The story behind Michael B. Jordan's rare "Hour Glass" Patek Philippe watch
Serious curves
HE MAY NOT have taken home a Golden Globe himself, but Sinners star Michael B. Jordan won what we believe to be an even better competition – the flex-iest watch of the evening: a rare and stunning Patek Philippe Reference 1593 from the 1940s.
The Ref. 1593 sits in a brief, interesting chapter of Patek Philippe’s history when the brand was exploring rectangular cases with some seriousness. Produced from the mid-’40s to the early ’50s, the watch is characterised by a case that narrows slightly in the middle before flaring at the lugs, giving it a hint of a figure eight configuration to the silhouette. Collectors later gave it the “Hour Glass” nickname, though it was never an official designation. But the name stuck, and is even used on resale websites for the IYKYK buyers.
Jordan’s particular piece appears to be made of platinum, a metal that Patek Philippe actually used rather sparingly during that era. The majority of Reference 1593 watches were produced in either yellow or rose gold, making platinum versions particularly coveted by those who prefer their watches rare. The silver dial is finished with diamond hour markers, a detail that was typically reserved for special orders.
Interestingly, a watch that looks almost exactly like this one sold at auction back in 2018 for approximately AUD$152k. There’s still one up for grabs at Christie’s for those keen to get their hands on a relative unicorn.
Powering the watch is Patek Philippe’s Calibre 9’’90, a manual-wind movement developed specifically for rectangular cases. In the ’40s, many shaped watches relied on modified round movements, often leading to awkward proportions. The 9’’90 avoided that compromise, allowing the case and movement to work together cleanly and sensibly.
What stands out about the watch in this context is how naturally it complements formal wear. In this case, Jordan’s brown Prada suit and shirt lent to the idea of simplicity offset by the juxtaposition of colour. The Patek added a nice bit of punctuation without stealing the show.
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