official Audemars Piguet Extract from the Archives.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 25554 'MoP'

One of the most beautiful watches Patek Philippe has ever produced. It has a split seconds chronograph and perpetual calendar complication. The watch is made from 950 platinum and has diamond indices. It dates back to 2006 and comes as a full set with all accessories.

Patek Philippe Grand Complications 5004P

This 18k yellow gold Rolex Day-Date has a beautiful, vibrant Lapis Lazuli dial. The stone has an even spread of inclusions of pyrite making it very bright and clear. It's in pristine condition; a good case, a sharp bezel, thick lugs, a tight President bracelet, and obviously a flawless dial. It dates back to 1979. A true collector's piece!

Rolex Day-Date 18038 'Lapis'

This Rolex Day-Date from 1987 carries reference 18038 and has a cacholong dial. Cacholong is a form of opal and has a warm and creamy tone. It has a factory-set diamond index and a 'Swiss' only sign below the 6-hour position. The watch remains in excellent condition and has a thick case, a sharp bezel and a tight bracelet.

Rolex Day-Date 18038 'Cacholong'

This Royal Oak with perpetual calendar function was made especially for the Chinese market. It was released in a limited batch of 88 pieces since the number 8 symbolises prosperity in Chinese culture. The case measures 41 mm in diameter, which is quite large, but because the watch is fully made in titanium it wears lightly on the wrist. This Royal Oak dates back to 2020 and comes as a full set.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Quantième Perpétuel 26609TI 'China Edition'

The 3800 is the midsize (37.5 mm) version of the 'Jumbo' Nautilus. The 3800/103 was produced in a very limited quantity during the '80s and '90s. The bezel of this sub reference has 40 brilliant-cut diamonds set by Patek Philippe. The dial has a smooth, champagne coloured centre which is ringed by a pavé string of diamonds and ruby hour markers. The case and bracelet of this beautiful watch have developed gold patina, which is a brownish layer of corrosion on the surface of the material. It's often a consequence of exposure to air and humidity. This is the kind of things that make a vintage watch unique and something that aficionados look for.

Patek Philippe Nautilus 3800/103 'Ruby'

Probably the best Patek Philippe dress watch ever made. A perpetual calendar chronograph executed in platinum with the perfect size of 36 mm. The watch dates back to the year 2002 and comes with its original box and papers.

Patek Philippe Grand Complications 3970EP

A beautiful Rolex Day-Date from 1994. This watch has a vibrant, blue Aventurine dial, which is a stone. To top it off, the hour markers are factory-set with diamonds. The reference of this Day-Date is 18338 meaning it has factory-set diamonds on the lugs. It is in pristine condition and comes on a President bracelet with minimal wear.

Rolex Day-Date 18338 'Aventurine'

This Rolex Day-Date with reference 18238 has a grossular dial. Grossular is a gemstone that belongs to the minerals. It occurs in a variety of colours like brown, yellow and red. This is the red version. However, when exposed to sunlight, it's not only red but it also shows beautiful sparkles - amplified by the pinball diamond indices - and even some pink shades. The watch dates back to 1990 and is in good condition.

Rolex Day-Date 18238 'Grossular Pinball'

The Tank Asymétrique came out in 1936. Because of its case design, the position of the watch on the wrist would be upright. This made it very convenient and easy to read the time when having your hand on the steering wheel. The 1936 version of this driver's watch was revived in 1996. Cartier's released 300 yellow gold and 100 platinum pieces in its Collection Privée. All watches from this special line of Cartier, have a dial made from 18k gold with a layer on top that has a very detailed guilloché engraving. This weird, but lovely and unique, watch is made from 18k yellow gold, measures 23 x 34 mm and is powered by a manual winding movement.

Cartier Tank Asymétrique

When people think of the Onyx dial, they think of a clean black one. Just a few people know that Rolex also made Onyx dials with diamond hour markers. The shape of these diamonds and the way they are set is called 'Pinball'. To make it even more special, this example has Mandarin Chinese day and date discs. The watch is in excellent condition and dates back to 1991.

Rolex Day-Date 18238 'Onyx Pinball'

Diamonds all over the place on this 18k yellow gold 'midsize' Nautilus 3800/5. The watch dates back to 1983, has a case diameter of 37.5 mm and comes with its Extract from the Archives mentioning the factory diamond setting on the bracelet, bezel and gold dial.

Patek Philippe Nautilus 3800/5

Rolex Datejust with a black Onyx dial. This 16018 is in pristine condition with a probably unpolished case, very sharp bezel and tight Jubilee bracelet. The dial is clean and flawless.

Rolex Datejust 16018 'Onyx'

A beautiful looking, automatic, perpetual calendar dress watch from Audemars Piguet. Executed in 18k rose gold dating back to the year 1991. The watch is serviced by AP and is accommodated with its Extract from the Archives.

Audemars Piguet Quantième Perpétuel 25657OR

Ready for your next exploration? We've got you covered. This Rolex Explorer II, reference 1655, dates back to 1981 and features a fifth series matte black dial with painted tritium indexes. The Rolex Explorer II was made to address one very specific problem. As you may have noticed it features an extra orange colored 24-hour hand, which is referred to as the 'Freccione' or 'Big Arrow' and next to that it also has an engraved 24-hour scaled bezel, which is the original one; unlike many other online offerings with service replacements installed. This way the lucky explorer can prevent losing all notion of time by being able to distinguish night from day during his or hers explorations to the far North where the sun might not pop up for months on end.All that goodness is fitted into an Oyster case which measures in at a perfect 38 mm. As a result, the watch sits perfectly on any wrist and wears extremely well. Every aspect of this watch is in excellent condition. The case is still very sharp and the period correct Oyster bracelet with folding clasp has almost no stretch. The 1655 runs on Rolex caliber 1575 automatic movement. It comes as a full set with inner and outer box. We're glad to be offering it to its next explorer in 2023.

Rolex Explorer 1655 'Freccione' Mk5

The 1990s saw the arrival of smart-casual and business-casual clothing in the workplace. The Patek Philippe Aquanaut—which drew inspiration from the smaller 3800 Nautilus—was launched in 1997 as the quintessential watch for this era: it was suitable for diving and other sporty activities but could be worn equally well in the boardroom. The Aquanaut bears a striking resemblance to the Nautilus with its porthole-inspired octagonal bezel and with alternating satin-brushed and polished finishes. Nevertheless, it has a uniquely sporty look thanks to the rubber strap and the matching embossed black dial. The very first Aquanaut, the ref. 5060 was introduced in 1997. Its successor, the 5065 'Jumbo' with its 38 mm sized stainless steel case followed just one year later in 1998. This 5065 dates back to 2000 and comes with a black dial, painted hour markers, and 18K white gold applied Arabic indices. The ref. 5065 features a date window on the edge of the dial at the 3 o’clock position and a straight end green rubber strap. On later references, the date window was moved to the left, sacrificing the number ‘3’ index, and a curved rubber strap that hugs the case was introduced. But we love the reference 5065 especially because of these no-nonsense prototype details. This 5065 is in great condition and comes with an extract from the Patek Philippe archives.

Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5065

The exceptionally rare 3800 Nautilus' with factory diamond settings are amongst of the most mouth-watering pieces ever made by the maison, and only very few have been executed in white gold. Patek Philippe introduced the ref. 3800 as the midsize brother of the original 3700 Nautilus, clocking in at a diameter of 37.5 mm. The 3800 wasn’t just a shrunken Nautilus, but introduced some important improvements vis-à-vis its big brother. For instance, the 3800 was the first Nautilus to feature an in-house automatic movement: the caliber 335 SC. Unlike the ‘Jumbo’ Nautilus, the 3800 also came with a central seconds hand (as indicated by the “SC”, which stands for seconde centrale). While this might seem like a minute (pun intended) detail, the sweeping seconds adds loads of dynamism to the original Nautilus’ rather static dial. The ref. 3800/3 is an uncommon sub-reference of the 3800 that features a sumptuous diamond set bezel and index. Typically most precious-metal midsize models are executed in yellow gold. Only a dozen 3800/3 in white gold ever surfaced. Albeit this being the third we have had the pleasure of owning, this is the only one in this exact configuration. The dial is nothing to sneeze at. Executed in cream-colored lacquer, it provides a pleasing warm counterweight to the coolness of the white gold. The traditional baton markers on the dial are traded for factory-set brilliant cut diamonds, while two printed Greek sigmas (“σ swiss σ”) at the six o’clock position indicate that the hands and the chatons holding the diamonds are made of 18k gold. Inside the handset we find a slightly discoloured tritium inlay.

Patek Philippe Nautilus 3800/3G 'Diamonds'

Vintage Rolex Datejust from 1977 with a mesmerising Lapis Lazuli dial and rivet Oyster bracelet. Dials made from fancy stones are synonymous with the Rolex Day-Date since this has always been the most prestigious, extravagant and luxurious model in the line-up. However, some people were more fond of the cleaner appearance of a Datejust. Since it doesn't have the day aperture, you get more stone for your money. These watches are rare and especially when they are paired with a non-typical bracelet like this one, it truly is a unique piece.

Rolex Datejust 1601 'Lapis'

This highly sought-after Daytona carries reference 6265 and dates back to the year 1983. The watch is executed with a pristine looking, matte black dial and is powered by the Valjoux-based, manual winding caliber 727.

Rolex Daytona 6265 '18K Yellow Gold'

The 6263 has been the most popular vintage Daytona reference for over decades. This one is executed in 18k yellow gold with a perfectly matching 'Champagne' dial. The watch dates back to the year 1983 and is powered by the Valjoux based, manual winding caliber 727.

Rolex Daytona 6263 '18K Yellow Gold'

This rare and beautiful watch dates back to 2005, which was the year of introduction for this reference. One year later, the 3712 got discontinued and was followed up by the 5712. It is in new condition and comes as a full set.

Patek Philippe Nautilus 3712/1A

The spider-lug case by Wenger, the raised enamel lettering on the dial and the chronograph movement; the idiosyncratic ref. 1579 is so damn good. Already introduced in 1943, yet 80 years later this tantalizing case design hasn't been used ever since. This 3-piece construction, made by Wenger for Patek Philippe, sports 'Spider legs". Fancy lugs and a chronograph function is not a common combination in the rich history of Patek Philippe. Together with its thick bezel and rather large diameter (36mm), it makes for a very seductive timepiece. When it was discontinued in 1964, only 470 examples have been made, divided over multiple metals. Ours is carried out in 18K yellow gold. By the dial it can be divided in two series, this one being of the second generation; having pyramid indices with Arabic 12 + 6 and feuille hands. Arguably aesthetically more pleasing than the earlier series as the faceted hands and ditto lugs work so well together. Our specimen has a wonderfully kept dial that elegantly shows its age but remains crisp and bright with strong raised enamel lettering. The chronograph hand and minute counter are blued and provide a nice contrast to the creamy dial finish. The cal. 13" manual winding chronograph inside is a workhorse and ready to display and measure time for many more decades to come. A movement fitting for such a grant Patek Philippe, dating to 1951, as confirmed by the extract of the archives. Additionally it is supplied with a Patek Philippe crocodile leather strap and yellow-gold PP buckle.

Patek Philippe Chronograph 1579 'Second Series'

The see-through dial and case back from this Audemars Piguet show the beautifully finished perpetual calendar movement caliber 2120. There are only 205 examples of this reference of which 94 are in yellow gold. The watch has an 18k yellow gold case and comes on a funky green leather strap with an 18k yellow gold Audemars Piguet deployment clasp. The watch is in excellent condition and dates back to 1993.

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