The now defunct Rolex Cellini collection wasn't exactly the middle of the horological party the last couple of years. Sitting behind the Oyster-cased sport stars in the catalogue the Cellini was more of a dressy afterthought than a well-designed collector's dream. That bit of diversity to cater to the man lusting for a black-tie-event Rolex piece... But that wasn't always the case. The Cellini collection was introduced in 1968 at a time when the merit of a one-watch-for-all-purposes clashed with the reality of the economic boom. Having more than a one-watch-collection was a marketing stunt developed during these years and the niche the Cellini was developed for.
November 27, 2024
Cellini Renaissance - Rolex's 1970s Interpretation of the Octagon
Marcus Siems @siemswatches
Collector, Author, Data Analyst
The now defunct Rolex Cellini collection wasn't exactly the middle of the horological party the last couple of years. Sitting behind the Oyster-cased sport stars in the catalogue the Cellini was more of a dressy afterthought than a well-designed collector's dream. That bit of diversity to cater to the man lusting for a black-tie-event Rolex piece...
But that wasn't always the case. The Cellini collection was introduced in 1968 at a time when the merit of a one-watch-for-all-purposes clashed with the reality of the economic boom. Having more than a one-watch-collection was a marketing stunt developed during these years and the niche the Cellini was developed for.
"Gold's Finest Hour - The Benvenuto Cellini Collection By Rolex" - A testament to bringing the classicist design language into the horological world. Advertorial Courtesy of HIFI Archiv.
And it was during these early years that Rolex still took the heir to the namesake Renaissance sculptor and goldsmith - Benvenuto Cellini - very very seriously. Many of the models were inspired by Greek/Roman architecture, mythology and the classicist shapes. In other words: Unheard of and unseen horological designs that distinguished the Rolex dress watch from the market the same way the Oyster did 40 years prior.
The early direction of the collection clearly came on the heels of Gerald Gentas "King Midas" from 1962 (WBL guide [here]) and in a variety of distinct styles. One particularly recognizable is the "Octagon" - a collection of pieces all sharing an octagonal bezel and that special integrated bracelet feeling...
The Rolex Cellini "Octagon" ref. 4350 in white gold with navy blue dial. That's a special dress watch! Photo Courtesy of Goldammer Archives.
1) The Design
Introduced in 1976 the "Octagon" came in numerous variations but the framework stayed the same: A 26.5mm x 36mm 3-body case with snap-on case-back at just 6.3mm height and the defining eight-facet bezel with (in the classic execution) Roman numerals at 3-6-9-12.
The cases were manufactured outside of Rolex with the renowned La-Chaux de Fonds case maker 'Favre & Perret' (hammerhead hallmark #115) and came in yellow gold (most prevalently, ~80-90%), white gold or bicolored white/yellow gold (the rarest material combination). And even though the President style bracelet - made by Rolex - looks integrated it is attached to the case with classic spring bars. They are powered by the manually wound cal. 1601 (rarely later with cal. 1602).
The case was made by Fare & Perret and the bracelet by Rolex. Even though it might look like an integrated bracelet it is actually attached by (short) spring bars. Photo Goldammer Archives.
2) The References
However, as already stunning as the 'vanilla Octagon' is the beauty of these pieces stems from the numerous variations you can find out there. You can already distinguish 13 references, all with their unique traits. Interestingly, apart from a few even more exotic pieces, all of them appear to have been produced in two main batches in 1976 (4.32-4.37 Mio) and 1981 (6.90-6.94 Mio) and we're speaking probably of an overall production in the very few thousands.
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| Reference | Bezel | Bracelet | Prod. Range |
| 4350 | Roman + Marker | Gold | 4.32 - 4.37 Mio; 6.90 - 6.94 Mio |
| 4351 | Roman + white enamel | Gold | 6.944 Mio |
| 4352 | Roman + red enamel (?) | Gold | ??? |
| 4353 | Roman + blue enamel | Gold | 6.941 - 6.944 Mio |
| 4354* Onyx | Roman + black enamel | Gold (+ Diamonds) | 6.932 - 6.939 Mio |
| 4355 | Hobnail | Gold | W01, L70 series |
| 4650 | Diamond, 1 row | Gold | 4.33 - 4.36 Mio; 6.92 Mio |
| 4651 | Diamond, 2 rows | Gold | 4.327 - 4.370 Mio; 6.941 Mio |
| 4652 | Diamond, 2 rows (54) | Gold + Diamond | 4.365 - 4.370 Mio; 4.900 - 4.981 Mio; 6.90 - 6.919 Mio |
| 4951 | Large Diamonds (32) | Gold (+ Octopus) | 6.916 - 6.944 Mio; W02, N46 series |
| 5151 | Bicolored, VI-XII | Bicolor | 9.41 Mio; 9.722 Mio |
| 4055 | Ruby or Diamond Edge | Gold | 4.332 Mio |
| 5083 | Sapphire | Gold | 6.943 Mio |
Table 1. Overview of the 13 Rolex Cellini Octagon references. * potentially available in red, blue & black.
Figure 1. Overview over the vintage Rolex Cellini Octagon references from 1976 - 1990s. Photos Courtesy of Christie's, Antiquorum, Eppli, Ineichen, Goldammer, Windsor Finery, Archiwatch, Rago Arts, Menta Watches, & The Keystone.
The immense variety in references is only surpassed in the sheer amount of different dial and gem combinations... Most of these pieces come with yellow-on-yellow gold dials but the cornucopia ranges over various colors - red, blue, black, white. On top you can add diamond accents, diamond pave and gemstone combinations as well as lapis lazuli, onyx and burlwood to the list. Generally, most dials won't feature any hour markers on the dial but some executions can display 3-6-9 baton markers.
3) The Sultanate of Oman
Interestingly, as rare as these pieces are, we've seen quite a few coming to market that have been linked to the Sultanate of Oman. Of the about 60 Cellini Octagon examples I've identified at least 6 of them were directly linked to the Royal house -four with the Khanjar dagger in sheath over crossed swords, and two with the additional crown over the Khanjar on the caseback ([this] & [this]; indicating the watch being a more exclusive gift, compare [here]). The Sultan was an avid watch collector and giver and most of the pieces bearing the crest were commissioned through Asprey in London.
Three Rolex Cellini Octagon examples bearing the Khanjar - the Royal Crest of the Sultanate of Oman - on the dial. Photos Courtesy of Christie's.
4) The Conclusion
What a stunning lineup! Rolex just nailed these early Cellini creations and stayed extremely true to the name and the vision of what the Cellini can be in an evolving market of high-end luxury. We simply can't compare the "Octagon" to what came towards the end of the Cellini - when it appears that the collection lost its focus, its purpose, its raison d'etre. Looking a good 50 years back there's such a clear message brought forward through the Cellini that simply got missing along the way, or that was maybe watered down through too many different iterations...
1981 Rolex Cellini advertisement - "Renaissance Art, Rolex Craftsmanship". Courtesy of HIFI Archiv.
I really don't want to bring about the message "in the past all used to be better", but what I want to make clear is that the name and collection "Cellini" stand for something we may have forgotten today. It is not the black sheep, the stepchild collection we think of now. It was so much more. To me the Cellini models of the 1970s and 80s were potentially as forward-thinking as the original Oyster.
Yes, you see correctly. A 1981 Rolex Cellini ref. 4951 with 32 brilliant cut diamonds and the elusive "Octopus" bracelet. Photo Courtesy of Bulang & Sons.
Right now we are just starting to re-appreciate the lavish jewelry-esque creations of the Swiss watchmaking workshops of the 1970s. Piaget historically spearheaded this movement, and the 'Holy Trinity' followed. But this might be the one and only time we're underestimating and forgetting the influence and creativity of Rolex.
Isn't that almost comical? The brand that defined the tool-watch genre and made it their own can't be recognized for anything else. The halo irradiating from the Submariner, GMT, Explorer and Daytona might simply be too bright to look beyond. But that's the reason the Cellini "Octagon" deserves the spotlight, at least this one time...
You can also learn more about the history and appreciation of the Cellini collection through Felix Goldammer's video back from 2022.
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