Linchpin of Time
Not to be assessed by his last name, Thierry Stern is a bit of a jester when you least expect it. The fourth-generation president of Patek Philippe indulged Samantha Lim with a tete-a-tete at the maison’s newly minted boutique in Kuala Lumpur
What complication is best suited to your lifestyle?
My wife! I’m kidding. It has to be the travel time complication because I travel often and everywhere; I need my two time zones so I always know the times in Geneva and whichever city I’m in.
What, in your opinion, makes a grand complication the ultimate luxury?
It’s easy to make one complication, but when you have to bring several together? We’re talking about over one thousand parts for some complications. If one wheel, spring or rotor doesn’t work, the watch will stop. That’s what makes it amazing—all these parts working together. In order to fabricate one wheel, most manufacturers in the industry take 14 different steps; at Patek Philippe, we have 40, and they’re all necessary because each part needs to be perfect.
Pocket watches are among Patek Philippe’s forte, although such timepieces are a novelty in Asia. How would you convince a watch enthusiast to expand his or her collection from wristwatches to pocket watches?
We don't have to. Our fans are knowledgeable people. Most of the time, they are existing collectors who say, ‘I’m ready for something exceptional’. An advantage about pocket watches is their bigger size, which allows us to add more complications.
Coined in 1997, Patek Philippe’s slogan is wildly successful. What are the watches you intend on passing on to the next generation?
Mine is a special case—i won’t be passing on just watches but the whole responsibility and ownership of Patek Philippe. That’s how it goes. If we’re strictly talking about watches, they will receive their first Patek at the age of 18, and as with cars, you don't give a Ferrari to an 18-year-old. To me it’s quite logical, but some people do. They have to start with the basics, so it would be an Aquanaut, a Nautilus or a Calatrava. Going back to the slogan, it suits us very well. The Uk-based agency travelled for three months to meet retailers, fans, clients and distributors before coming back with it. When we said, ‘That’s great. How did you come up with the idea?’, their response was, ‘We didn’t. Though people expressed the thought in different words, your company itself birthed the general belief’.
Instead of passing on a watch, another prudent move would be to put your timepieces on auction, where Patek Philippe timepieces are known to fetch jaw-dropping prices. What are your sentiments towards auctions?
Some customers have taken the liberty to inform us, ‘Listen, I’m selling my watch’. When we ask, ‘Any reason why?’ we find that most of the time, it’s because of poor luck, failing businesses or bad times. I’ve heard heartwarming stories of people who are able to start or save their businesses because they had the chance to sell a beautiful Patek Philippe for a very high value—i don't mind that. Auctions are also a good way for collectors to discover vintage watches.
Congratulations on the new adjunct building at Patek Philippe’s headquarters in Plan-les-ouates. Will it be open to media tours?
Oui, oui! It'll be finished by the end of 2018. Bring some good shoes, it’s enormous!