Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse 5738 (5738P-001)

GMT- Spring-summer 2009

Which of this year's new releases best reflects the spirit of Patek Philippe? 

Baselworld provides an opportunity for us to unveil around 15 new releases, and contrary to other brands, it is our collections as a whole that represent the spirit of the House. Since we annually continue to build up our eight product lines, there is no one particularly pre-eminent model. This broad range of calibres and designs embodies the Patek Philippe spirit. 

Since the creation of the Twenty-4, there have not been any new milestone introductions from Patek Philippe: are you gearing up for a major new launch? 

It is very tough to survive crises without having any new models. It's important to innovate during the crisis while looking ahead to the post- crisis period and showing up with some extremely b models. That is exactly what we are preparing to do at Baselworld 2010. We are indeed moving towards a new turning point for Patek, and collectors are in for a pleasant surprise. The latter will once again stem from watches designed specifically for women, who are showing an increasing interest in mechanical timepieces. We are going to catch everyone off-guard and herald a whole new era in this feminine world. 

Isn't it frustrating not to venture into the field of extremely avant-garde designs when you see the ultra-modern creations from some of the small independent brands? 

It's frustrating when you start at Patek. You join the company and you want to change everything. In this respect, I am speaking both as head of the design department and as vice-president. Once you become better acquainted with both the brand and its clients, you soon realise that demand is not geared towards this type of innovations, which tend to have a very short life-span. Our strength lies both in our capacity to launch certain "time bombs" onto the market, and their longevity. Ten years after its release, the Twenty-4 is as much in demand as ever. In fact, it turns out to be much harder to touch and impress people with a contemporary yet classic model, than with an ultra-modern watch. Our research focuses less on pure design as such than on the materials that actually enhance the performances and the quality of the watch - whether in terms of the movement or the exterior. 

After the breakthrough in the use of silicon, which do you see as the most promising development in the pipeline? 

Let's not move too fast. We have made a big step forward with silicon, but we are still engaged in the testing and learning process. We at Patek never put anything on the market without being 400% sure it is the right move, and particularly that it will prove a genuine asset to the movement by providing enhanced precision, improved long-term stability, etc… Our research mainly centres on the escapement, since we believe that is the part of the movement harbouring the most potential for innovations contributing to improving rating precision and reliability. Patek has now decided to use the most reliable escapement, the Swiss lever type, and to improve it. We have already worked on the lever, the balance-spring and the escape-wheel, and we can sense that we are moving towards some significant advances on these components, based on silicon or other similar technologies. Only when there is no more room for improvement in this field will we begin studies on developing a new escapement. 

What kind of feedback do you get from your customers about the magazine they receive twice a year? 

We get excellent feedback. Clients appreciate it for two main reasons: the fact that it is not just a watch magazine, with each issue comprising only three or four articles on watches; and also that when we deal with this topic, we do so by a theme-based and strictly non-commercial approach. The articles display high quality and good taste, without being interrupted by advertising pages. It is amazing to realise how many people actually collect it.

Luc Pettavino * has said he is very touched by the strength of your commitment to the Only Watch 2009 operation; what does this project mean to you? 

It represents the sheer tenacity of someone who is convinced that we can change things. That's a remarkable quality in this day and age. Luc Pettavino is an honest, humane individual with his feet firmly on the ground. He is not only highly motivated and determined, but also capable of respecting his partners, an attitude that is also rare in contemporary society. Above and beyond the disease that has struck his son, he is capable of moving mountains and of uniting a wide range of brands without any sense of animosity between them. His approach is excellent and one cannot but wish to support his efforts. 

Your management team is extremely stable; what's the secret behind that continuity? 

Here at Patek Philippe, we are working in a family business with a clear-cut strategy that provides a long-term vision not only for the brand itself, but also for the managers guiding its destiny. They can build projects, evolve, and develop strategies, secure in the knowledge that these will not be challenged a year from hence merely because a leader or a shareholder has a change of mood. Their efforts are rewarded and their fields of competence are duly respected, which is naturally gratifying. Moreover, people here know for whom they are working. Finally, everyone at Patek has a chance to move up the corporate ladder, provided they display both talend and determination, and this potential upward mobility does not apply to watchmakers alone. 

What is the greatest challenge facing Patek Philippe in the coming years? 

The greatest challenge will be to remain independent. We want to continue making the models we dream of. Even though we produce everything in-house, we also work with certain suppliers, albeit their number is gradually dwindling through the process of verticalisation being undertaken by the big groups. Moreover, we must also remain financially independent and therefore cannot afford to have a bad financial year. So independence is definitely our greatest challenge.