It shouldn’t be surprising that a Patek Philippe holds the world auction record for a watch ($31.2 million for a Patek Grandmaster Chime, sold at Christie’s). Known for impeccable craftsmanship and some of the most complicated timepieces ever created, the brand is considered by many to be the height of fine watchmaking. Collectors simply love Patek Philippe watches.
The house was founded in Geneva in 1839 by Polish expats Antoni Patek and Franciszek Czapek. Czapek left the firm, and in 1845, Patek partnered with French watchmaker Jean Adrien Philippe. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Catering to the glitterati of Europe, the pair counted among their clients Tolstoy, Pope Pius IX and Queen Victoria, as well as Countess Koscowicz of Hungary, for whom they created the first Swiss-made wristwatch in 1868. They also had their eye on the American market and in 1851 entered an arrangement with Tiffany & Co. still in effect today.
During the Great Depression, brothers Jean and Charles Stern, who had previously supplied Patek Philippe with watch dials, bought the company, and it continues to be run by the Stern family today.
Under the Sterns, the house has developed some of its most famous models, including the Calatrava, an elegantly minimal dress watch introduced in 1932 and named for the Calatrava Cross (the company’s logo since 1887), and the Nautilus, the brand’s first sports watch, conceived by legendary designer Gérald Genta in 1976.
Despite the house’s longevity, it’s rumored that it has manufactured fewer than a million Patek watches, making each one all the more coveted. (The brand's pieces are understandably attractive to counterfeiters — make sure you know how to spot a fake Patek Philippe watch.)
Find authentic Patek Philippe watches, cufflinks, bracelets and more on 1stDibs today.
Patek Philippe 18Kt Solid Yellow Gold Dress Watch circa 1980's
By Patek Philippe
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Patek Philippe Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Dress Style / Reference 3490-2 METAL / MATERIAL: 18Kt Solid Gold CIRCA / YEAR: 1980's DIMENSIONS / SIZE: 26mm X 26mm ...
18k Gold
Patek Philippe 18 Karat Gold Dress Style with Original Blue Dial, circa 1990
By Patek Philippe
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Patek Philippe & Cie STYLE / REFERENCE: Square / Reference 4183 METAL / MATERIAL: 18kt Yellow Gold CIRCA / YEAR: 1990's DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 33mm X Width 25mm M...
Patek Philippe 18 Karat Gold Men's Bracelet Watch with Gold Dial, from 1973
By Patek Philippe
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Patek Philippe & Cie. STYLE / REFERENCE: Men's Oval Bracelet Watch METAL / MATERIAL: 18kt Yellow Gold CIRCA: 1973 DIMENSIONS: Length 35mm X Diameter 30mm MOVEMENT / ...
Patek Philippe 18Kt Solid White Gold Ladies Dress Watch circa 1970's
By Patek Philippe
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Patek Philippe STYLE / REFERENCE: Dress Style / Reference 4179-1 METAL / MATERIAL: 18Kt Solid White Gold CIRCA / YEAR: 1970's DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 20mm X Width ...
18k Gold
Patek Rose Gold Automatic Watch Ref 2584, circa 1956
By Patek Philippe
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Patek Philippe Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Large Round Bracelet / Reference 2584 METAL / MATERIAL: 18k Solid Rose Gold DIMENSIONS: Length 36mm X Diameter 36mm MOVEMENT / CALIBER: Automatic Winding / 36 Jewels / Cal. 12-600 AT CIRCA: 1956 DIAL / HANDS: Original Silvered Dial / Baton Hands ATTACHMENT / LENGTH: 18k Solid Rose Gold Bracelet / 19cm or 7.5" Length WARRANTY: 18 months on the movement LIFETIME SERVICE COMMITMENT This extremely rare watch is full size and comes with an original Patek Philippe signed...
18k Gold
Benrus Yellow Gold Filled Art Deco Watch circa 1940's with Original Dial
By Benrus
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Benrus Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Art Deco / Round METAL / MATERIAL: Yellow Gold Filled CIRCA / YEAR: 1950's DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 40mm "Lug Tip to Lug Ti...
Gold-filled, Yellow Gold
Patek Philippe Yellow Gold 18K Wristwatch 1960S
By Patek Philippe
Located in Geneva, CH
Patek Philippe Wristwatch ref. 3503/5 in 18K Gold. CIRCA: 1967 CASE NUMBER: 2650836 MOVEMENT NUMBER: 1137844 REF.: 3503 CASE MATERIAL: 18K y...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Patek Philippe Vintage Golden Ellipse 18K Yellow Gold Wristwatch
By Patek Philippe
Located in Miami, FL
Skip to the end of the images gallery Skip to the beginning of the images gallery Vintage Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse 18K Yellow Gold Wristwatch 1316301 Hardly worn, elegant vintag...
Yellow Gold
Vintage Patek Philippe 18K Gold Dress Watch with Integrated Mesh, 26 mm
By Patek Philippe
Located in Tysons, VA
This mid-century Patek Philippe reference 3503/2 features a 26 mm square case in 18K yellow gold with a crisp white dial set with applied baton markers and pencil hands. The case flo...
18k Gold
Vintage Patek Philippe 18K Gold Ladies Champagne Dial Mesh Bracelet Watch
By Patek Philippe
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage Patek Philippe ladies wristwatch features a two-tone champagne dial with gold bar hour indexes and gold baton hands, housed in an 18K solid yellow gold cushion-square case wi...
Gold
Patek Philippe 3322 Ladies Yellow Gold Mechanical Wrist Watch
By Patek Philippe
Located in Chicago, IL
Circa 1970s Patek Philippe Reference 3322 Wrist Watch. 16 x 20 M.M. 18k Yellow Gold 2 piece case with hand Texturing, 20 Jewel Mechanical, manual wind Nickle lever movement, Patek Ph...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s Patek Philippe Calatrava 3246 18K YG Gübelin Dial Manual 32mm
By Patek Philippe
Located in New York, NY
A Signature Of Retailer Excellence The Calatrava is Patek Philippe's purest expression of the dress watch. This 1970s example, however, is set apart by two key features: its integra...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Launched in 1932, the model has become emblematic of quality craftsmanship and timeless design.
A true icon of the much-coveted category of World Time watches, this rare model represents an important milestone in the history of one of the brand's signature complications.
