A Decade of Splendid Legend: Patek Philippe's Ten Years in China!

      In  2005,Patek Philippearrived at the Shanghai Bund, officially marking the beginning of the brand's journey in China. In 2015, Patek Philippe enters its exact tenth year in China. For the history of this Swiss independent watchmaking brand spanning 176 years, a decade may seem like a fleeting moment; yet, entering China for these ten years is an indispensable chapter in Patek Philippe's history. Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; over the past decade, every step Patek Philippe has taken in China reflects the unwavering commitment of Geneva's oldest independent family-owned watchmaking enterprise to “the Ten Values”. Through Patek Philippe's master timepiece creations, these values have become treasured heirlooms for the brand's followers to pass down through generations.

       Whether the unveiling of the two residences in Shanghai and Beijing, or the opening of the service centre and talent centre, both witness Patek Philippe's continuous investment in the Chinese market and its boundless aspirations for the heritage of values.

       2005 to 2015, over a decade of time, Patek Philippe has established two maison locations and two service centres in the modern, vibrant city of Shanghai and the historically rich ancient capital of Beijing, while also founding a training centre to cultivate local watchmakers in China, aiming to ensure every guest can purchase timepieces in a comfortable environment and enjoy comprehensive customer service, ensuring that every timepieces created by Patek Philippe since its inception in 1839 is properly cared for and passed down through generations.

Two maisons stand watch from north to south

       Patek Philippe has established a maison in each of the cities of Shanghai and Beijing, serving as the brand's only two “home away from home” globally outside of Europe. Their design inherits the classic decorative elements of the Patek Philippe Salons in Geneva and shares the same philosophy in function, comprehensively presenting the family history and brand image of Patek Philippe, allowing more watch enthusiasts to more fully experience the brand's intrinsic values whilst admiring precision timepieces.

       Tracing the history of the two Maisons, we return to month 9 of 2005, when the first Patek Philippe boutique and service centre in mainland China opened at Bund eighteen in Shanghai, with its first expansion taking place in 2007. In month 5 of 2008, Patek Philippe selected a location at number 23 Qianmen to open a boutique and service centre. With this, Patek Philippe officially established a presence in both the north and south of China, serving Patek Philippe customers and watch enthusiasts across the country.

       2012 10, the Patek Philippe Shanghai boutique relocated to Shanghai's Bund Source, grandly unveiling as the “Maison Patek Philippe”. The character “yuan” in the maison's Chinese name is taken from its new location, “Bund Source”, which is the starting point of Shanghai's trading port history and carries the meaning of “beginning”; whilst the predecessor of the new site was also the residence of the British Consul-General in Shanghai, so the character “di” follows this meaning to take its symbol of nobility and honour. “Maison” signifies that Patek Philippe upholds its Geneva heritage whilst opening a brand-new chapter in China.

2012 Maison Patek Philippe Shanghai

       2014 5, the Beijing boutique transformed magnificently, unveiling the veil of Maison Patek Philippe Beijing at its original site at No. 23 Qianmen. Inheriting the vision of the Shanghai maison, it brings together Patek Philippe's masterpiece timepieces, inviting people to learn about the glorious history and values of Patek Philippe, building yet another communication bridge between Europe and China, spanning the time and space distance between the two places, and presenting the wonderful world of Patek Philippe.

Upholding the profound connotations of the brand's origin and a prestigious residence, the Patek Philippe Beijing boutique is newly unveiled as Maison Patek Philippe Beijing

Following the design of the Geneva Salon, the ground floor reception area creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere with circular sofas, bronze sculptures and crystal chandeliers.

The second-floor VIP lounge provides guests with a quiet and private space for viewing watches

Accompanied wholeheartedly by two major service centres

       Patek Philippe's unparalleled reputation and status in the eyes of watch connoisseurs stem not only from its exquisite and perfect timepieces and rich watchmaking knowledge and technology, but also from the watchmaking family's steadfast commitment: to provide the highest quality customer service, ensuring that every Patek Philippe timepiece is passed down through generations.

       “Quality service” is one of Patek Philippe's ten values. To put this value into practice, Patek Philippe adopts a steady and service-first market strategy, establishing two service centres alongside its two boutiques in China. This move is the most direct commitment made to every Patek Philippe watch owner. Located in Yifeng Bund Source, the Shanghai Customer Service Centre was fully upgraded in 2012, operating efficiently in an independent space covering nearly 1,000 square metres in strict accordance with the global unified standards of the Geneva headquarters and the requirements of the Patek Philippe Seal, in order to provide sincere and reliable customer service to guests in China. In 2014 5, the Beijing Customer Service Centre was also fully upgraded upon the re-unveiling of the Beijing maison, adhering to rigorous repair and testing standards, and passing down Patek Philippe's proud century-old tradition with professional equipment and thoughtful service.

       All testing equipment for maintenance in the service centres is imported from the Geneva headquarters and installed and tested personally by the professional team from Geneva. At the same time, Patek Philippe adopts the same philosophy for the recruitment and training of professional watchmakers, ensuring that everyone has received the brand's rigorous and complete multi-tier training system, and all professional training is conducted at the Patek Philippe Training Centre in Geneva, enabling the local customer service team to achieve global unified standards.

Phase III Training Centre paying tribute to heritage

       2013 9, the Patek Philippe Training Centre was unveiled in Shanghai, which is the first watchmaker training institution established by Patek Philippe outside its Geneva watchmaking workshops, aiming to cultivate outstanding local watchmakers in order to better serve local customers.

       Every student at the Training Centre must undergo professional and rigorous training. The training programme lasts for two years and is divided into four stages. During this period, students must complete a total of 3,500 hours of coursework, including watchmaking theory, practical operations, and English, and must pass tests at each stage until requirements are met. Students who complete the entire training programme will receive a qualification equivalent to a Patek Philippe Level Two watchmaker, allowing them to work at Patek Philippe Customer Service Centres to repair and maintain watches equipped with basic mechanical, automatic, and quartz movements. Since 2013 9, the Patek Philippe Training Centre has successfully held three sessions. Coinciding with the tenth anniversary in China, the first group of students from the Training Centre has successfully graduated and begun working at the customer service centres in Shanghai and Beijing, further improving the quality of domestic customer service.

       Patek Philippe firmly believes that the technical requirements for maintaining, servicing, and restoring Patek Philippe watches are no different from crafting a brand-new watch. The training centre carries Patek Philippe's values of “quality service” and “preserving quality”, safeguarding every Patek Philippe timepiece.

“Heritage” series concerts pay tribute to art

       In 2015, Patek Philippe brought its tradition of music to China, sponsoring the Shanghai International Youth Orchestra to provide a stage for music-loving teenagers to showcase their musical talent.

      Patek Philippe has a long-standing association with music, continuing to sponsor the Zurich New Year's Concert; presenting awards to the gold medalists of the Geneva International Music Competition in the 1980s and recording their albums; supporting musically talented youths across Europe; and recommending them to internationally renowned orchestras for further study, thus kindling a spark for the cultivation and shaping of future artists.

       On the afternoon of 23/5/2015, young musicians from the Shanghai International Youth Orchestra arrived at the Union Church at Bund Source to present the first concert of the Patek Philippe “Heritage” series. This series featured three performances in 2015 — — on 31/10, the second performance celebrated the tenth anniversary of Patek Philippe in China; the third performance will be held on 4/12 at the Shanghai Concert Hall.

Looking to the Future

       2005 to 2015 marks Patek Philippe's first decade in China. These ten legendary years have seen glory and challenge coexist, alongside creativity and innovation. Over the past decade, with a steadfast and service-first market strategy, Patek Philippe has provided Chinese guests with sincere and reliable customer experiences, winning a broader market and more clients while growing in renown and influence daily. Looking ahead, as the last independent family-owned watch manufacturer in Geneva, Patek Philippe sincerely hopes to continue truly reflecting the mission pursued by its founders, steadfastly passing on the brand's values and vision to achieve extraordinary aspirations. Patek Philippe will continue to follow the ten values and visionary development pace revered throughout the family's 176-year journey, earning the enduring trust of its followers through impeccable products and services, and continuing to write the family legend that “ You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation ”.

        Since its founding on 1 5 1839, Patek Philippe has always upheld the traditions of Geneva's high watchmaking industry. As the last independent family-owned watch manufacturer in Geneva, Patek Philippe enjoys complete creative freedom in design, production and assembly, crafting supreme timepieces universally acclaimed by horological experts worldwide. Patek Philippe's refined, precious and classically elegant creations blend advanced technology with traditional watchmaking craft, truly standing as timeless masterpieces passed down through generations. Backed by its extraordinary watchmaking experience, Patek Philippe holds over 100 patents, writing a brilliant chapter in its tradition of innovation.

       2005 9,Patek Philippe Shanghai Boutique and Service Centre moved into Three on the Bund, Shanghai.

       2006 11,“ The Values of a —— Family Watchmaking Company ” Major Watch Exhibition held at Three on the Bund, Shanghai.

       2007 6,Patek Philippe Shanghai Boutique and Service Centre expanded for the first time at Three on the Bund, increasing from 105 square metres to 170 square metres.

       2008 5,Patek Philippe Beijing Boutique and Service Centre opened at 23 Qianmen, Beijing, launching the first China-limited commemorative timepiece Ref.5296 for the opening.

2008 Exterior of Patek Philippe Beijing Boutique and Service Centre

2008 Interior of Patek Philippe Beijing Boutique and Service Centre

       2008 11,Patek Philippe “ Generations Tradition ” Photographic Retrospective Exhibition held in Shanghai and Beijing respectively.

       2009 5,The first anniversary celebration of the Patek Philippe Beijing boutique and service centre was held at 23 Qianmen.

In 5 2010,        The Patek Philippe Beijing boutique and service centre was once again expanded to two floors, increasing its area to over 360 square metres.

In 5-10 2010,        The “ Pair of Phantoms — Chinese Paired Watches Heritage Exhibition ” was held at the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva.

In 9 2010,        The fifth anniversary celebration of Patek Philippe entering China, officially announcing the launch of the Shanghai Maison project.The fifth anniversary limited edition timepiece Ref.5399 was launched simultaneously.

The 2010 Patek Philippe China fifth anniversary limited edition timepiece Ref.5399R

In 11 2011,        Construction of Patek Philippe Maison Shanghai began.

In 8 2012,        The Patek Philippe Maison Beijing expansion project was established.

In 10 2012,        The Patek Philippe Maison in Shanghai was unveiled at number 33 East Zhongshan Road, and the Shanghai customer service centre was upgraded and relocated to Bund Source.The world time commemorative watch featuring a red “ Shanghai ” signature was launched Ref.5130.

The 2012 Patek Philippe Maison Shanghai opening limited edition timepiece Ref.5130G

In 6 2013,        Construction work commenced on the expansion of Patek Philippe Maison Beijing.

       2013 year 9 month,The Patek Philippe Talents Centre was unveiled at Yifeng Galleria, Waitanyuan, Shanghai.

       2013 year 10-11 month,“Alfred Chow and His Friends——Patek Philippe Private Collection Exhibition of Rare Timepieces and Complications” was held at Patek Philippe Maison Shanghai to commemorate the first anniversary of the establishment of Maison Shanghai.

       2014 year 5 month,Patek Philippe Maison Beijing was reopened at its original site at 23 Qianmen, and the Beijing Customer Service Centre was newly upgraded. At the same time, the Calatrava Officer's limited edition commemorative watch Ref.5153 was launched.

       2014 year 10-12 month,Patek Philippe Maison Shanghai hosted the “Only Time is Timeless——Maison Waitanyuan Collection Photo Exhibition”.

       2015 year 5 month,The first concert of the Patek Philippe “Heritage” series was held at the Union Church at Waitanyuan.

       2015 year 10 month,Celebrating ten years of Patek Philippe in China, the second concert of the “Heritage” series was held at the Union Church at Waitanyuan.The Calatrava men's and women's limited edition commemorative watches Ref.6000 and Ref.4897, as well as the Rare Handcrafts collection limited edition commemorative watches Ref.5089 and Ref.5077 were launched simultaneously.