The Overlooked Patek Philippe Reference 2451

Whenever I see the four numbers 2451, a regrettable memory always comes up.

Ten years ago, I once owned an exceptionally rare and beautifully preserved Ref. 2451. But, I simply did not have the knowledge or the eye for such beauty, so foolishly I let it go.

Many regard the 2451 as a lesser alternative to the far more famous Ref. 96. I probably would have agreed with that myself in the past. Today, however, I have come to realize that the 2451 has a charm that, in many respects, may even surpass that of the 96.

Its rarity, combined with its interesting proposition as a mini waterproof Calatrava, has made the 2451 one of the watches I have found myself coming back to a lot recently.

01. A Mini Waterproof Sports Watch

At first glance, the 2451 looks a lot like the steel Ref. 96. Both measure around 31 mm and feature slender, elegant downward-curving lugs.

Patek Philippe ref.2451 in Gold and Steel

Turn the watch over, however, and an entirely different character reveals itself. The screw-down waterproof caseback, with its crisp and angular geometry, gives the watch a far more robust presence.

In fact, the 2451 is perhaps better understood as a smaller version of the Ref. 2508 and 2509. Whereas those watches measure approximately 35 mm, the 2451 is essentially a miniature interpretation of the same idea.

Yet the 2451 is actually the rarer watch. Only a little over a dozen examples in steel are currently known. On the wrist, its smaller proportions also give me a stronger sense of what I would call an “elegant sports watch.”

One could also compare it with the Ref. 2545 or 2555. Their dimensions are closer, but compared with the integrated two-piece waterproof case construction of those references, the 2451 somehow feels less overtly “waterproof” and less explicitly “sporty.”

That, perhaps, is what makes the 2451 so fascinating.

It exists somewhere between categories, yet refuses to fit neatly into any of them. Call it a dress watch, and it lacks the almost scholarly refinement of the Ref. 96. Call it a sports watch because of its waterproof caseback, and the flowing elegance of the case immediately argues otherwise.

02. The Case

The case itself deserves closer attention.

It was produced by the legendary François Borgel, or FB, case manufacture. Borgel pioneered the two-piece waterproof watch case, an important development that significantly advanced water resistance in wristwatches.

The company was acquired by the Taubert family in 1924, although it continued to use the FB hallmark.

Patek Philippe worked extensively with the manufacturer. Beyond the aforementioned Ref. 2508 and 2509, several of the brand's best-known waterproof and sport-oriented watches are associated with Borgel/Taubert cases, including the celebrated Ref. 565 and the first waterproof chronograph, Ref. 1463.

Patek Philippe 2451 recessed bezel

The 2451 also has a particularly recognizable case detail: the bezel steps inward ever so slightly from the midcase.

I do not know whether this was originally designed to visually reduce the thickness created by the waterproof case construction, but the recessed bezel certainly gives the case greater visual depth.

The lugs of the 2451 extend straight out initially, forming a "scroll" shape at the ends.

The lugs of the 2451 are also similar to those of the steel 96, but not identical.

On the 2451, the lugs initially extend outward in a relatively straight line before terminating in a fuller curve. The transition along the lower edge from straight to curved is also more decisive, giving the tips a more pronounced “scroll-like” appearance. The result is simultaneously more refined and more assertive.

It is also worth noting that some steel Ref. 96 cases from the late 1940s and 1950s were manufactured by FB/Taubert as well, which explains why certain examples can have lug profiles quite similar to those of the 2451.

03. Steel Versus Gold

The Ref. 2451 was produced in three metals: yellow gold, pink gold, and stainless steel. I have been fortunate enough to acquire two examples.

Let’s begin with the steel watch.

It features crisp pencil hands against a dial that has developed a warm patina with age. The seconds track is reduced to twelve simple hour markers, giving the watch a clean and modern appearance.

The yellow-gold 2451, meanwhile, is preserved in extraordinary condition.

It almost feels as though it had been sealed away from time for seventy years. The moment I first handled it, I found it impossible to put down. So I bought it.

The case hallmarks remain remarkably sharp, while oxidation has transformed the surface of the gold into a deep reddish tone, almost resembling pink gold. The facets of the decagonal caseback remain crisp and untouched, as though the watch had never been opened.

 

With a watch preserved to this degree, I do not need a more interesting dial,so to speak, to be completely captivated.

All 2451s are time-only watches with subsidiary seconds. Among the more commonly seen dial configurations are pencil hands paired with baton hour markers, and feuille hands combined with Breguet numerals. The former feels sportier and more modern; the latter more classical and elegant.

For that reason, I personally feel that pencil hands are particularly well suited to the steel 2451.

I used to get caught into the hype of getting an oversized Calatrava in steel but now I know the mini version actually fits both my collecting philosophy and my wrist the best.