Reference:1680: Difference between revisions

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=== Government and signature commission dials ===

Two named-signature commissions land on the 1680 dial. Both are scarce, both are documented, and both belong on this page rather than as floating market lore.

Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said commissioned a run of 1680s with his personal signature near six o'clock, ordered through Asprey London for presentation to dignitaries and senior officials. Phillips's "Royal Provenance: Four Exceptional 'Khanjar' Wristwatches" essay frames the broader Sultan-of-Oman commission program; Phillips Geneva FIVE 2017 lot 83 — a yellow-gold 1680 with Khanjar dial — anchors the high tier of the branch. Steel signature examples sit a tier below in the auction record. Ross Povey's ''Bourn in Oman: The Rolex Collection'' (Revolution, January 2023) traces the commission cadence through Asprey and Khimji Ramdas.

The Hafez al-Assad signature dial places the late President of Syria's name in red Arabic script above the depth wording. Sotheby's Dubai 2019 lot 97 sold a c.1988 Explorer II 16550 with the same signature, framing the Assad commission as a small batch spread across reference families; the 1680 examples are even rarer. Quill & Pad's coverage of provenance-laden Khanjar and signature dials raises the broader question of how to weight watches tied to politically heavy commissioners — a useful frame when handling Assad-signed examples in the market.

== Historical market and auction record ==

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 <span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
+<span id="government-and-signature-commission-dials"></span>
+=== Government and signature commission dials ===
+[[File:Ref 1680 government-oman-qaboos-signature.webp|thumb|right|220px|alt=1680 with Sultan Qaboos bin Said signature dial|1680 with Sultan Qaboos bin Said signature dial]]
+[[File:Ref 1680 government-syria-assad-signature.webp|thumb|right|220px|alt=1680 with Hafez al-Assad signature in red Arabic above 6 o'clock|1680 with Hafez al-Assad signature in red Arabic above 6 o'clock]]
+Two named-signature commissions land on the 1680 dial. Both are scarce, both are documented, and both belong on this page rather than as floating market lore.
+Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said commissioned a run of 1680s with his personal signature near six o'clock, ordered through Asprey London for presentation to dignitaries and senior officials. Phillips's "Royal Provenance: Four Exceptional 'Khanjar' Wristwatches" essay frames the broader Sultan-of-Oman commission program; Phillips Geneva FIVE 2017 lot 83 — a yellow-gold 1680 with Khanjar dial — anchors the high tier of the branch. Steel signature examples sit a tier below in the auction record. Ross Povey's ''Bourn in Oman: The Rolex Collection'' (Revolution, January 2023) traces the commission cadence through Asprey and Khimji Ramdas.
+The Hafez al-Assad signature dial places the late President of Syria's name in red Arabic script above the depth wording. Sotheby's Dubai 2019 lot 97 sold a c.1988 Explorer II 16550 with the same signature, framing the Assad commission as a small batch spread across reference families; the 1680 examples are even rarer. Quill & Pad's coverage of provenance-laden Khanjar and signature dials raises the broader question of how to weight watches tied to politically heavy commissioners — a useful frame when handling Assad-signed examples in the market.
 == Historical market and auction record ==