After 2012 in Dubai, 2013 in Munich, 2015 in London and 2017 in New York, Singapore has now been chosen by Patek Philippe as the venue for the fifth exhibition that offers in-depth insights into its universe and its creations. From Saturday, September 28 until Sunday, October 13, 2019, collectors, aficionados of watchmaking artistry and the general public can immerse themselves in the world of Patek Philippe as if they were personally visiting the historic salons on Rue du Rhône in Geneva, the manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates, or the Patek Philippe Museum. It is a unique opportunity to cast a backstage glance at the last independent family-owned Genevan watchmaking company.Taking place during the Singapore Bicentennial year, the Grand Exhibition underlines the importance of Singapore and Southeast Asia for Patek Philippe.
These markets are not only significant when it comes to the numbers of collectors and enthusiasts based in the region, they also play a major role in building appreciation for the work of fine mechanical watchmaking. This is why Thierry Stern, president of Patek Philippe, and his father, honorary president Philippe Stern, place so much emphasis on hosting this grand exhibition in Singapore and making sure it is an event of extraordinary proportions. It will showcase the launch of limited special-edition watches and an important collection of rare handcrafts timepieces that are inspired by the mix of cultural and artistic expressions of Southeast Asia and Singapore.
Along with the exhibition, six new limited edition timepieces have been unveiled. Pricing is not confirmed yet for all the watches but we have some of them. Additionally, the watches will be exclusively available through the Patek Philippe boutiques in Southeast Asia and Singapore.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5167A Singapore 2019 — 500-piece Limited Edition — Sticker Price CHF 22,400 Swiss Francs
Patek Philippe Ladies Aquanaut Luce ref. 5067 Singapore 2019 — 300-piece Limited Edition
Patek Philippe Calatrava Ladies Pilot Travel Time ref. 7234A Blue-gray Dial Singapore 2019 — 400-piece Limited Edition — Sticker Price CHF 34,000 Swiss Francs
Patek Philippe World Time Chronograph ref. 5930 Singapore 2019 — 300-piece Limited Edition — Sticker Price CHF 71,400 Swiss Francs
Patek Philippe World Time Minute Repeater ref. 5531R Singapore 2019 — 5-piece Limited Edition — Sticker Price CHF 540,000 Swiss Francs
Patek Philippe Grand Complication Minute Repeater Tourbillon ref. 5303R Singapore 2019 — 12-piece Limited Edition — Sticker Price CHF 590,000 Swiss Francs
The world of Patek Philippe recreated in ten themed rooms in an exhibition of over 1800 square meters “Watch Art Grand Exhibition Singapore 2019” is open to the public and admission is free. It is being hosted at the Marina Bay Sands Theater in Singapore, and is the venue’s first event of this nature. The 1800 square meter exhibition is subdivided into ten themed rooms, each with its own distinctive ambiance.
Visitors can watch a movie portraying Patek Philippe’s history, admire the manufacture’s complete current collection, and immerse themselves in a unique selection of complicated watches as well as a stunning range of movements. Live on site, watchmakers and artisans demonstrate their skills, offering visitors insights into horological artistry and the finesse mastered by specialist artisans such as enamel painters whose guild has been associated with watchmaking for centuries. After completing the tour, visitors have the opportunity to relax in the Patek Philippe lounge café.
Select exhibits from the Patek Philippe Museum With its 2019 exhibition in Singapore, Patek Philippe wants to give the audience an opportunity to discover an important selection of exhibits from the Patek Philippe Museum, among them some extremely rare ones. This is the first time that so many timekeeping instruments of the distinguished museum in Geneva will be exhibited in Singapore. The museum section is divided into two departments, as is the case in Geneva. The “Antique Collection” provides a wonderful historic panorama of the history of watchmaking with some of the very first portable timepieces from the mid-16th century, richly enameled pocket watches, musical automata, and technical timepieces crafted by Europe’s most gifted watchmakers. The “Patek Philippe Collection” offers a selection of the manufacture’s most splendid creations from 1839 to the present day. Notable among them are the royal watches (particularly a piece presented to Queen Victoria in 1851 during the Great Exhibition at the London Crystal Palace), the first Swiss wristwatch (1868), and some of the most famous Patek Philippe “supercomplications”.
The ten theme rooms include the Cinema, where the historic Patek Philippe film is screened. Then, the Current Collection Room reserved for the presentation of the current collection. Its interior was inspired by the appointment of the Patek Philippe Salon on Rue du Rhône in Geneva. The Napoleon Room and its seductive effect of this room is that it spirits visitors away to the Patek Philippe Salon in Geneva, treating them to a fantastic motion-picture panoramic view of Lake Geneva. This is also where the limited special editions created explicitly for the South-East Asia market are displayed. The Museum Room like the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva, this room is subdivided into two departments, one for the Antique Collection, the other for the Patek Philippe Collection. Rare Handcrafts Room is where artisans demonstrate techniques, especially enameling, with which wristwatches and table clocks are decorated. A selection of watches that would be unthinkable without ancestral skills underscores Patek Philippe’s commitment to rare handcrafts. The Watchmakers Room, where Master watchmakers from Patek Philippe invite visitors to take a close look at the inner workings of mechanical timepieces. Followed by the Grand Complications Room with a unique overview of the most complicated and innovative Patek Philippe timepieces concentrated in one place. Then the Movements Room dedicated to the extensive range of Patek Philippe movements —from simple calibers to highly elaborate ones developed for the world’s most complicated watches. Lastly, the Interactive Room that allows visitors to experience a hands-on, in-depth tour of the Patek Philippe manufacture and gain insights into caliber engineering and the Singapore 200th Anniversary Room showcasing selected timepieces and events from Patek Philippe’s timeline alongside key milestones in Singapore’s history.
The Exhibition will take place from September 28th through October 13th at Sands Theater at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore.
To commemorate the exhibition, Patek Philippe published a commemorative catalog in celebration of The Watch Art Grand Exhibition Singapore 2019. This limited edition catalog highlights the hundreds of historical timepieces on loan from the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva and private collectors, new models and current collections, Singapore special limited editions, Rare Handcrafts, and Grand Complications showcased during the exhibition in Singapore.
All proceeds from the sale of the exhibition catalog available at the Watch Art Grand Exhibition Bookstore will go to the National Museum of Singapore, an institution of the National Heritage Board.
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