Many watch companies pride themselves on
beauty, elegance, and innovation,
but few can claim the prestige of having multiple wearers of
royal and celebrity
status.
Patek.com is a luxury watch brand that has a long history of providing
quality time pieces for those of class that demand excellence. Such a reputation
is not earned without a dedication to quality and innovation, two characteristics
that
Patek Phillipe excels in.
Luxury is Spoken in Many Languages
From Egypt to Hungary to the USA, Patik
Phillipe is worn by the elite all
over the world making it an international name to remember. Throughout the brand’s
history Patek Phillipe has proven its worth by receiving the most
powerful endorsement
that a luxury brand can acquire; to be worn by individuals that are well
known and respected.
As far back as 1851, Patek Phillipe watches have been recognized as an
elegant brand
with Queen Victoria of England admiring the world’s first keyless watches.
A little less than two decades later in 1868, Patek Phillipe created the
first Swiss
wristwatch for the Countess Koscowicz of Hungary. Some of the other royal
customers of Patek Phillipe include:
- - Hussein Kamel - The Sultan of Egypt from 1914-1917
- - Princess Louise of Denmark - Princess of Denmark from 1897-1906
- - Pope Pius IX - Longest reigning elected pope from 1846-1878
- - Pope Leo XIII- Oldest pope of the catholic church from 1878 to 1903, who
reigned until age 93
Although many big names that have worn Patek Phillipe watches have been in the past,
the watch company continues to impress in the twenty first century. To be specific,
Bradd Pitt is known to sport a
Patek Phillipe Nautilus, a watch that debuted in the 1970s when luxury
steel sport watches became popular. Brad was seen wearing his blue dial Nautilus
while donating his time and effort to the
Make it Right project in New Orleans.
A History of Patents
When viewing the long list of
innovations, firsts, and patents that Patek Phillipe has accomplished over the years,
it is no surprise that elite individuals turn to the
brand for their style and time-keeping
needs.
The company emphasizes research and development and quality control to ensure that
each watch that bears the
Patek Phillipe name is world-class. The company
operates each watch for 1200 hours, or 50 days, before it is ever sold to a customer.
It can take anywhere from three to five years to develop a
new watch model,
and sometimes as much as nine years in the case of the
Caliber 89. Like a
fine wine, Patek watches are given adequate time to
fully develop and mature into
the full flavor. In addition to having a department for development of new
watches, Patek has a department dedicated totally to the
research of new technologies
and materials.
With a business and design philosophy to create the most
innovative and unique watches,
Patek Phillipe
has been able to secure many industry firsts as well as patents. Below is a list
of a few of the company’s
many patents throughout its history:
- - Precision Regulator
- - Perpetual Calendar
- - Split
Seconds Chronograph
- - Gyromax Balance Wheel
- - Self Winding
Mechanisms
- - Time Zone Watches
These innovations have led the watchmaker to
break records for the most expensive
watches ever sold. In 1999, an ultra-complicated pocket watch that was made
for
Henry Graves Jr. was auctioned after his death for $11,000,000. Later
in the 2000s, the company sold the most expensive watch at Hong Kong Sotheby’s for
$1.49 million. On May 10, the company beat its own record and sold a
chronograph
wrist watch for $5.5 million in Geneva.
The company was started in 1839 by
Antoni Patek who handled the business
affairs and
Franciszek Czapek who designed the watches. The company was originally
called Patek, Czapek & Cie, but was later changed to Patek Phillipe and was bought
out by Charles and Jean Stern in 1932. Since then, the company has been family owned
and is on its
fourth generation with Thierry Stern as President.
