Patek Philippe

Here is time to think of a final part for our discussion about reasons to love Patek Philippe. Not that we will have discussed them all, but we will have exchanged about some of the major ones. Of course if after that part you think that we've forgotten an essential one, please feel free to open a part 6!

This final part is coming late as I've taken some time to try to summarize what I see as a superior or synthetic reason for our love, one that we make ourselves with our own vision of the different aspects of the brand. So far the reasons were rarity, tradition, beauty and calibres. I admit easily that the list of four words seems a bit short to imagine that we've covered the subject.

I feel there is more to Patek Philippe. Whatever their quality, beauty, or numerous other assets, modern Patek Philippe watches seem unreasonable were they are positioned on the market. Still we get lastingly appealed and this appeal is quite dangerous.

I want to suggest, maybe I'm wrong, that the added aspect on the beautiful product, the overall quality, the upscale calibre, could be our eye on it, our admiration for a brand, a family of watches, a certain spirit of watchmaking that never failed, never stepped back, never gave up. It's hard to look at the past with today's eyes without altering the truth but we tend to think that all the vintage watches from Patek Philippe are a demonstration that there was no lesser time for the brand, only thriving and often succeeding to be the best at its time.

In some extent Patek Philippe seems to have been from decades ago what many brands of high horology wish to be today. Patek Philippe is a venerable institution of high horology. The Patek Philippe Seal is also IMO a possible proof that inside the company they act as an institution too. They have become their own reference, the keepers of the faith. You will want to nuance my apology and I know it should be nuanced. Of course Philippe Dufour does it better (put whatever other name instead of Philippe Dufour if you want)! Yes but Patek Philippe is the modern manufacture of high horology coming from the past, no longer the lonesome watchmaker in its workshop. Of course Jaeger-LeCoultre offers tempting competition, but their very rich history is of a difference nature. Don't think that I prefer Patek Philippe over Jaeger-LeCoultre, that would not be true!

In fact Patek Philippe adds a very long made patina on its stature of a summit of high horology. Some brands reach the summit through a fantastic watch, others repeat the success a few times or more. I don't see another brand who seem to succeed to give a spirit of summit to all (or nearly) of its watches like Patek Philippe does it while at the same time offering a very wide range of models of various styles, complications, and levels of affordability.

To some extent in life we know that what "was" will not necessarily be. Humanly we try to select what will be, what will remain, especially when the present time proves us that it already remains from the past. Even the antagonism between what remains and what writes the future, the innovation, is smartly played by Patek Philippe. The 5170 above could be a highly looked for vintage piece, it is quite possibly the future of the most technically demanding of chronograph collectors and the first chapter of what is yet a story of science fiction.

Obviously Patek Philippe's communication cultivates these aspects. I've always been told (and would not say differently) that you need to know yourself well to get the best of yourself. They genuinely know themselves and the coherence of the Patek Philippe organization is certainly a source of respect and envy for both fans and competitors. The whole company concept is so well polished by time and actions that if you like traditional watches (a positioning of the brand) it's hard to escape!

So you probably think I'm sold! Well yes I'm sold in respect for the brand. I don't know if I admire more the company or the watches, I know I admire them. I just hope it won't be for ever a platonic love, because as much as I can fall in love for Venus, I know that I'm a mortal and must live my life!

Dje