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LEICA M6 Platinum Sultan
of Brunei 50th Birthday Edition, 1995
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The top-of-the-line model which was having
the best configured specification was the 150 units LEICA M6 Platinum-plated Sultan, Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam,
His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah 50th Birthday Edition. One of the highlights in this
model was, each of the numbered camera body came with a brilliance-cut Diamond planted
at the centre of the top plate. * Based on
the accompanied certification by Europen Geomological Laboratory, the natural diamond
used weighs 0.5 carat w/round briliannt cut spec and was used in all Leica's diamond
equipped series.
Well, I am not entirely sure if all these special M6 releases were meant as a door
gift for honorable, distinguished invited guests or simply it was to satisfy His
Majesty personal interest in an entirely personalized LEICA camera but this Leica
Platinum cum Diamond edition can be easily regarded as the most luxurious configured
M6 ever commissioned to Leica AG to manufacture. It is hard to determine the size
of the diamond via visual but it measures sizable in scale to be at least weights
beyond 1.5 carat. No info on who or which house was supplier of these precious stones
either, if not we could get some info from the source. The camera has two Royal emblems
engravings, one on the plated front lens cap as well as another engraved on the left
hand side of the top plate. The fine details in the two engravings on the metal structure
couldn't be human works, possibly high-tech works such as laser engravings. Each
of the camera body has the similar starting letter as used on the 1992's LEICA M6
Platinum-plated / M6
Gold-plated Silver Jubilee Edition,
which begins with "HB followed by 3 digit codes. This particular model has "HB
01x* ", possibly signifies number tenth unit where I think the Palace officials
could easily track who was the rightful guest who had received this particular unit.
Anyway, come to think of it, this could be embarrassing and no point pursuing further
as it was already given away gift. Besides, not all the guests have good taste for
collectible cameras or a Leica photographer, right ?
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NOTE: Spotted differences between the 1992's Platinum M6 Silver Jubilee Edition and this 1995 copy are:1) the top plate Jawi
written pattern has been changed to a Royal Crest; 2) the location of the previous
red-colored crest has been replaced with a Diamond. Platinum plated front metal lens
cap has the same Crest engraved. The rear section has engraving of the special birthday
occasion engraving.
The camera was supplied with a black presentation box and has the LEICA M6 LHSA 1968~1993 Edition kind of lock mechanism. Grayish silver imprinting of
an oversized emblem with "In Commemoration of the 50th Birthday of His Majesty
Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin
Waddaulah, Sultan Dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam" in old English
font / calligraphy type face.
<<<---
Bottom Picture: The rear section has the same calligraphy 15th July 1996 was engraved
(His Majesty, the Sultan's Birth date).
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| The lizard skin leather work appeared
to be al most similar to the previous 1992 model, but the leather has higher density
in the skinned work than the original LEICA M6 Platinum edition issued back in 1989.
The original photos appeared here show a heavy green tint and I have corrected them
closer back to original color which is supposed to be with a pinkish tint. No info
on the source what material is the leather work. |
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Recently one of the LEICA M6 with the same specification had surfaced in an EBAY
auction. I thought this may be another unit BUT after enlarging the photos as well
as reading the auction literature & description.. WOW.. this units was quite
special as it has a very unique S/N: HB-000 - the first unit of that batch ! The seller
(Foto Arsenal Worldwide, a very active camera dealer in collectible Leica) has this
quoted as introductory message in his auction:-
..... Ser.No.HB-000 ! This camera came
with Serial. No.000. Leica-Camera AG leave in Leica Museum and up to 2003 was property
of the Leica Museum in Solms Leica M6 platinum with ca. 2 karat diamond on the top
plate, never was in free sell, only view cameras made for Negara Brunei Darussalam
in special order of Sultan of Brunei, special high quality Diamond*s delivered directly
from Brunei! This camera with Ser. No. 000 Leica-Camera AG leave in Leica Museum
and up to 2003 was property of the Leica Museum in Solms ....".
Price? USD 93,499-00.
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Credit: Image courtesy of Photo_Arsenal-Worldwide® Germany. The Company also maintains
an active EBAY Store, trading many used and new photo equipment of various labels. Photo
Arsenal can be contacted at Photo Arsenal Boris Jamchtchik, Altenfurter Str.16a 90475
Nuernberg Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 911/ 4008081 E-Mail: ebayshop@arsenal-photo.com.
Arsenal has a office in Hong Kong, headed by Evan Wong. Address is: Ting Shan East
Selling-Office Unit 210, 2/f., Mirror Tower, 61 Mody Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong Phone:
+ 852/23126690 , fax. +852/23126691.Image(s) copyright © 2008. All rights reserved.
Please respect the visual property of the contributing photographer.
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previous
| Next | 2/2
The 2nd Edition Series of LEICA
M6 Platinum Sultan of Brunei 50th Birthday without the Diamond/Gold-plated
Any contributors of pictures/images or owner of the said models who can take pictures
of your priced collection for this mini library of M6 Series mdoels ?
Part 1 | Part 2 |
Relative: Leica M6 Gold Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, 1992
Leica
M6 HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand Golden Jubilee Edition |
Other related LEICA
M6 camera models issued in the same Platinum Finishing:-
Leica
M6 Platinum Dummy Set,
1989 | Leica M6 PLATINUM '150/75 Jahre', 1989
Leica M6 Platinum Sultan of Brunei Silver Jubilee Edition, 1992 | Leica
M6 Sultan of Brunei Special 50th Birthday Edition, Platinum w/diamond, 1995
Leica
M6 "Anton Bruckner" (1824~1996) Platinum Edition, 1996 |
Leica M6 Schmidt Platinum Centenary (100 Years), 1996
Leica M6 Platinum Henri Cartier Bresson / Louis Vuitton
One unit Special Edition, 1998
Leica
M6 Platinum "150 jahre Optik" Wetzlar Optisches Institute Edition, 1999
Main Index Page
- Leica M6-series models / Main Index Page - Leica-M Rangefinder
camera Models
Nomenclature / Main Reference Map for Leica M6 Standard Model(s) applicable to this M6 Platinum Edition | Others:-
Leica
M6 TTL Model(s)
Instruction Manuals:- Leica M6 Classic in PDF (3.8mb) applicable to this M6 Platinum Edition by Niels
H. S. Nielsen; Others:- Leica M6 TTL 3.6 Mb PDF) by Joe Chan
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Credit: Image(s) appeared herein awaiting for rightful owner and/or photographer
who took the pictures. Image Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved. Please respect
the visual property of the contributing photographer. The two photos of the aution
LEICA M6 Platinum w/diamond courtesy of Photo_Arsenal-Worldwide® Germany. The Company also maintains
an active EBAY Store, trading many used and new photo equipment of various labels. Photo
Aersenal can be contacted at Photo Arsenal Boris Jamchtchik, Altenfurter Str.16a
90475 Nuernberg Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 911/ 4008081 E-Mail: ebayshop@arsenal-photo.com.
Arsenal has a office in Hong Kong, headed by Evan Wong. Address is: Ting Shan East
Selling-Office Unit 210, 2/f., Mirror Tower, 61 Mody Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong Phone:
+ 852/23126690 , fax. +852/23126691.Image(s) copyright © 2008. All rights reserved.
Please respect the visual property of the contributing photographer.
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