Press release
Patek Philippe Geneva
June 2022
The Patek Philippe “Craftsmanship and Precision Competition”: The twelfth edition took place
once again under the sign of excellence
To encourage promising young talent and help train the next generation, Patek Philippe createdin 2010 a timing and adjusting watch competition intended for students of Swiss watchmaking
schools. This year, the twelfth edition repeated the innovative format launched in 2021 due tothe pandemic: the competition took place at the participating schools rather than at thePlan-les-Ouates manufacture.
In order for a Patek Philippe timepiece to be passed on from one generation to another, the skills
required to create such fine timepieces must also be carefully preserved, constantly fostered andtransmitted. As a guardian of this know-how, the Geneva Manufacture continuously trains watchmakers
in its workshops. Since 2010, it has also been engaged in a long-term partnership with Swiss
watchmaking schools.
This is when the Patek Philippe “Craftsmanship and Precision Competition” was born. Designed tomotivate the new generation, this watchmaking award stands out thanks to its educational approach.
Offering a total immersion in the world of fine watchmaking, it aims to raise awareness of the conceptof craftsmanship among future experts. It provides the unique opportunity to examine a high-end caliber,
all of the components of which have been manufactured and finished with utmost care.
An Adapted Contest Format
In order to maintain its level of quality and standards, while respecting the sanitary measures, thecompetition was not organized on site at the Plan-les-Ouates manufacture; instead, the organizing
committee visited each participating school.
On March 28 and 29, the evaluations took place in the schools of Porrentruy, Bienne and Grenchen,
while those in the schools of Geneva, the Vallée de Joux and Le Locle took place on March 31 andApril 1st following an identical format in the six establishments.
An Educational Approach
Three teams of two instructors, all coming from various Patek Philippe departments (Watchmaking,Haute Horlogerie and International Customer Service), spent four days in the six participating schools.
As in previous editions, 18 students selected by the six watchmaking schools were given theoreticaltraining, as well as a series of practical exercises intended to best prepare them for the competition thenext day.
The second day is mainly devoted to the competition itself. The test begins with a completely dismantled
movement, the manually-wound caliber 215, which has to be assembled before setting and adjusting inthe six positions, as specified by the standards and criteria of the Patek Philippe Seal.

PATEK PHILIPPE SA GENEVE
Chemin du Pont-du-Centenaire 141 – 1228 Plan-les-Ouates
P.O. Box 2654 – CH – 1211 Geneva 2 – Switzerland
Tel. + 41 22 884 20 20 – Fax + 41 22 884 25 47 – www.patek.com

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Instilling Innovation and Challenge
The steel balance spring used in older editions has been replaced by a Spiromax® balance spring madeof Silinvar®, a silicon derivative integrated into the 215 caliber in 2019. Participants are thus introduced
to the Patek Philippe tradition of innovation and to the alliance between mechanics and newtechnologies – qualities that are currently embodied in Patek Philippe’s contemporary watchmaking andthat will distinguish it in the future.
In addition, for the first time this year, defects were inserted in the movements in order to further enhance
the challenge of making a watch functional.
Excellence in Constant Progress
The know-how of the 18 students is assessed by a jury of Patek Philippe experts, including a masterwatchmaker. The candidates are mainly evaluated on their performance in terms of precision, but also
on craftsmanship and functionality, all essential criteria of the Patek Philippe Seal.
Although the results this year were less homogeneous than in previous years, they confirmed once
again the excellent quality of training provided by Swiss watchmaking schools and its constant progress.
A Virtual Awards Ceremony
The awards ceremony took place on Friday June 9 by video conference. The trophy was presented tothe contest winner at the end of the ceremony by a member of the Patek Philippe competition organizing
committee. Awards and certificates are sent later. All students receive a certificate of participation signed
by Patek Philippe President Mr. Thierry Stern, a book on the famous Star Caliber 2000, as well as twotickets to the Patek Philippe Museum.
Moreover, the first three winners are offered an internship of one to two weeks with the Patek PhilippeInternational Customer Service. The winner of the first prize, Mr. Hugo Gelso from the school ofPorrentruy, will have the chance to complete a three-week internship at the Plan-les-Ouates manufacturein the Watchmaking, International Customer Service and Haute Horlogerie divisions.
One Swiss School Stands Out
Exceptionally this year, the first three places were won by the school of Porrentruy, an unprecedented
result since the creation of the competition. Also worth noting is the participation of a growing numberof young female watchmaking apprentices to the contest.
In twelve editions, Patek Philippe has already provided 216 students with this educational process andoffered 61 weeks of internship, including 11 abroad. Each edition of this event, which requires overseven months to prepare, involves 10 to 15 specialists and organizers from different
Patek Philippe divisions.
Next Edition
Patek Philippe intends to run its “Craftsmanship and Precision Competition” again in the spring of 2023,
in collaboration with the six Swiss watchmaking schools, and thus contribute to the transmission of its
know-how to future generations of watchmakers.

Page 3RESULTS OF THE 2022 COMPETITION
Winners of the 2022 Patek Philippe “Craftsmanship and Precision Competition”
1st prize
Mr Hugo Gelso – CEJEF – École des Métiers Techniques de Porrentruy
2nd prize
Ms Leticia Torriani – CEJEF – École des Métiers Techniques de Porrentruy
3rd prize
Ms Leia Zozzoli – CEJEF – École des Métiers Techniques de Porrentruy
4th prize
Mr Julian Ciragan – BBZ – Zeitzentrum Uhrmacherschule de Grenchen
5th prize
Ms Clémence Loiseau - ETVJ – École Technique de la Vallée de Joux
Participating Schools• CFPT – École d’Horlogerie de Genève• ETVJ – École Technique de la Vallée de Joux
• CEJEF – École des Métiers Techniques de Porrentruy• CIFOM – École Technique du Locle• BBZ – Zeitzentrum Uhrmacherschule de Grenchen• CFP – Lycée Technique de Bienne
Members of the Patek Philippe Jury
Carlos Dos Santos (Head of timing workshop and jury chairman)
Patrick Conus (Head of the Tourbillon workshop and master-watchmaker)
Vincent Lemmelet (Head of international technical training)
Luc Vallet (Training coordinator)