Patek Philippe

Antoine Norbert de Patek, born in Poland, settled in Geneva and founded Patek, Czapek & Co. in 1839 with Franciszek Czapek. At the Industrial Exposition in Paris in 1844, Patek discovered Jean Adrien Philippe and his keyless winding system. Philippe joined him in Geneva; the company became Patek & Cie in 1845 and Patek, Philippe & Cie in 1851. Philippe had invented the keyless winding mechanism in 1842 and obtained several patents from 1845 to 1861. In 1887, the Calatrava Cross became the company logo. In 1932, during the Great Depression, Charles and Jean Stern, owners of Cadrans Stern Frères and dial suppliers to Patek Philippe, acquired the company. They appointed watchmaker Jean Pfister to lead and internalized movement production. Henri Stern joined in 1935 and became Chairman in 1958. Philippe Stern became President in 1993 and inaugurated a new manufacture in 1996, then created the Patek Philippe Museum in 2001. Thierry Stern became President in 2009. The PP6 Manufacture was inaugurated in 2020.