The History of Patek Philippe

If you say the name Patek Philippe in the presence of any watch collector, their ears will immediately prick up. While the brand is up there with Rolex, Cartier, and Omega for notoriety in the horological world, it also has a fascinating history of its own. In 1839, Francois Czapek and Antoni Patek went into partnership making pocket watches, with Patek leading the sales department and Czapek supervising watchmaking.

In 1845, the two went their separate ways after disagreements and on 15th May Patek & Co was set up, which eventually became Patek Philippe at the beginning of 1851. The watch company was made up of Antoni Patek and Adrien Philippe. Patek’s new partner had received a bronze award for keyless winding and hand-setting system at the Industrial Exposition in Paris in 1844.

Queen Victoria was a big fan of the work from Patek Philippe. In 1851, a keyless winding watch-pendant was presented to Queen Victoria by Patek Philippe at the Great Exhibition in London. This was an open-faced pocket watch with an enamel blue backing, set with old-cut diamonds that came together to create a bouquet of diamonds. The watch-pendant also came with a matching brooch so the Queen could pin it to her clothes and wear it as an accessory. So taken with this piece, Queen Victoria soon became a patron of the company, purchasing another similar watch-pendant that had been on display at the exhibition, and followed up by appointing Patek Philippe as the royal watch supplier.

The company became favoured by royalty and those of high-social status across Europe. In 1868, Patek Philippe produced the first Swiss wristwatch for Countess Koscowicz of Hungary. Initially, wristwatches were seen as feminine and as decorative pieces, more like jewellery rather than tools for timekeeping. The first mass-produced wristwatch was created by Girard-Perregaux for German Naval Officers in 1880. Even in 1916, the New York Times was still writing about how wristwatches were a female fashion accessory. However, times have most certainly changed since then.

In 1902, Patek Philippe patented the first ever double chronograph, and from there their ingenuity and passion kept growing. In this month’s auction, we have a Gent’s 18ct gold Patek Philippe wristwatch with a white porcelain dial, roman numerals, and leather strap. This is a classic and timeless piece that would be a perfect fit in anyone's collection.