Press Release

Patek Philippe, Geneva
May 29, 2013

"Rare Handcrafts" timepieces by Patek Philippe:
Artisanship beyond compare
The Patek Philippe Salons on Rue du Rhône in Geneva are hosting an exhibition entitled "RareHandcrafts" in which the focus is on the external elements of watches: cases, dials, and bracelets. Itfeatures an eclectic selection of 47 exclusive Patek Philippe timekeeping instruments – wristwatches,
pocket watches, and table clocks – for which the most eminent masters of now rare artisanal talent
were able to demonstrate their incomparable skills. It is probably the last time that this sublime
collection can be admired in its entirety, because most pieces, many of them one-of-a-kind, have beensold and will be forwarded to their delighted owners after the exhibition ends.
The rare handcrafts encompass a number of fascinating decorative techniques that were used toadorn the dials and cases of clocks and watches for centuries. They helped establish the reputation ofGeneva all over the world and the respective masterpieces were coveted by emperors, kings, tsars,
and ruling families throughout Europe and Asia. Magnificent works of art were created and endowedwith elaborate engravings, lavish enamel decorations, as well as unique goldsmithing and gemsetting
artistry. They lived up to the precision, complexity, and exquisite finishing of famous Geneva-mademovements in every respect. Some of these handcrafts are still flourishing, while others gradually
faded away in the course of the past decades, reaching the brink of extinction – in danger of vanishingfrom the collective memory of human society. But over fifty years ago, under the auspices of the Sternfamily, Patek Philippe began to secure the future of these rare occupations.
Patek Philippe: the bastion of Genevan traditions
As a manufacture with deep roots in Geneva's horological heritage and a strong affinity for related
forms of craftsmanship, Patek Philippe spared no effort to preserve artisanal legacies about to beabandoned so that future generations of watch enthusiasts and watchmakers could continue to delightin this patrimony. But handcrafts such as these only have a future if they are pursued at the very
highest level. This calls for prerequisites that allow current masters to hand down their knowledge andexperience as well as their many pivotal secrets of the trade to young, aspiring successors.
For this reason, Patek Philippe never stopped commissioning Genevan enamel miniatures, the small
works of art based on the extremely painstaking reproduction of portraits or famous paintings on thecompact enamel "canvas" of a pocket watch. The incredible richness of detail is achieved in countlesstime-consuming steps. Every application of pigment has to be fired at 850°C before the next color isapplied with a brush, which for particularly tiny picture elements typically consists of a single badgerhair.
The same applies to cloisonné enamel, which has graced the dials of Patek Philippe's famous WorldTime wristwatches and the external facets of its dome table clocks for over fifty years. Champlevé

Chemin du Pont‐du‐Centenaire 141 – CH ‐ 1228 Plan‐les‐Ouates
Mail address: P.O. Box 2654 – CH ‐ 1211 Geneva 2
Tel. + 41 22 884 20 20 – Fax + 41 22 884 25 47 – www.patek.com

Continued 2

enameling requires recesses to be cut into the base metal – using a technique similar to relief
engraving – that are then filled with enamel. Engraved wristwatch and pocket watch cases as well as
intricately skeletonized movements are not merely prestigious one-off showpieces: they remain part of
Patek Philippe's current collections. The motifs on marquetry dials often require the assembly of as
many as 200 individual parts consisting of over 20 different types of wood. Haute Joaillerie watches aregraced with superior-quality precious stones set in the dials, cases, bracelets, and clasps withelaborate setting techniques mastered only by the most experienced and talented jewelers. Some of
the timepieces in the rare handcrafts category even combine several artisanal techniques such as
manual guilloching beneath vibrantly translucent enamel.
All blueprints and designs for rare handcrafts watches are produced by the manufacture's in-housecreation department, allowing Patek Philippe to preserve the know-how and assure that it is handed
down to the next generation. Every year, more than forty such collector's items are completed,combining high-precision mechanical horology with the unique artistry of the few remaining specialists
who still master these highly complex disciplines. Patek Philippe is determined to safeguard their skills.
47 masterpieces of rare handcrafts
The best proof of this resolve: the 47 timekeeping instruments that can currently be admired on the 4th
floor of the Patek Philippe Salon on Rue du Rhône 41 in Geneva. Each of them is an absolutely uniqueand expressive manifestation of one or even several of these rare handcrafts.