A professional detailing the steps in the Movement Intervention stage (All photos: Patek Philippe)
Watchmakers are not magicians, though their work is bewitching. And if one has personally witnessed the fine dexterity of a Patek Philippe horologist manipulating the micronic parts of a movement, they cannot be blamed for likening them to a wizard casting a highly complex spell.
There is no room for compromise at the family-owned manufacture, which has defined its own quality criteria, standards and directives — recognised by the watchmaking community as one of the most stringent — with the Patek Philippe Seal. This applies to every stage of creation, from design to manufacturing, encompassing the technology, aesthetics and flawless integrity of all functions.
To acquire a Patek Philippe is to become the custodian of an artistic and scientific tradition that persistently pursues excellence. Every watch is designed with the future in mind — to be an heirloom that can be handed down to your descendants. In fact, the Patek Philippe Seal is the only one of its kind that covers service for the entire lifetime of the watch, guaranteeing maintenance, repair and restoration for all timepieces crafted by the manufacture since its inception in 1839.
In the words of president Thierry Stern: “We are convinced that in our family-operated manufacture, the know-how required for servicing, repairing and restoring our watches is just as important as the competence needed to craft new watches. For this reason, we place great emphasis on having this work performed exclusively by watchmakers who have been trained and certified by Patek Philippe.”
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The training programme is structured by stages of complexity, comprising Levels 1 to 3, starting with basic skills, such as changing the battery of a quartz watch, then moving up to servicing hand-wound and automatic watches, followed by complications such as the Annual Calendar, Travel Time and Moon Phase. Level 4 onwards are referred to as Advanced Modules, ranging from A to E, with the latter being the highest ranking. A watchmaker of this calibre will train for at least 10 to 12 years at Patek Philippe alone and is qualified to service grand complications such as the self-winding Retrograde Perpetual Calendar.
At the maison’s Bangkok service centre, located in Gaysorn Tower at the heart of the Ratchaprasong district, the most senior expert is certified Advanced Module B and has been committed to horology the longest among the 18 trained specialists and watchmakers on-site. Though the 890 sq m centre is the smaller Southeast Asian outpost compared with Singapore, they receive over 6,000 watches that require intervention annually, serving around 25 customers a day.
By the way, there are only four Patek Philippe Institutes in the world: Geneva, New York, Shanghai and Singapore. Most of the professionals in Bangkok were trained in the Little Red Dot, with new graduates coming in to join the team next year. The course, which is open to those under 30 even without watchmaking experience, includes a full apprenticeship programme spanning two years with a final examination in Geneva. Graduates then have the opportunity to launch their career at the maison’s service centre.
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From A to Z
So, you have finally managed to secure your dream Patek Philippe. Now what? To ensure it lives up to its brand promise, the good people at the maison suggest servicing your timepiece regularly, preferably every three to five years or whenever necessary. Keep in mind that every Patek Philippe comes with a five-year warranty. Also, it is important to send the watch for maintenance at authorised service centres only as the experts there are able to comply with the strict quality criteria set by the manufacture.
After bidding “goodbye for now” (a full maintenance may take between six and 12 weeks, depending on the model’s complexity), your watch heads into the essential maintenance department, where it is registered and its service history is checked against the international customer archives and, if required, the historical archives.
FYI, customers who want to know their prized possession better can also request for a copy of the archival document, which states the watch’s specifications and other key information — sort of like a birth certificate. However, it can only be requested for timepieces whose date of first sale exceeds 10 years from the date of the request.
If all details check out, the watch is taken to be photographed to keep a record of the condition it arrived in followed by the workshop to be appraised.
The watch is disassembled safely using proprietary and specialised tools for diagnosis and essential maintenance, which includes battery replacement (checking the electronic module and replacing the gaskets), a mechanical watch analysis (examining its condition and putting it through magnetisation, timing and water resistance tests) and bracelet and strap adjustment (resizing and replacing the bracelet or strap and adjusting the fold-over clasp). Primary interventions are also available at the Patek Philippe boutiques at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur (The Hour Glass) and JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur (Cortina Watch). If further maintenance, repair or restoration is required, the results are conveyed to the owner along with an estimate fee.
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When the green light is given, the watch parts are divided between Movement Intervention and Case Intervention. In the former, a watchmaker begins the process by dismantling the movement. Every single component, which ranges easily between 100 and 350 for a contemporary timepiece, is assessed to determine its condition and problems, which, if any, must be identified during this phase. They are then taken to be cleaned to remove any traces of old lubricants and microscopic particles.
The parts go through a series of tests, correction, regulation and careful inspection. Worn out or faulty components are replaced with new ones. Manipulating these delicate elements requires extreme skill, not forgetting the patience of a saint. When it comes to reassembly, a simple movement can take between five and eight hours and a grand complication, up to 20. During this process, there are typically 50 to 100 oiling points that have to be lubricated deftly lest the movement be damaged.
Over at Case Intervention, after the glass is removed, the case is put through a 45-minute cleaning cycle. The optional process of polishing consists of several steps depending on the requirement of work requested by the owner. There are three trained polishers at the Bangkok service centre, one of whom is heading to Geneva soon to be certified for laser refilling. The work is labour-intensive as traditional polishing is performed manually using a “free-hand” technique, relying on extensive experience and virtuosity.
According to one of the professionals, there are about 55 hand-finishing operations required to produce the Nautilus case and bracelet alone and platinum is by far the trickiest material to work with.
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The machines at the Bangkok service centre are state of the art and some of them are not even available at the headquarters in Geneva, beams a chuffed polisher. Only the most experienced specialists can operate these machines as it requires great skill to ensure as little mass as possible is taken off the case. After the gleam of the mirror polish is restored, the case is taken to be cleaned.
It is fitted with new gaskets and a sapphire glass before going through another round of assessments.Upon approval, the case is returned to the workshop, where the reassembled movement is inserted back inside. This is done in a sterile and dust-free environment.
Finally, we arrive at quality control. The watch will remain here for two weeks, during which it undergoes a series of tests to verify functional controls, self-winding speed, power reserve, accuracy and water resistance. Even if the report returns with a 0.1 deviation from the required benchmark, it is sent back to the related department. Different watches are assessed using their respective reports. A manual winding timepiece, for example, will need a passing grade for water resistance, demagnetisation, aspect and functions, 24-hour rate control, power reserve, two sets of observations, average rate and aesthetic control.
After the controller is satisfied, it means the watch meets the Patek Philippe standards of quality. The strap and buckle are reattached and the timepiece is sealed and vacuumed, ready to be returned to its owner.
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For life
As part of the facility tour, we were able to try our hand at disassembling and reassembling an ETA 6497-1 pocket watch. Though the experts can practically break it down and build it back up with their eyes closed, the activity provided a glimpse into the precise and neck-breaking work that is part and parcel of the profession.
While highly complex and vintage watches (the general consensus is over 35 years) are returned to the principal restoration team in Geneva, Patek Philippe’s extensive network of authorised service centres demonstrates its commitment to providing the highest standard of after-sales support worldwide. After all, service is one of the 10 corporate values that represent the ideas and work of the manufacture.
Staffed with the most brilliant specialists who ensure the brand’s values, heritage and future are regarded every step of the way, the service centres safeguard the value of each Patek Philippe timepiece for generations to come.
This article first appeared on Dec 9, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
