UAE Army Crest Air King

[GMTLV]

Someone is offering to sell me a Rolex Air King with a UAE army Crest dial. Are these watches collectible? Do these dials command a premium?

Thank you for your help.

[mike]

Indeed they can be very collectable. I'm no expert on them, but there are those that have a keen eye, build collections around these types of dials, and are a vast resourse of information.

I do know this an area where you must be very sharp as these are some of the most heavily faked dials in the community.

[Dr.Brian]

Buy it and sell the dial to someone that wants one. If he wants a premium for a dial you don't want, I'd pass.

[AndersB]

There was a post about these kinds of dials not long ago (and there are probably several others too). Try searching for 'crest'.

[ROLEXUS]

Do some research on the batch of sea-dwellers with the Italian Police Diver's octopus logos on their dials.. serious cookies to buy one of those, although i agree with the above, as far as dial variation/logos go you really need to know your stuff before jumping in.

[GMTLV]

Thanks for the replies. I must admit I don't know much about vintage Rolex watches...
The person who is tying to sell me the watch is not claiming it to be collectible. He is marketing it as "just" an Air King (if anything, he believes that the crest reduces its value and he kept telling me that the watch's true value will only be appreciated by a UAE national). I think the seller got the watch from an Egyptian who use to work for the UAE army and who received the watch as a retirement gift.

Thanks!

[Sose]

Originally Posted by GMTLV

Thanks for the replies. I must admit I don't know much about vintage Rolex watches...
The person who is tying to sell me the watch is not claiming it to be collectible. He is marketing it as "just" an Air King (if anything, he believes that the crest reduces its value and he kept telling me that the watch's true value will only be appreciated by a UAE national). I think the seller got the watch from an Egyptian who use to work for the UAE army and who received the watch as a retirement gift.

Thanks!

As a retirement gift? And sold it? Maybe there's the answer right there. If a UAE national, who earned and deserved it, sold it... maybe he didn't think much of it.

[AndersB]

Originally Posted by GMTLV

I think the seller got the watch from an Egyptian who use to work for the UAE army and who received the watch as a retirement gift.

If there's any way you could get that verified (without insulting the seller) or even documented, it could add substantial value I suppose.

[AndersB]

I suppose you've checked this one out by now but in case you haven't: http://www.rolexforums.com/showthrea...ighlight=crest

A few expert comments there.

[Rolex Abu Dhabi]

fake dial. I think it is too late to warn you ..

[HL65]

Originally Posted by mike

Indeed they can be very collectable. I'm no expert on them, but there are those that have a keen eye, build collections around these types of dials, and are a vast resourse of information.

I do know this an area where you must be very sharp as these are some of the most heavily faked dials in the community.

X2

[mikkolopez]

there's a watch guy i know that only collects military watches or military inspired watches (and other military collectibles), to someone like him, that crest would be a collectible.

but for me i shy away from personalised watches, so i don't go for the crest (since I am not a UAE citizen) or engravings. i like my watches as "stock" with the only exception as bracelet or leather bands mods but the watch head stays as it is.

[tranny]

Thread is 1.5 years old, guys....