Antique Watches
Patek Philippe

Even ordinary watches, whether of the wrist or pocket variety, are complex instruments. Fine watches are extraordinarily complex instruments which require highly skilled, trained and dedicated craftsmen to design, produce and assemble them. Watches with multiple complications that do unusual and highly complex things are the ultimate watchmakers form and are produced by only the most competent manufacturers.

This initial series of videos will focus upon Patek Philippe & Co., one of the world’s finest and most accomplished of the premier Swiss watchmakers. In due time and based upon the availability of appropriate videos we intend to provide similar information about other highly accomplished manufacturers of superb quality watches as well.

Patek Philippe, located in Geneva, Switzerland, is a privately owned manufacturer of exceptionally fine pocket and wristwatches. Currently under the ownership and management of the father and son team Philippe and Thierry Stern, Patek Philippe has continuously manufactured watches since it’s founding in Geneva Switzerland as Patek, Czapek & Co. in 1839 by Polish watchmakers Antoine Norbert Patek and Franciszek Czapek. Patek and Czapek subsequently parted company in 1845. Patek then joined with Jean Adrien Philippe, a French watchmaker and inventor of the keyless stem-winding and setting mechanism and Vincent Gostowski, to establish Patek & Co. in 1851. In 1855 the name of the firm was changed to Patek Philippe & Co and continues today as Patek Philippe S.A..

Patek Philippe manufactured their first wristwatch, a key-wound watch with a brass bracelet, in 1868. Notable accomplishments have included the development and incorporation of the perpetual calendar, split-second hand, chronograph and minute repeater in watches. Patek Philippe has produced some highly notable watches, including both pocket-watches and wristwatches including, among others, the Graves pocket-watch and the Sky Moon Tourbillion platinum wristwatch. In 1989 they produced one of the crowning achievements of mechanical watch making, the Calibre 89, with 33 complications.

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