Royal Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi spotted wearing a Rolex

Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman and a figure well known in Gulf royal circles for refined taste, was recently spotted wearing a Rolex Day-Date ref. 18239 featuring a 'Coral Red' stone dial — a combination that ranks among the rarest in all of vintage Rolex collecting. The sighting, shared on social media, drew immediate attention from the horological community.

The Rolex Day-Date ref. 18239 was produced from 1988 through the early 2000s, representing the second major generation of the Day-Date line. It retains the iconic 36mm case — in this instance crafted in 18k white gold — and houses the calibre 3155 movement, a self-winding manufacture ebauche beating at 28,800 vph with a Glucydur balance, Microstella regulating system, and a 48-hour power reserve. The movement was considered state-of-the-art for its era and remains highly reliable. Its sapphire crystal replaced the earlier acrylic, and the fluted bezel in white gold gives the piece its unmistakable presidential gravitas.

What elevates this particular ref. 18239 into a category of its own is the coral stone dial. Rolex sourced natural coral — a protected and increasingly scarce organic material — to produce a limited number of dials during the late quartz and early mechanical renaissance era. Because coral is a biological formation, no two specimens share the same color distribution, veining, or depth of hue. The 'Coral Red' designation refers to the warm, saturated crimson-orange that characterizes the finest examples. Authenticating these dials requires expert examination, and finding one in unworn condition is genuinely exceptional.

Sheikh Ammar's affinity for high-complication and rare-dial Rolex pieces is consistent with the collecting culture prevalent among Gulf royalty, where watches serve as both personal expression and diplomatic currency. Wearing a vintage ref. 18239 rather than a contemporary platinum Day-Date signals a connoisseur's preference for rarity over modernity.

On the grey market, a Rolex Day-Date ref. 18239 with a verified coral stone dial commands values well north of six figures. The current market estimate for this specific configuration sits at approximately $175,000 USD, reflecting both the scarcity of the dial material and the sustained global demand for exceptional Day-Date variants. No retail equivalent exists — Rolex no longer produces coral dials.