Patek Philippe is a watchmaking family business in Geneva, founded in 1839 by two Polish émigrés Antoni Patek and Franciszek Czapek under the name Patek, Czapek & Cie.
At the time of the company′s establishment, the workshop was mainly occupied by Poles, producing about 200 hours annually.
In 1845, due to disagreements, Czapek left the firm, which became known as Patek & Cie. The fateful meeting between Patek and the French watchmaker Jean-Adrien Philippe, the inventor of the keyless winding movement.
In 1851, Philippe becomes a full partner and the manufactory acquires its now famous name Patek Philippe & Co. The company has over 80 patents. In 1845, along with the creation of the first pocket watch with a minute hand, a patent for a keyless watch was registered.
In 1851, at the World′s Fair in London, Queen Victoria appreciated the watch without keys. The Queen of Great Britain purchased a turquoise pocket watch with a flower pattern in a rose-cut diamond.
"Time is the most valuable thing for a woman." Since its foundation, Patek Philippe watches have enjoyed the favor of women of the world. In 1850, Grand Duchess Catherine acquired a blue enamel watch, decorated with an elegant bouquet of roses.
In 1865, Infanta of Spain, Louise Fernanda de Bourbon expanded her collection with a sophisticated pocket watch with a retrograde perpetual calendar and moon phases. Their coat of arms with their spouse was engraved on the case.
In 1867, in honor of the 25th wedding anniversary, Queen Louise of Denmark bought a keyless pocket watch from Patek Philippe as a gift to her husband, King Christian IX of Denmark. The case back featured a miniature portrait of the Queen in enamel paints, while the front case featured a superb blue enamel and diamond design of their initials, intertwined with a ribbon under which were 6 gold stars.
In 1868, Patek Philippe created the first Swiss wristwatch, made especially for Countess Kossovich of Hungary. It was not a watch that was part of a bracelet, as it was before, but a specially created watch for the wrist.
Queen Isabella II of Spain, Queen of Portugal Maria Pia of Savoy, Queen of Serbia Draga Obrenovic also became happy owners of exquisite creations from Patek Philippe.
In 1916 Patek Philippe introduces the first sophisticated ladies′ wristwatch with a five-minute repeater.
The masters of the house of Geneva are constantly pushing the boundaries of watchmaking, developing ultra-modern technologies. More than 80 patents, including 20 critical to the history of watchmaking, are proof of his role as a pioneer. Patent for precision regulator, perpetual calendar mechanism for pocket watches, chronograph with double seconds.
In the 1920s, the house launched the first wristwatch with a double second hand and the first wristwatch with a perpetual calendar, which began to be produced on a regular basis.
In 1932, the company is acquired by two brothers Jean and Charles Stern (Jean and Charles Stern), the first model of the Calatrava collection is launched. Calatrava is a Catholic military order that existed in Spain in the 12-19 centuries, the symbol of which is the cross. The image of this cross is now the hallmark of the House of Patek Philippe.
In 1932-1933, the company took part in the so-called "watch competition" between the banker and the zealous collector of watches Henry Graves and the owner of the automobile company James Ward Packard for the possession of watches with the most complex movement. Patek patron Philip Henry Graves wins this competition, the craftsmen of the Geneva house created a real masterpiece of watchmaking - the pocket watch “Supercomplication”, which remains to this day the watch with the most complex movement.
In the 40-50s, the company registers patents for the balance sheet Gyromax, automatic winding, watches with time zones.
In 1956, the first fully electronic watch was released.
In the 70s and 80s, the new Ellipse, Nautilus Sports collections are launched, the company receives a patent for the 240 caliber, a long-term perpetual calendar with a retrograde hand.
In the 90s new collections Gondolo, Twenty-4 are presented, a patent is registered for an annual calendar, a factory indicator.
In 2001, the company presented a two-sided wristwatch Sky Moon Tourbillon with the most complicated movement to date, and in 2003 a 10-day wristwatch tourbillon. In 2005 Patek Phillip presents his new development: a silicon escape wheel for free escape. In 2006, another innovation was the watch with a silicon spiral Spiromax.
The production of premium timepieces is based on a philosophy of excellence that has been followed since the company was founded in 1839. As an independent company Patek Phillip recognizes only its own quality criteria, recognized by the world community of watch manufacturers as the most demanding. This independence affects absolute creative freedom. All movements are designed and manufactured within the walls of the watch house. Dedicated to the noble craft, watchmakers and craftsmen immortalize superb, timeless gestures, visual acuity and dexterity of touch. These skills, developed over the years, live in harmony with cutting edge technology.
Founders Anthony Patek and Adrian Philip had one goal - to design, manufacture and assemble the finest timepieces in the world. Today, quality and superior craftsmanship are the motto of the company, which recognizes its products as exclusive in their kind.