For those who don’t know, Patek Philippe invented the first Swiss wristwatch all the way back in 1868, and it was created especially for Countess Koscowicz of Hungary. In the years that followed, Patek Philippe created numerous technologies, including the first perpetual calendar mechanism and first double chronograph system for pocket watches, the first ladies’ complication wristwatch, the first split-seconds chronograph wristwatch, and its first wristwatch featuring a perpetual calendar system.
As Patek Philippe invented and engineered pocket watches and timepieces for Europe’s nobility and high society, the company quickly became sought after for its quality, reliability and innovative stance. Its watches were built to last; each Patek Philippe watch is finished by hand, with the maison’s philosophy of maintaining an ‘only human’ touch, without rush or replacement, to ensure consistent quality.
But the added foresight of its founders also ensured the timepieces were timeless with features and mechanisms that were made to work in perpetuity. Even since then, Patek timepieces were made to be used for a lifetime. Today, this innovative spirit is one of 10 values that define Patek Philippe, setting the foundations to its close to two centuries of history.
The year 1932 was a turning point for the company, and was the entry of the Stern family as investors and management of Patek, Philippe, & Cie. The Stern family are still at the helm of Patek Philippe today, which makes it the last family-owned Genevan watch manufacturer. With family at its heart, and several generations of said family working together to run the company for close to a century, it makes sense that the Generations campaign was its next impactful move.
The tagline we’ve all heard, seen, or read at least once in our life: “You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation.”
This iconic slogan was introduced with the ‘Generations’ campaign, which was first introduced in 1996. It was hugely successful in solidifying the image of Patek watches as heirlooms meant to be passed down through families, and still is today as the campaign continues to sell watches for the Swiss brand. Over the years, the advertising campaign evolved with the times, taking different approaches to the image of family that Patek chose to portray, such as in a refreshed 2019 campaign when the challenges and changes of modern fatherhood was chosen to be the key theme in the continuation of the generations campaign story.
But the generational approach to branding and marketing these watches would not hold water without real action behind the messaging. While the concept of family, fatherhood, and parenthood was transforming with modernity, and Patek Philippe too evolved to meet the needs of modern society, there was one commitment the company made that proved it was more than talk.
In simple terms, every Patek Philippe watch comes with a commitment from the company to keep the watch working into the foreseeable future. No matter how old your Patek watch or what model it is, the company will service and repair it – and this applies even to watches from 1839, close to 200 years later. The maison’s technicians are trained to be able to maintain any watch made by Patek and thus ensuring it will continue to run. Offering such after-sales service not only gives credibility to the brand’s advertising and brand messaging, but it also proves that the maison stands behind each and every timepiece it creates and sells.
By prioritising the longevity and quality of its timepieces and honouring a lifetime commitment to its customers – whether they’ve bought or inherited their watch – Patek Philippe has forged a bridge across generations, becoming synonymous with family, legacy and heritage. This is how Patek Philippe became the brand that connects generations, through creating pieces fit to be family heirlooms across centuries and many more years to come.
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Photos: Patek Philippe