The King of Watches You Don't Know: Patek Philippe

　　Patek Philippe, the world's most renowned top-tier watch brand, holds a status in the horological world equivalent to Rolls-Royce in the automotive industry. It represents the highest craftsmanship and technology in Swiss watchmaking. Among all watch brands, Patek Philippe is hailed as the 'blue-blooded aristocrat' of watchmaking. We all know that aPatek Philippe watchwatch is extremely expensive, but do we really understand this brand?

　　Patek Philippe is the representative brand of Swiss watches, yet it was not founded by the Swiss. In 1839, the Patek watch company was founded in Geneva by the young Polish revolutionary Antoine Norbert de Patek. In 1851, he partnered with the French watchmaker Jean-Adrien Philippe, and they renamed the company to the current Patek Philippe, using both partners' surnames. The king of the automotive world, Rolls-Royce, is similarly named after its two partners, Frederick Henry Royce and Charles Stewart Rolls. This year marks the 176 anniversary of Patek Philippe.

　　The Patek Philippe logo is a combination of a knight's sword and a priest's cross, also known as the 'Calatrava Cross'. Its origin is as follows: in 1185, the Spanish city of Calatrava was invaded by the Moors. The brave priest Raymond and the knight Diego Velázquez led the people in a desperate struggle, eventually driving the Moors away. The priest (cross) and the knight (sword) combined to become a symbol of solemnity and courage. This symbol perfectly represents the spirit of cooperation between the two founders, Antoine de Patek and Jean-Adrien Philippe. This factory mark has been in use since 1857.

　　Patek Philippe has a famous advertising slogan: 'You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation.' Indeed, Patek Philippe is not only one of the last truly independent watchmakers in Switzerland, but also the only remaining family-owned independent watch company in Geneva with such a long history. However, in the 30s of the 20 century, the Patek Philippe watch company faced a crisis and struggled to survive. The Stern dial company, which supplied dials to Patek Philippe, approached the firm, and brothers Charles Stern and Jean Stern eventually acquired Patek Philippe in 1932. Since then, Patek Philippe has maintained complete independence and remains the oldest family-owned watchmaking enterprise in Geneva. Today, the fourth-generation leader, Thierry Stern, took the helm from his father, Philippe Stern, in 2009.

Patek Philippe Nautilus series automatic mechanical watch 5167A

　　In 1851, the first year after the Patek company was officially renamed, the pocket watches they produced were purchased by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her husband, Prince Albert, at the London World's Fair. This made the Patek Philippe brand an instant success, establishing its aristocratic status. Naturally, the subsequent client list of Patek Philippe included 100 kings, 54 queens, and numerous prominent figures such as Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Charlotte Brontë, and Tchaikovsky.

　　Patek Philippe is recognised as the world's finest watch brand. In the early nineties, when Hong Kong watch expert Mr Zhong Yonglin joined forces with watch enthusiasts from across the region to rank the “Top Ten Watches in the World”, Patek Philippe was the only undisputed leader at the top of the list.