Dubai-Alsharqiya October 20: The “Christie’s Dubai Online Watch Auction”, which can be participated in between October 5 and 19, will witness the presentation of a group of very precious and rare watches, the most prominent of which is a watch bearing the sign “a unique masterpiece”, as it sparkles with a wide, flat diamond. “Portrait” pieces add a charming sparkle to the blue dial with gold indexes and hands.
This timepiece is accompanied by a digital copy of the certificate of origin dated January 18, 1994. It is a unique watch from Patek Philippe made of 18-karat white gold and equipped with an interlocking bracelet and a case whose design takes the form of a sparkling diamond that covers the face of the dial with a bright touch, which makes the estimated value of this watch range from Between 1 and 2 million dollars.
About this watch, Remy Julia, Head of Watches for the Middle East, Africa and India at Christie’s, said: “Integrated into the design of this watch is one of the most prominent precious stones in the world, a flat diamond weighing 13.43 carats, which is the third largest known diamond in the world. The watch was given to one of Patek Philippe's customers who owned this charming diamond. He commissioned the Swiss house to implement it as part of the design of an exceptional watch in 1990, and after 4 years had passed, the watch was delivered to its owner.
The peculiarity of this watch lies in the use of diamonds to perform a specific function instead of just showing off their aesthetics. This situation applies to flat diamonds, which are known as “portrait” diamonds, the implementation of which requires high levels of craftsmanship and mastery in cutting gemstones.
This type of diamond gained its name from the nature of its use in protecting small “portraits” that adorned medals and necklaces in the period extending between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries.
This cut adds a bright sparkle to the flat face of the diamond, which enhances the clarity of the watch face as it allows more light to pass through compared to the crystal face. It crowns the blue dial with its mesmerizing lustre.
Among the rare pieces also included in this auction is a group of Rolex watches equipped with Arabic dials and gifted by Sultan Qaboos, the former ruler of the Sultanate of Oman. These watches were made in yellow gold and date back to the year 1974. Some of them bear the logo of the dagger, which is considered a national symbol in the Sultanate of Oman, while others bear the signature of “Qaboos.” The estimated value of each watch ranges between 35 and 55 thousand dollars.
