Patek Philippe is considered to be one of the three most prestigious luxury Swiss watch brands in the world. The company was founded in Geneva is 1851 by the Polish watchmaker Antoni Patek and the French watchmaker Adrien Philippe. Together Patek and Philippe created world’s first perpetual calendar complication, chronograph, “slipping spring” winding system, split-seconds hand, as well as a minute repeater complication in wristwatches.
In many ways Patek and Philippe were pioneers in the world of watchmaking. Their revolutionary contributions to the craft, exquisite designs, and attention to detail earned the company some of the most notable and well known patrons. In 1865 Maria Pia, Queen of Portugal became the first royal patron of Patek Philippe by purchasing a pocket watch reference number 66492.
In 1868 Patek Philippe designed the first Swiss wristwatch for Countess Koscewicz of Hungry. The stunning rectangular case of this watch set perpendicular to the bracelet. The watch houses a baguette movement, is adorned with a diamond floral design surrounded by gold filigree. The face of the watch is protected by a golden lid in a shape of a peon with a large diamond as its center. This timepiece not only set the bar for the rest of the wrist timepieces of the era but also forever defined the standards to which all other jewelry watches are held.
The company spent the next sixty years being the leader of innovation in the watchmaking industry worldwide. In 1905 Patek Philippe surprised the world yet again by creating one of the most complicated pocket watch movements.
James Ward Packard, an American automobile engineer commissioned Patek Philippe to create a watch with 10 complications. The company created a double-faced timepiece with the reverse side of the watch accurately displaying over five hundred stars perfectly calculated over Packard’s birthplace Warren, Ohio. Over the next thirty years James Ward Packard remained a loyal customer of Patek Philippe commissioning over 10 timepieces with multiple complications.
For the rest of the 20th century Patek Philippe continued to grow, innovate, and patent their revolutionary creations.
In 1989, Patek Philippe celebrated their 150th anniversary with the creation of the most complicated watch which remains unrivaled to this day. Caliber 89 took six years create with over 2000 drawings. Caliber 89 features a fully functional astronomy charts and a recurring Easter date. It took 2 years for the final watch to be assembled. This is not the smallest timepiece in the world. Caliber 89 is a double-faced watch, about the size of a palm and about 4.5 inches thick.
Patek Philippe is the leader in luxury Swiss watches. Their history of innovation, attention to detail, and master craftsmanship are just a few of the key selling points of their watches. Patek Philippe designs are timeless, classic, and elegant. Although they may not be some of the most opulent watches out there, what they lack in shine and fire, they make up in beauty, linage, precision, and tradition.
Wearing a Patek Philippe watch is a true status symbol that speaks to those who truly know and appreciate luxury. This is a watch for those who are serious about the fine details of their image and are not concerned about looking “flashy”.
Ermitage Jewelers is proud of our collection of vintage and modern Patek Philippe watches. All of our watches have been carefully examined, maintained, and repaired (if needed) by our master watchmaker who respects the quality and the heritage of these fine timepieces. All of our watches are only repaired with authentic, brand specific parts in order to maintain the integrity and value of the timepiece.
At Ermitage Jewelers nothing is more important than our customer’s satisfaction. Which is why we offer a one year limited warranty on all of your luxury Swiss watch purchases and a 10 day money back guarantee. When you purchase a Patek Philippe watch from us, you can rest assured that it will be taken care of by the best in the business even after it leaves our store.
At Ermitage Jewelers we buy, sell, and trade luxury Swiss watches. If you have a Patek Philippe you would like to sell or upgrade to a new watch, bring it to us. We offer some of the most competitive prices in the region.
Browse our extensive collection of Patek Philippe watches or stop by our convenient Atlanta location to find your very own piece of watchmaking history and the ultimate status symbol.