Vintage Zodiac Automatic Ladies Watch Muammar Gaddafi Libya Portrait Dial 1980s

About this watch

A ladies' Zodiac automatic with a white dial featuring a colour portrait of Muammar Gaddafi in his red beret above a colourful commemorative emblem, black Roman numerals, gold-tone markers, the Zodiac logo and a date window at 3 o'clock. The 28mm stainless-steel case, approx. 9mm thick, has a gold-tone bezel and a screw-down back, and flows into an integrated stainless-steel bracelet with Zodiac-signed folding clasp.

Muammar Gaddafi ruled Libya from 1969 until 2011. During his decades in power, watches bearing his portrait were made by several well-known Swiss houses, usually in small numbers and associated with presentation pieces, which gives them a unique place where watch collecting meets 20th-century political history. Portrait-dial watches of this kind are rare today and are sought after by collectors of Middle Eastern and North African historical pieces.

Brand heritage

Zodiac was founded in Le Locle, Switzerland, in 1882 by Ariste Calame. The firm became known for robust, well-built sports watches, launching the Sea Wolf in 1953 as one of the first purpose-built dive watches offered to the public, and in the late 1960s the space-age Astrographic. Zodiac's reputation for reliable Swiss automatic watches made it a natural choice for special-order dials in the Middle East and North Africa.

Why this one is special

• Rare Muammar Gaddafi portrait dial from a recognised Swiss maker
• A genuine piece of 20th-century North African political history
• Swiss automatic movement with date
• Integrated two-tone case and steel bracelet in classic 1980s style

Specifications

• Brand: Zodiac (Swiss Made)
• Era: 1980s
• Movement: mechanical automatic
• Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date
• Case: stainless steel with gold-tone bezel, 28 mm, approx. 9 mm thick, screw back
• Dial: white with portrait and emblem, Roman numerals
• Bracelet: stainless steel, 14 mm, Zodiac-signed folding clasp

Condition

Good vintage condition with light signs of age, including some spotting on the dial and wear to the gold-tone bezel, as shown. Please review all photos carefully, as they form part of the description.

Working at time of listing.

What's included

The watch only. No box or papers.

Shipping & Returns

Ships from Cairo, Egypt. Please see the shipping and returns details in this listing.