Royalty

Antoine Norbert de Patek

Adrien Philippe

In 1998, the magazine Robb Report published in its "best of the best" edition what watch connoisseurs had known for a long time: Patek Philippe was elected as the best watchmaker (followed, incidentally by Jaeger-LeCoultre, Audemars Piguet, Girard-Perregaux, and Vacheron Constantin -- swallow that, Rolex!). What does it take to be the best? For the Robb people, things like brand-recognition and value retention were extremely important, but ask any watchmaker, as I have done many times! It is not merely prestige or fame, but excellent workmanship and respect for the values and traditions of the craft.

To appreciate fully what distinguishes a Patek Philippe watch from others one must go back in time. It was in the sixteenth century that the rich culture of watchmaking first took root in Geneva. Much more than mere craftsmen, the city's early watchmakers were driven by an almost fanatical zeal to pursue beauty and perfection for their own sake. Kept alive through successive generation, this ethic of "pure" watchmaking was the foundation upon which Antoine Norbert de Patek started his business in 1839. He was joined a few years later by watchmaker Adrien Philippe. In a short time, this partnership changed the history of watchmaking, introducing innovations, numerous patents, such as the crown winding and setting mechanism, and setting records for mechanical movement precision, which remain unbroken. Not surprisingly, the company's reputation was soon established among discerning individuals who appreciate "the world's finest and most valuable watches."

Timeless elegance, impeccable craftsmanship, a marriage of superior technology and aesthetics, all of the qualities we admire in a great work of art come together in the superior creations by Patek Philippe. Add too much, take too much away, and the effect is ruined. This is the rudimentary principle in the creation of a work of art, as it was understood and practiced by the giants in the field from Phidias to Michelangelo and Rodin. What could better summarize the qualities of a Patek Philippe at its best? The famous Calatrava family perfectly exemplifies the principle "less is more." Above are three examples of this, the most classical line in Patek Philippe's repertoire. If pressed which one to pick as my favorite, I would probably opt for the one on the left, but change my mind two minutes later!

On the extreme right is a watch that illustrates a recent trend in watches: this is Patek's contribution to making the field of women's watches more interesting. Traditionally, women's watches were primarily jewelry-oriented (ho-hum!), but lately, some interesting complications have popped up. This beautiful little moonphase is solely designed for women. With its fashionable dial, cabochon sapphire on the winding crown that matches the color of the moonphase dial, and crocodile bracelet, it is a symphony of understatement and the embodiment of haute horlogerie and style.

In 1996, Patek Philippe's Annual Calendar won the "Watch of the Year" award. Recently, the brand introduced a new mix of complications to the original men's timepiece. The new version (reference 5036) adds a moon-phase and a power-reserve indicator as well as a distinctive gold bracelet created especially for this timepiece. Self-adjusting for months of different lengths (except February), the Annual Calendar need be set once a year by pressing a push-piece in the case. The date is displayed in a window while the days and months are shown on subsidiary dials. The date, day, month and lunar phases can all be corrected independently by push-pieces in the case. The power-reserve indicator at 12 o'clock shows how many hours the movement will run if the watch is off the wrist. The winding rotor of the caliber 315 automatic movement keeps the power reserve up to 48 hours. The moon, which advances every 24 hours, follows the real moon quite accurately, taking over 122 years to vary a single day.

Repeating mechanisms that chime the hour upon demand were already special in pocket watches, but it is extremely difficult to incorporate the action in the much smaller case of a wristwatch. This is why repeating wristwatches belong to the most sought-after (and expensive) timepieces. A wristwatch that also has a perpetual calendar is one of the miracles of watchmaking, which is why most watch enthusiasts would give anything for a masterpiece like the Patek on the left. As for the insides, one of the supreme guaranties of excellence in watchmaking is the Geneva Seal, which is embossed on the movement. To receive it, a watchmaker has to adhere to strict rules in the making and finishing of the movement. Today, Patek Philippe is the only manufacturer to routinely submit all of its mechanical movements for endorsement with the Seal of Geneva. The other models above are a perpetual calendar chronograph and Patek's classic perpetual calendar.

Two of the recent products of the brand include the minute repeater on the left with an amazingly thin movement, and the moon-phase, date and power-reserve indicator model in stainless steel (!!) on the right. The integrated complications of the moon-phase, analog date and power-reserve indicator add just 1.45 mm to the ultra-slim automatic movement to achieve an overall height of 3.98 mm. The complications are integrated with Patek Philippe's ultra-thin calibre 240 self-winding movement that has a decentralized mini-rotor set into the baseplate. This unique construction puts the small seconds-hand at 4 o'clock to give a new perspective to the layout of the dial. The case, on a crocodile strap with a patented folding clasp, is water-resistant to 25 meters.

I must admit that while I certainly belong to the admirers of Patek Philippe, my interest in their watches has always been somewhat academic or even aloof. Perhaps it was always the realization that their exquisite creations will perpetually be beyond my reach so that my admiration will always be from afar. Therefore, just to round out the picture moderately, I am including three other makes on the page, perhaps in the roguish attempt to take some of the mystique away. What I said about Patek could equally be said about these watches, a Vacheron-Constantin from the series "Les Historiques," yet another Audemars Piguet, the stunning tourbillon in the middle, and the amazing Perpetual Ludwig Chronometer, a complication by Ulysse Nardin.