Patek Philippe Key Dates

1842: Jean Adrien Philippe made the first watch which could be wound and set by means of crown.

1844: Antoine Norbert de Patek meets Jean Adrien Phillipe at the universal Exhibition in Paris.

1845: On May 1st, Antoine Norbert de Patek with his partners Jean Adrien Philippe and Vincent Gostkowski found in Geneva the firm Patek Philippe & Co, located at 15 quai Des Bergues.

1845: On May 17, The firm Patek, Czapek & Co changes name, officially adopting the name Patek & Co.

1876: On January 21, Vincent Gotkowski retires from the firm Patek Philippe

1880: The first prize in the Chronometer Competition of the Geneva Observatory is obtained by a pocket chronometer with lever escapement and a Breguet over coil hairspring.

1891: January, Adrien Philippe passes the company management to the youngest of his five children, Joseph Emile Philippe, and to Francois Antoine Conty.

1891: Edouard Kohn leaves Patek Philippe and takes up management of the firm of watchmakers Henri-Robert Ekegren.

1915 : Creation of the first Lady's wristwatch in platinum with 5 minute repeater, 10th caliber with 29 jewels, bimetallic balance wheel, Breguet over coil hairspring.

1925: Beginning of the construction of minute repeating wristwatch movements.

1926: Fabrication of the first single push-button wrist chronograph, with 13''' movement, 19 jewels. This type of movement is housed is housed in classic, cushion- "tortue" and "tonneau" shaped cases in yellow pink white gold platinum or steel.

1928: Manufacturing of wristwatches with complete, but not perpetual, calendar begins and some models have the phases of the moon. They have a movement of 11''' or 12'''. The cases of these watches have a classic "tortue" shape and subsequently a Calatrava model with Ref. 96 The cases are in yellow punk white gold, platinum or steel.

1929: Beginning of the manufacture of wristwatches with jumping digital hours, 10''' caliber, and other models with jumping hours and minutes. The cases of these wristwatches are rectangular or "tortue" shape, either in gold or platinum. Subsequently, as the watches did not become popular, the production was stopped.

1932: The brothers Charles and Jean Stern acquire the majority of the shares of Patek Philippe & Cie.

1934: Henri Stern, son of Charles Stern, becomes responsible for the distribution on the American Market and founds the Henri Stern Watch Agency in New York.

1944: Patek Philippe obtains first prize in the Geneva Chronometry Competition with a movement of the category D (max. diameter 39mm). First prizes were also attained in 1946, 1948, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, and 1964. Manufacture of 12''' SCQ caliber with perpetual calendar, center-seconds, only 12 pieces made before 1947 with Ref. 1591. These wristwatches are in either yellow or pink gold.

1950: Andre Zibach and Eric Jaccard begin the construction of a movement caliber 34 S "tonneau", with lever escapement for the Chronometry Competitions, Category D. Finished in 1952.

1958: Henri Stern is appointed President and General Manager of Patek Philippe, Geneva.