Putting a Face On Time
By Blake Watson
Time has become the bad guy and the blinking digital marquis the holster. We say that we "don't have time" or that "we're rushing against the clock," and clocks are everywhere: in our cars, on ovens, microwaves, radios, TV, computer monitors and mobile phones.
Maybe that's why many people continue to opt for a wristwatch: it's an intimate way to watch time go by. Last year exports of luxury Swiss watches — considered the finest in the world — amounted to nearly $8 billion worldwide, and sales were up 3.7 percent in the U.S. The prestige watch buyer, who likes to measure the passing moments in unparalleled Swiss precision and style, wears a Patek Philippe.
"When you think of the watch industry, you have to think of it as a triangle," says GQ magazine editor Bill Prince. "At the bottom are the branded watches — mass-produced movements placed into casings for whoever needs to have a watch with their name on it. As you climb toward the pinnacle of the triangle, you get into better watches.
"When you come to the absolute zenith of the triangle, you find Patek Philippe. They have made astonishing contributions to wristwatch technology over the years. They have pretty much done everything inside a wristwatch that can be done."
Patek Philippe owns more than 70 patents that have literally shaped the evolution of the watch. Since 1839, Patek craftsmen and watchmakers have labored to produce mechanically perfect devices.
Tania Edwards, vice president of Patek Philippe USA, says the process of creating a Patek watch starts with two to four years of research and development. Production takes a minimum of nine months, and more complicated watches can take two years. The company spends another six weeks to three months testing each model before it's available for sale.
While Rolex mass produces its watches, making a million a year, Patek Philippe's annual production ranges from a handful of certain models to hundreds for others.
This rigorous attention to detail consistently earns Patek Philippe the highest mark of approval, the Geneva Seal. Instituted in 1886 by the Republic of Geneva in order to guarantee the origin and the craftsmanship of clocks and watches made in Geneva, the Geneva Seal is the highest official recognition of excellence in watch making.
This isn't surprising because Patek Philippe manufactures more of the watch than any other watchmaker in the world. It then builds almost every piece — even the tiny wheels, screws and bracelets — from raw materials.
Because every Patek Philippe watch is unique, the company can trace every watch it has ever made. Edwards describes the watches of some of the company's more celebrated aficionados: "Marie Curie's Patek Philippe pocket watch was decorated with a charming floral arrangement in front of an idyllic landscape. Albert Einstein's commissioned Patek featured large numerals on its dial to compensate for his poor eyesight."
Innovations — or complications — often happen in watchmaking because of special requests. Similar to a painting or sculpture, individuals have commissioned watches throughout history.
The two most complicated watches ever built originated in Patek's workshops. The Graves Supercomplication was commissioned by American financier Henry Graves in 1933 and includes a display of the night sky over New York City, a measurement of the sunrise and sunset and the equation of time which is the difference between Mean Time (a 24-hour clock) and solar time.
The Graves watch, which also chimes Westminster Chimes, sounding like Big Ben, features an orchestra of 24 complications encased in a simple gold case and holds the distinction of being the most expensive watch ever sold, commanding $11 million at auction in 1999.
The Graves watch remained the world's most complicated watch until 1989, when Patek Philippe created the Caliber 89 to celebrate the company's 150th anniversary. The Caliber 89 boasts a total of 33 complications, including the date of Easter through the year 2017, a celestial chart which graphically and accurately depicts the night sky, a split-second chronograph for the measurement of elapsed time in split seconds, and a Grand Sonnerie — four gongs that chime the time in hours, quarter hours and half hours.
A Patek Philippe watch such as a classic Calatrava costs around $11,000; a bracelet style runs about $20,000. Even though the company only uses the highest quality of materials in its watch design — 18- karat gold and flawless gemstones — Edwards says the inside of a Patek outshines the exterior. "The most expensive pieces are those with complications, not necessarily those made with gems."
The watches are sold at select fine jewelry stores and authorized Patek Philippe retailers, such as Tiffany. Occasionally, you might chance upon discounted used Pateks in other venues, but Edwards cautions against buying a watch that you cannot authenticate.
"When you buy something as expensive as a Patek, you want a guarantee that the watch is in perfect condition. The only way to ensure you are getting the genuine article is to purchase from an authorized dealer or from an auction house that can provide you with the watch's history."
To many collectors of prestige watches, passing a Patek Philippe down in the family is like putting a face on time. The watches are designed to last, so the numbering system allows Patek craftsmen to service each of its creations through generations.
Next: Choosing a Watch
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