Artists of Time
The Patek Philippe exhibition in Singapore was an epic display of the Swiss watchmaking maison’s history, expertise, craftsmanship and tradition
Inside Patek Philippe’s Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Singapore
After Patek Philippe exhibitions in Dubai, Munich, London and New York – held in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2017 respectively – the Swiss watchmaker set up shop from September 28 to October 13, 2019, in Singapore. The exhibition enabled watch lovers from across the Asia- Paci c region to immerse themselves in the brand’s history, traditions and expertise, just as if they were visiting its historic salons on Geneva’s Rue du Rhône, its museum just a few streets away or its manufacture in the high- tech industrial suburb of Plan- les- Ouates.
To understand why its biennial exhibition is such a big deal for watch enthusiasts, it’s important to appreciate Patek’s signi cance to the world of horology. Founded as Patek, Czapek & Compagnie in 1839 by Antoine Norbert de Patek and François Czapek, it changed its name to Patek, Philippe & Cie when the watchmaker Jean Adrien Philippe joined its ranks in 1851. From the outset it focused on pushing the technical boundaries of watchmaking, an objective re ected in the large number of patents led by the company over the years.
So great did Patek’s reputation for complications become, in fact, that tycoons and magnates such as the American motor manufacturer James Ward Packard and the banker Henry Graves Jr commissioned unique pieces from the company that seem groundbreaking even today. Thus, whenever near- legendary pieces such as these appear for sale at auction, the competition to purchase them is intense. In fact, the Patek Philippe Graves Supercomplication, commissioned by the banker in 1933 as the world’s most
complicated watch, until recently held the record for the most expensive watch ever sold. When the hammer fell at Sotheby’s Geneva in November 2014, it sold for more than 23 million Swiss francs ( equivalent to more than HK$ 180 million at current exchange rates).
As well as its technical mastery, Patek also champions rare métiers d’art, often working closely with craftsmen and artisans on the decoration of its watches. From gem- setting to engraving and enamelling, techniques such as these make each piece unique to the point that even British monarchs and Russian emperors have owned a piece of the brand’s legacy.
Patek Philippe is also the last of the independent, family- owned Genevan manufactures, having been acquired by the Stern family in 1932. Bought by brothers Jean and Charles, it was passed down to the latter’s son Henri, who then passed it on to his son Philippe in 1993. Patek’s current president, Thierry Stern, was appointed in 2009.
Given the brand’s extraordinary history, technical mastery and artistic ingenuity, it was more or less inevitable that the exhibition in Singapore, which was held at the vast Marina Bay Sands resort, would be a huge success. Although a visit to the manufacture and museum in Switzerland can never be completely replicated, the show’s 10 themed rooms – which together occupied an area of more than 19,000 square feet – served as a more- thanadequate substitute.
They included a room that was inspired by the decor and appointments on the Rue du Rhône, where models from the current collection were on display, as well as a replica workshop where master watchmakers from the manufacture invited visitors to take a closer look at the inner workings of a mechanical timepiece. In another room dedicated to rare handcrafts, artisans demonstrated various techniques – especially enamelling – with wristwatches and table clocks.
A particular highlight was the display of notable pieces from the Patek Philippe Museum, including early portable timepieces from the mid- 16th century, technical timepieces created by the most gifted watchmakers in Europe, watches made for royalty – such as the one presented to Queen Victoria in 1851 – and some of Patek Philippe’s most celebrated supercomplications.
In short, the Patek Philippe exhibition in Singapore served as the perfect opportunity to discover not only why the brand sits at the very top of the luxury watch industry, but why its products are so universally coveted.