Cover A illustration of the Patek Philippe Museum Room at the upcoming Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Milan
A illustration of the Patek Philippe Museum Room at the upcoming Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Milan
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Two exceptional new Rare Handcrafts creations offer an early glimpse of what awaits at Patek Philippe’s largest‑ever Watch Art Grand Exhibition, opening in Milan this October
By the time Patek Philippe brought its Watch Art Grand Exhibition to Singapore in 2019, the travelling showcase had already established itself as one of contemporary watchmaking’s major public exhibitions. Yet for collectors across Southeast Asia, it marked the first opportunity to experience the world of the Geneva manufacture on such an extraordinary scale. Some 68,000 visitors passed through Marina Bay Sands to explore recreated sections of the Geneva Salon, the manufacture and the Patek Philippe Museum, alongside 467 historic and contemporary timepieces. For many, it became a benchmark against which subsequent watchmaking exhibitions would inevitably be measured.
Yet Singapore was only one chapter in a much longer story. When Patek Philippe launched its first Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Dubai in 2012, it set out to do something few watch brands had attempted on such a scale: open the doors to its world, free of charge, to anyone curious enough to step inside. Munich, London, New York, Singapore and Tokyo followed, with the format becoming increasingly ambitious over time. Together, the six exhibitions have welcomed some 165,000 visitors.
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Above Patek Philippe Burano Ref 992/193J-001 pocket watch
Patek Philippe Burano Ref 992/193J-001 pocket watch
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From October 2 to 18, Milan becomes the seventh stop—and perhaps the grandest yet. Occupying nearly 2,900sq m beneath the soaring dome of the newly restored CityOval, formerly the Palazzo delle Scintille, it will be the largest Watch Art Grand Exhibition Patek Philippe has ever staged. Divided into 15 themed spaces, the exhibition will recreate the manufacture’s universe, transporting visitors from its historic headquarters on Geneva’s Rue du Rhône to the workshops of Plan-les-Ouates and the galleries of the Patek Philippe Museum.
Ahead of the exhibition, Patek Philippe has offered a first glimpse of what awaits in Milan with the unveiling of two exceptional one-of-a-kind creations that will make their public debut there. Designed especially for the occasion, both Rare Handcrafts pieces draw inspiration from Italy. The Burano Ref 992/193J-001 pocket watch pays tribute to the colourful Venetian island for which it is named through an intricate combination of cloisonné, flinqué and paillonné enamelling. The canals and brightly coloured houses of Burano come alive on the caseback in cloisonné enamel using 70 colours, with their shimmering reflections rendered in gold and silver leaf using the paillonné technique. Hand engraving inspired by the island’s centuries-old lacemaking tradition adorns the case, while the stand is set with spinels and sapphires on a blue quartz base.
Above Patek Philippe Sicilian Oranges Ref 20179M-001 dome table clock
Patek Philippe Sicilian Oranges Ref 20179M-001 dome table clock
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Equally evocative is the Sicilian Oranges Ref 20179M-001 dome table clock, where orange groves unfold in the foreground while a softly rendered panorama of Palermo recedes into the distance. The two visual planes create a remarkable sense of depth through Grand Feu cloisonné enamel and delicate miniature painting, with subtle blurring and shading effects enhancing the sense of distance.
The two creations offer just a taste of the dedicated Rare Handcrafts room, where 27 exceptional pieces created exclusively for Milan celebrate the métiers d’art that have become synonymous with Patek Philippe—from cloisonné enamel and miniature painting to hand engraving, wood micromarquetry, guilloché and gem-setting. Together with nearly 500 timepieces and objects spanning the manufacture’s current collection and historic masterpieces, they form part of its most comprehensive Watch Art Grand Exhibition yet. Live demonstrations by artisans will also offer visitors a rare opportunity to witness these painstaking traditional techniques firsthand.
Above The Grandmaster Chime Ref 5175R-001, developed and crafted in‑house to commemorate the manufacture’s 175th anniversary
Above A pocket watch from circa 1830, made for the Italian market, with a champlevé enamel back cover depicting a map of northern Italy
The Grandmaster Chime Ref 5175R-001, developed and crafted in‑house to commemorate the manufacture’s 175th anniversary
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The exhibition also draws extensively from the Patek Philippe Museum, with more than 90 timepieces travelling from Geneva for the occasion. Together, they trace both the broader history of horology and the manufacture’s own evolution, from some of the world’s oldest mechanical watches to landmark Patek Philippe creations. Several have been selected especially for Milan, including an 1897 pocket watch belonging to King Umberto I of Savoy, a pocket watch from circa 1830 made for the Italian market and a 1948 World Time Ref 1415 HU wristwatch with a cloisonné enamel dial depicting the Eastern Hemisphere.
Patek Philippe’s mechanical ingenuity will be equally prominent. The Super Complications room reunites some of the manufacture’s greatest technical achievements, including the legendary Calibre 89, the Grandmaster Chime Ref 5175R‑001 and the Star Caliber 2000. Visitors can also observe master watchmakers at work, discover the manufacture’s celebrated chiming watches in the aptly named Master of Sound room and explore the research and development that continue to shape its future.
As with previous Watch Art Grand Exhibitions, Milan will also see the unveiling of several limited-edition timepieces created especially to mark the occasion. They will undoubtedly attract their share of attention, as will the rare timepieces gathered from across Patek Philippe’s history.
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Annabel Tan is the Editor of Watches and Jewellery at Tatler Singapore, where she covers all things luxury timepieces and fine jewellery across both print and digital platforms. She is also the Editor of Tatler GMT Singapore, a role that deepens her fascination with the ever-evolving world of watchmaking. Outside of work, she’s usually on the hunt for her next favourite watch that she can’t afford, planning her next beach getaway, or catching up on the latest Formula 1 race.
