Faceted Crystal Vintage Watch Guide

quattro · 2024-12-15T10:21:36Z

Explore the Patek Philippe ref. 1593 and Vacheron Constantin ref. 4951 'hourglass' watches, featuring rare faceted crystals. A deep dive into vintage horology.

In this fascinating exploration, quattro delves into the distinctive allure of faceted crystals on two iconic rectangular references from the mid-1940s: the Patek Philippe ref. 1593 and the Vacheron Constantin ref. 4951. quattro meticulously showcases how these 'hourglass' watches, designed with crystals that intentionally distort the dial, offer a captivating interplay of light and form. His detailed comparison highlights the unique aesthetic and horological craftsmanship that define these vintage treasures.

I've had the desire for a while to put together the two rectangular faceted crystal references by Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin. Reading the post by watch-guy this morning gave me the final impulse.

Patek Philippe ref. 1593 & Vacheron Constantin ref. 4951 both come from the mid-1940s and were nicknamed "the hourglass" because of the shape of their case. But what interests me here is that they both have a faceted crystal, which follows, but doesn’t stick to the curvature of the case and which distorts the dial of the watch when viewed under different angles, creating an intriguing variation in shape and proportions.

Patek's ref. 1593 was designed by master casemaker Markowski. As for Vacheron's ref. 4951, I didn't find any specific information.

Here are just a few variants. Enjoy!

A/ Vacheron Constantin ref. 4951 with cal. 435/3C

1/ Pink gold & dual-tone dial

credit: sabiwatches

2/ Pink gold with silver dial

credit: romain réa

2/ Yellow gold (?) with Roman XII

credit: lorologiese

B/ Patek Philippe ref. 1593 with cal. 9-90

1/ Yellow gold

credit: Luxo time Firenze

credit: watches24.com

2/ Platinum with bracelet retailed by Serpico Y Laino, Caracas

credit: monaco legend auctions

Advertisement for the 1593 used on the cover of the book by John Reardon

credit: ad patina and quill & pad

Key Points from the Discussion

The prevalence of examples online with domed, non-faceted crystals suggests the extreme rarity and difficulty in sourcing original faceted crystals for these vintage references.
A collector shares a personal anecdote of owning the Vacheron Constantin ref. 4951 with the distinctive Roman XII dial, underscoring the appeal of these specific vintage models.

The Discussion

quattro

Dec 15, 2024

which leads me to think that replacement crystals are extremely hard to find...

quattro

Dec 15, 2024

the many examples online with a domed non-faceted crystal seem to indicate how hard to find the original crystals are...

EinPA

Dec 15, 2024

you don’t want to hunt down to replace!!

mblum3

Dec 15, 2024

Love them both. Had the Vacheron with the Roman twelve. Very interesting post. Thank you!

Cpt Scarlet

Dec 15, 2024

Flamboyant design and pure class on the wrist.

quattro

Dec 15, 2024

And lucky you to own the Roman XII Vacheron!

Key Points from the Discussion

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