Patek Philippe
- Founded
- 1839
- Based in
- Geneva, Switzerland
- In our catalog
- 13 watches from $11,000 to $550,000
Patek Philippe is the brand most collectors would name as the best. It has made some of the most complicated and valuable watches in history, it is still owned by a family, and its famous advertising line ("You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation") has become part of watch culture.
History
Antoni Patek, a Polish émigré, and Franciszek Czapek started making watches in Geneva in 1839. In 1845 Patek teamed up with Adrien Philippe, a French watchmaker who had invented a keyless winding system, and the company became Patek Philippe & Co. in 1851. Its clients included Queen Victoria and many of the great families of Europe and America.
In 1932, during the Depression, the Stern family, who made dials, bought the company. They still own it: Thierry Stern has been president since 2009. Patek made the Calatrava in 1932, the Henry Graves Supercomplication in 1933 (once the most valuable watch sold at auction), the Nautilus in 1976 and the Aquanaut in 1997. In 2009 it introduced the Patek Philippe Seal, its own quality standard.
Signature models
- Calatrava 6119R and Calatrava 5227G: The classic dress watch, the essence of Patek.
- Nautilus 5711/1A: The steel sports watch designed by Gérald Genta in 1976, discontinued in 2021 and among the most sought-after watches in the world.
- Nautilus 5811/1G: The 5711's successor, in white gold.
- Aquanaut 5167A: A sporty, younger watch with a rubber strap.
- Aquanaut Travel Time 5164A: Adds a second time zone.
- Cubitus 5821/1A: A square sports watch launched in 2024.
- Annual Calendar 5396G: A calendar watch that only needs adjusting once a year, a complication Patek patented in 1996.
- World Time 5230G: Shows the time in 24 cities.
- Perpetual Calendar Chronograph 5270P: One of Patek's core grand complications.
- Grand Complications Minute Repeater 5078G: Chimes the time on demand.
- Twenty~4: A women's watch, quartz or automatic.
What it's known for
Patek makes about 70,000 watches a year, with in-house movements finished to its own Seal standard. Its watches are some of the best investments in watchmaking, and vintage Pateks set auction records.
Price and positioning
Patek Philippe watches cost from about $11,000 for a Twenty~4 to $30,000 to $60,000 for most models, with grand complications well into six and seven figures. It's at the top with Vacheron Constantin, AP and A. Lange & Söhne. Steel sports models are very hard to buy at retail.
Patek Philippe watches in our library
- Patek Philippe Twenty~4 Quartz ($11,000 to $12,500)
- Patek Philippe Twenty~4 Automatic ($17,000 to $18,500)
- Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5167A ($25,000 to $27,000)
- Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R ($33,000 to $35,000)
- Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A (discontinued) ($35,000)
- Patek Philippe Calatrava 5227G ($36,000 to $38,000)
- Patek Philippe Cubitus 5821/1A ($38,000 to $40,000)
- Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time 5164A ($45,000 to $47,000)
- Patek Philippe Annual Calendar 5396G ($55,000 to $58,000)
- Patek Philippe World Time 5230G ($60,000 to $63,000)
- Patek Philippe Nautilus 5811/1G ($69,000 to $72,000)
- Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph 5270P ($210,000 to $220,000)
- Patek Philippe Grand Complications Minute Repeater 5078G ($500,000 to $550,000)
Vintage Patek Philippe watches
- Patek Philippe Calatrava 3919 (pre-owned, $12,000 to $18,000)
- Patek Philippe Nautilus 3700/1A Jumbo (pre-owned, $100,000 to $170,000)