A nice IWC Ref 802A black dial, sold to Afghan Swiss Trading Company (ASTCO)
in 1970, made remarkable for the signature in Diwani script calligraphy of the
last King of Afghanistan Mohammed Zahir Shah.
Acquired at a shop in Kabul in Chicken St. in 2007.
Interesting place to shop in those days. I spent my time over at the rug bazar
area in west Kabul in those days. If I'd known there was anything this special
on Chicken St. I'd have gone there. There was the occasional fragging there
too.
Thanks for sharing an special piece .
The rug bazar was interesting and the shops at Chicken St. were full of
surprises, and this Quarter Repeater/Chronograph was another one.
Unfortunately not an IWC.
Unique timepiece
Very nice finds, thank you for showing
I would imagine this would have been an interesting 'haggle' when you bought
this on Chicken Street. WIsh I could have been there to watch.
What exactly is engraved on the back?
Nelson
Hi Nelson. There are no bargains there, thanks to the Internet. The asking
price is inflated and haggle is expected and follows a ritual over very sweet
green tea, in this case served in a glass of dubious cleanliness, but life in
South Asia is not for the faint hearted. When the price was finally agreed, I
left the shop with the sensation to have overpaid, and probably did.
The engraving on the case back is the name of the last King of Afghanistan,
Mohammed Zahir Shah, in Diwani style Arabic calligraphy.
