LEGACY
Fortune magazine quotes a hedge fund investor who owns about 20 Pateks: ‘I like that they are complicated but understated, and only the cognoscenti recognise them... I wear the same (watch) until our fund loses money, and then I switch’
HAND TO HAND
Owning a watch may be more about the future than it is about current time. It’s about passing on something with value and heritage. Words RICHARD WEBB
IT STARTED IN 1840 when the Polish watchmaker Antoine Norbert de Patek joined forces with French watchmaker Jean Adrien Philippe. In 1932 the Sterns family of Geneva bought the Patek Philippe brand. This unbroken 82 years of family ownership speaks directly of the stability and sense of timelessness at the core of Patek’s beliefs: namely, to create watches that will stand the test of time rather than to make a quick profit. This epic Swiss brand has measured over 175 contiguous years of portable timekeeping instruments, miniaturising the world of 17th century astronomy and placing it on the wrists of generations of discerning men and women. It’s that generational pull that sets Patek Philippe apart, because the brand fully understands the importance of family. The brand could easily market their exceptional products based on quality and heritage alone, however, this is not enough for the company whose mission statement is: ‘Lasting value is both material and emotional.’ Connecting with their ideal customer through the values of family has been further immortalised with its ‘Generations’ branding campaign, appealing to the
heartfelt aspirations of its consumers. At the centre of that strategy is their unforgettable campaign that led with the theme ‘You never actually own a Patek Philippe, you merely look after it for the next generation.’ Patek Philippe has developed some truly mouldbreaking limited edition ‘supercomplications’ like the Star Calibre 2000 and the Calibre 89. While these were destined for only a very few well-funded collectors, a glance at their range shows the brand to be much more inclusive, with many appealing watches in their collection, whether you’re 20 years old or 80. The DNA is more traditional, but its innovative horology has led to many world firsts – like the inclusion of perpetual calendars and minute repeaters, as well as 70 other patents. At the upper end of the universe is the Patek Philippe 6102P Sky Moon Celestial – also known as 6102P 001. Recently launched in rose gold at Geneva’s Baselworld watch and jewellery show, this large watch is not merely built for utility. The dial is crafted from layers of sapphire crystal. The first one creates the sky, with its lusty deep blue. The second one reveals the orbit and phases of the moon, and yet another, on top, reveals the stars and the luminosity of Sirius – the brightest star system of all the Earth’s nocturne sky – as if the stars are scattered into space by an unseen celestial hand. On the very top of the dial, on another layer, cardinal points identify the segment of the sky visible from Geneva. The skeletonised white-lacquered gold feuille hands call time to the sans-serif Roman numerals and each Sky Moon Celestial contains 301 individual hand-finished parts, which takes 18 months to reach completion. It transforms an expensive indulgence into a poignant bridge from one generation to another. The brand seems to suggest that we should remember to dream bigger, and the Sky Moon Celestial should be a great place to start. Ultimately, that’s what the current president of the company, Thierry Stern, is doing with the business. His father has passed Patek Philippe to him. Tradition is embedded deeply in the very identity of the brand and the lineage is likely to be repeated.
2015 P R I V A T E T I M E 1 7
17_patek_subbed.indd 17
2015/06/09 1:50 PM