Patek Philippe | An Interview with the Honorary Chairman - The 175-Year History of Patek Philippe
Gallery

Patek Philippe | An Interview with the Honorary Chairman - The 175-Year History of Patek Philippe

Philippe Stern, Honorary President of Patek Philippe S.A.
This January, marking the company's 175th anniversary, the exhibition "Patek Philippe: Timepieces Through History" was held at Meiji Jingu Gaien.
In Britain, at the height of its glory, Queen Victoria reigned supreme. In 1851, at the world's first International Exposition held in London, a pendant watch the color of her eyes, royal blue, was presented to the Queen.
Philippe Stern, Honorary President, has spent over 40 years meticulously collecting items for the museum. "It's impossible to choose special models," he says, looking at the Duke of Regla pocket watch, one of the exhibits. "I have over 1,500 pieces."
The "Patek Philippe: Timepieces Through History" exhibition showcased approximately 90 museum pieces, including models favored by royalty and great figures from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, timepieces with complex mechanisms, and those adorned with beautiful, intricate traditional craftsmanship.
The singing bird automaton, a favorite not only of European royalty but also of Chinese emperors. Patek Philippe also produced these intricate clocks where birds chirp and flap their wings.
In 1868, Patek Philippe created a watch with a modern concept: the wristwatch, the first ever made by a Swiss watchmaker.
A pendant watch, inspired by a beautiful garden, was gifted to Marie Curie, the Polish physicist and chemist.
Philippe Stern and his wife, Gerdi. As the head of the restoration project for the Patek Philippe Museum, she oversaw the renovation and decoration of the Art Deco building, designated a cultural heritage site by the city of Geneva. The project took approximately two years and the museum opened in 2001.
The Patek Philippe Museum, located in Geneva, Switzerland.
/

Patek Philippe: An Interview with the Honorary President on 175 Years of History

Back to Article