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.
Vintage 1970s Patek Philippe Gondolo 3491/3G 18K White Gold Blue Linen Dial 26mm
By Patek Philippe
Located in New York, NY
The Understated Artistry Of Vintage Patek Geometry The reference 3491/3G represents a captivating, non-traditional chapter in mid-century Patek Philippe design, moving away from cla...
18k Gold, White Gold
Patek Philippe 3491/3G - 18K White Gold Blue Linen Dial
By Patek Philippe
Located in New York, NY
A Refined Expression Of The Seventies The 1970s was a period where Patek Philippe focused heavily on the continuity of design between the case and the bracelet. This reference 3491/...
18k Gold
Vintage 1970s Patek Philippe Calatrava 3563-3 18K WG Auto Gubelin Dial 35 mm
By Patek Philippe
Located in New York, NY
The Art Of The Second Signature A retailer's signature on a Patek Philippe dial elevates a watch from a piece of fine watchmaking to a specific historical object. This Calatrava, do...
White Gold
Vintage 1980s Patek Philippe 3982/1G 18K WG Diamond Sapphire Dial Quartz 32mm
By Patek Philippe
Located in New York, NY
The Apex Of Horology And High Jewelry This is a high-catalog Patek Philippe, a class of watch that exists beyond the standard production line. The reference 3982 represents a period...
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Piaget Emperador Watch in 18K White Gold, 1980s
By Piaget
Located in New York, NY
Here's a vintage Piaget Emperor reference 9131 in 18K white gold with a pavé diamond dial manual wind from the 1980s. Keeps great time and is fully functional. Measurements include a...
18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1980s Patek Philippe Ellipse 3545/1 18k White Gold Blue Dial Manual 32mm
By Patek Philippe
Located in New York, NY
A Subversion Of The Golden Ratio The Patek Philippe Ellipse is an icon of design, its case shape derived from the classical golden ratio. The reference 3545/1 takes this a step furt...
18k Gold, White 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.
