THE ESSENTIALS
MAKE: ROLEX
MODEL: 4112/8
YEAR: 1987
BOX/PAPERS: YES/YES
CASE DIAMETER: 32mm
CASE MATERIAL: 18K YELLOW GOLD
BRACELET MATERIAL: LEATHER
MOVEMENT: MANUAL WIND
I know we harp on about it at Fathom—the stories behind the watches we sell, if known, are as important as the watch itself. This watch may be small, but it is mighty and full of tales to tell.
In 1978, after nearly 15 years at the DWP in the City of London, Alan, a well-dressed and well-spoken (self-taught) man, decided to make a speculative application for a job at Buckingham Palace. As he expected, they responded with the usual, Sorry, no jobs at present, but agreed to keep in touch if any openings arose. Sure enough, an opportunity came up in 1979, and after impressing them with his charm and pleasant manner, he secured a job as the Queen's Junior Clerk. By 1987, he had worked his way up to Deputy Chief Clerk, working directly for the Queen.
As part of his job, Alan was responsible for what was known as Protocol, which involved planning the itinerary for state visits both overseas and within the UK. In late March 1987, King Fahd, the relatively new King of Saudi Arabia, visited the UK for a three-day state visit to meet the Queen and Margaret Thatcher. During this visit, Alan was presented with a watch bearing the Saudi emblem and the signature of King Khalid.
Throughout the rest of his career with the Royal Family, Alan travelled the world, assisting the Queen with her affairs while proudly wearing the watch. In 1994, he moved to The Dorchester Hotel as Head of Training until his retirement in 2009.
The watch itself is in superb condition—the case has never been polished. It still bears the scars of its jet-set life and had never been serviced until it came to us. The original leather strap is still with the watch, but we think the green Saffiano complements it perfectly—it is the Saudi colour, after all.
It is very rare to find these watches with any of their original accessories. Inside the outer Rolex box, which features the Saudi crest both inside and out, there is a small envelope addressed to Alan, containing personal cards written to him on behalf of the Saudi Royal Family. The tags, booklet, cloth, translation document, and papers are all still present.
The movement is running superbly at +4 s/d, 280 amps, with a beat error of 0.2 ms.
Hopefully, the next owner can rack up more air miles with this diminutive piece keeping them company.