Biography
Ahmed Al-Maadheed is a self-taught Qatari artist with a background in animation and graphic design, who signs his work AAM. His practice joins traditional Arabic calligraphy with modern illustration, in clean lines and balanced compositions.
In 2017 his portrait Tamim Al Majd, a silhouette of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani paired with Arabic calligraphy, became a national symbol of unity in Qatar. It travelled from his own social media onto posters, flags and walls across the country, and he presented the original design to the Emir as a gift. He has since designed official cultural mascots and spoken about his creative journey at Qatar National Library.
The Art
Ahmed’s work is built on contrast: the discipline of Arabic letterforms set against the freedom of illustration. Strong silhouettes, confident line and bold colour carry the themes closest to him: identity, belonging and pride in Qatar.
His compositions are made to be read at a glance, often resting on a single outline or gesture. That clarity is what made his work a natural fit for the dial, where it keeps its strength at just a few centimetres across.
The Collection
Ten designs, each limited to 50 pieces. Allocations for every design are now closed.
Splendore Unique’s collaboration with Ahmed Al-Maadheed reinterpreted his artwork as dials for the Rolex DateJust 41, released between August and September 2020. Each design was precision printed onto the dial, carrying the strokes and textures of his original artwork. Ten designs were released, from Home, the Qatari peninsula traced in maroon, to Respect, the piece photographed for the collaboration’s campaign. Each design was limited to 50 pieces, and every order counted towards that edition, whether the collector chose the dial alone or the complete watch.
