Patek Philippe’s new manufacture close to Geneva is 10 tales excessive and practically 200 meters lengthy, with 4 staircases and 20 passenger and freight elevators. It’s a $600,000 masterpiece of contemporary structure that can consolidate the corporate’s capabilities, and it’s being suitably commemorated with a particular version of Patek’s fashionable traditional watch, the Calatrava.
The 40mm case of the limited-edition Ref. 6007A is manufactured from chrome steel, a uncommon materials for the model. The trendy blue dial likewise has a uncommon ornamental flourish: the middle is completed in a carbon-style texture that Patek intends as a nod to the world of high-tech. One other atypical flourish is the matching strap in calfskin with white ornamental seams and an embossed sample paying homage to textile materials. It accommodates the automated caliber 324 S C motion with a date window at three o’clock. The caseback bears the inscription “New Manufacture 2019.” It’s a restricted version of 1000 items, priced at $28,351.
The brand new constructing is structured with white concrete passageways alongside your complete façade, with intermittent bronze-colored fireplace escapes in what Patek describes because the New York fashion. The slight horizontal curvature of the passageways is paying homage to the gently rounded octagon of the Nautilus case, and the balustrades of the fireplace escape ladders have a silhouette that resembles the type of leaf-shaped arms. “The impression is that of an enormous ocean liner with clearly outlined varieties,” says Patek.
The brand new manufacture unites all of Patek Philippe’s Genevan ateliers beneath one roof, together with case and bracelet making, coaching and restoration in addition to numerous different capabilities that had been beforehand unfold out in a dozen websites all through town. It additionally permits for future development over the subsequent 20 to 30 years.
Patek Philippe is cautious to emphasise, nonetheless, that the purpose of the growth is to not enhance the amount of watches produced—at the moment solely 62,000 items per yr—however to consolidate its capabilities. It’s an growth of the manufacture that Patek built-in 1996 in Plan-les-Ouates, a suburb of Geneva the place a number of different elite manufactures are positioned—also known as “Plan-les-Watches.”
Since then, the Patek Philippe assortment has developed. Difficult watches now account for practically half of all fashions, together with “helpful problems” such because the patented annual calendar, weekly calendar, journey time two-zone show, world time. The result’s a rising common variety of parts per watch. It additionally permits for a streamlined manufacturing system.
The product vary of greater than 160 fashions is crafted in sequence, starting from a dozen to a number of hundred items, fitted with an in depth number of calibers made in-house, rising the necessity for manufacturing area. Along with the manufacturing of the present assortment, the brand new manufacture will even accommodate area for crafting the stock of spare elements wanted for customer support, together with the restoration of vintage timepieces.
