News 
After Dubai and Munich, Patek Philippe installed its Watch Art exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London. On the fringes of educational and family days, the event was an resounding success.
From 27 May to 7 June, around 25,000 visitors of all types and ages thronged to the Saatchi Gallery in London to discover the world of Patek Philippe. Two special days - one an «Education Day» intended to inform the public and introduce them to the world of horology, the other a «Family Day» which focused on families through a series of targeted activities - contributed to the success of the exhibition. Eager to discover watchmaking old and new, the English came to learn more about the 400 or more exceptional timepieces on show in the gallery, presented in the context of fifteen different themes.
The brand, meticulous in its organisation of the exhibition, left nothing to chance. Every space was designed to immerse the visitor in a typical ambience, such as the Patek Philippe Lounges in Geneva or the brand’s own Museum. Lighting, music and fragrances helped to reconstruct these landmarks of Geneva. After crossing the threshold, the public was invited to watch two films, one exploring the workshops of the manufacture, the other detailing the history of the firm, which celebrated its 175th anniversary last year.
The space recreating the Patek Philippe Lounges in Geneva presented the current collection in its totality in a characteristic setting, with Geneva’s legendary Water Fountain as its backdrop. The space dedicated to the Patek Philippe Museum showcased 105 exceptional timepieces, all specially chosen, dating from 1839 to the present day, including the first watch designed by Czapek. A room devoted entirely to complications allowed visitors to admire perpetual calendars, minute-repeaters, chronometers, tourbillons and, last but not least, the Star Caliber 2000. Created to mark the new millennium, this movement features no fewer than 21 complications and has 1,118 parts. The many calibres designed by the firm were also on show in a room where swivel panels afforded visitors views of the piece from front and rear.
The brand’s 175th anniversary was marked by the presentation of several commemorative timepieces including the Grandmaster Chime, the most complex wristwatch ever made in Patek Philippe workshops, offering twenty complications, one of its special features is that it can be worn either side up, thanks to an ingenious system of invisible rotation. For this exceptional timepiece the exhibition pulled out all the stops: a giant panel illustrating some of the many drawings required for its design, an immersive 3D film leading the visitor into the heart of the movement, presentation of the watch in a dedicated room… Those curious to learn more hurried to discover this masterpiece.
As in Dubai and Munich, the brand presented its exhibits in tandem with the host city. For this London exhibition Queen Elizabeth II graciously loaned one of her own watches, the Reference 4975/1G, and indeed the public was able to discover fifteen timepieces that belonged to members of the Royal Family, such as Queen Victoria’s pocket watch. Patek Philippe also created watches especially for the occasion. These were auctioned in the brand’s showrooms - extended and renovated two years ago - at 16 New Bond Street.
During the visit members of the public were invited to spend time with master craftsmen, who demonstrated their skills to enthusiastic audiences. A media space also provided other information about the world of the brand.
Norbert Patek once said: «I want to make the best watches in the world». This quotation remains the brand’s motto to this day, and was underlined in bold by the London exhibition.
June 25, 2015