Inside the Grandeur: Thierry Stern Discusses Patek Philippe's Legacy and Future Visions

Patek Philippe’s Watch Art Grand Exhibition recently graced the city of Milan, drawing an astonishing 45,000 registrants at its opening. This, the largest of all the brand’s grand exhibitions, showcased the magnanimity of the iconic brand’s horological history. Fringed with numerous intricate timepieces ranging from the brand’s history-steeped collection to the recently birthed creations like the Graves Super-Complication, Star Calibre 2000, and GrandMaster Chime, this exhibition painted a delightful visual story, gently narrating the brand’s historic milestones and patents that adorned the canvas of its timeline.

When prodded toward revealing his favourite piece from the exhibition, Stern demurred, stating that choosing one would be like selecting a favourite child. However, he did share his fondness for the new chronograph with perpetual calendar, a piece he described as ‘cool’ due to its brand-new movement that’s intriguing to construct. Not forgetting the Dante Pocket Watch, Stern also expressed his particular fondness for this timepiece for the Italian market.

That is the Patek Philippe way - looking to the past to inform the future, with a deep respect for craftsmanship. And, as Stern indicates, it’s a tradition that isn’t going anywhere any time soon. The future looks bright for this luxury brand with its deeply ingrained principles, and the world of watch enthusiasts is eager to see what Patek Philippe sketches next on the canvas of time.