Thierry Stern pauses between inquiries to acknowledge considered one of his workers who delivers a contemporary cup of what we think about to be espresso. It may be a scene from a presentation at BaselWorld, which Patek Philippe pulled the plug on this yr. In actual fact, no main watch gala’s befell in Switzerland in 2020, and we count on the identical in 2021. Maybe Stern is taking a gathering on the manufacture in Geneva. Maybe it’s from a go to to the Patek Philippe Museum, additionally in the identical metropolis. It may need been any of these issues, and but it was none. To start with, the President of Patek Philippe’s viewers was not within the room in any respect. He was accompanied in particular person by the model’s communications chief Jasmina Steele, who usually sits in when Stern takes questions from the press. In fact, it’s 2020 and there aren’t any grand press conferences on the earth of watchmaking.
Having mentioned all that, there are 5 of us from Singapore right this moment, taking turns in stately vogue to ask questions of Stern. The interview occurs through one of many many video conferencing mechanisms which might be altering the best way everybody works. They might be right here to remain, even when vaccines make in-person conferences and journey secure once more. On this event, digital expertise has enabled this assembly, which I definitely had no expectation would occur. The rationale this extraordinary session got here to be was the launch of the Patek Philippe ref. 6301P, launched elsewhere on this situation. An extraordinary watch requires extraordinary measures, extra so in 2020.
Patek Philippe ref. 6301P
It could possibly be argued that any Patek Philippe watch is as removed from unusual as a classic Dom Perignon is from a country Beaujolais. That it’s a grand and petite sonnerie, with minute repeater, makes the watch the equal of a uncommon classic, maybe the 2008 Dom Perignon, to proceed this joyful and celebratory analogy. The yr is critical, and under no circumstances chosen at random. Just like the yr of the Nice Recession, we discover ourselves as soon as extra in dire financial straits. Regardless of who you’re, I’m sure that you’ll agree that 2020 has to date exceeded the scope of 2008, and reveals each signal of being probably the most momentous yr in residing reminiscence because the
outbreak of World Warfare 2.
“I imagine in Patek Philippe… I imagine in a future for Patek Philippe. I imagine it is going to be stronger and higher sooner or later”
Patek Philippe has survived the entire above, and far more. An exquisite article in EuropaStar in June this yr equated the Geneva manufacture with the technical time period resilience, because it applies in materials science. The family-owned agency confronted its personal breaking level after the Melancholy within the 1930s, with the Stern household rescuing it in 1932. It’s a testomony to the household’s values and spirit of continuity that some informal observers thought that Philippe Stern, Thierry’s father, was the Philippe in Patek Philippe. Thierry Stern has been identified to jest that hardly anybody seen when he took over from his father as president of the corporate as a result of the transition was so clean.
The story of that transition was one a few years within the making, and is a matter of public report, because of the Authorised Biography of Patek Philippe, by Nick Foulkes. The creator traces Thierry Stern’s ardour for watches again to an incident in his childhood. “Once I was a baby of about six or seven years outdated, I used to be in my father’s workplace, and I pulled out a tray,” Stern informed Foulkes. “I nonetheless keep in mind the color and odor of that tray. It was lined in purple velour and there have been perhaps six 17th century pocket watches (embellished) with Blois enamel. I used to be impressed, and I made a decision that I wish to make watches.” You will need to observe that Stern didn’t say he wish to take over from his father in the future, however that he wished to make watches. Certainly, he determined to change into the primary member of the household to attend watchmaking college.
“The grand sonnerie is gorgeous, however the watch additionally has a really correct motion, and the lifeless seconds reveals it”
This explains why, after finishing his apprenticeship on the Henri Stern Watch Company in New York – like his grandfather and father earlier than him – he discovered himself employed at Atelier Reunis SA. The corporate made circumstances and bracelets for Patek Philippe, and Stern discovered to understand metiers d’artwork proper there on rue des Vieux-Grenadiers. Foulkes and different writers have even recommended that this formative expertise thought Stern about what it meant to serve at Patek Philippe. So, when he jokes that he’s merely a steward for the model, conserving it wholesome till his kids are able to succeed him, he’s all too conscious of the sacrifice it requires. This is the reason Stern says he is not going to drive his kids to take over the enterprise.
“Once I began to hearken to the (chiming watches) with my father, I used to be actually scared, to be frank. I spent two years simply listening to the watches with him; I mentioned nothing. At first, I couldn’t inform the distinction between the watches, whereas he had one thing to say about each. I actually questioned how I used to be going to do that job alone. However then, over time, I developed (an ear) for the sounds. The identical will likely be true for my son; he’ll take some years to hear with me,” mentioned Stern.
Patek Philippe ref. 6301P
The topic of the longer term does come up on this digital press convention, as it might given the circumstances. Stern regards it gravely, and admits that enterprise has been tough (all the way down to the tune of 20-30% over 2019), even for the mighty Patek Philippe. Nonetheless, he’s assured that the manufacture’s latest growth — accomplished simply earlier than COVID-19 hit Switzerland — is not going to have been in useless. He says he’ll maintain a number of the rooms closed till the agency has want of the area, which little doubt additionally displays the truth that Patek Philippe has no plans to extend manufacturing past the 60,000 or so items that it at present produces yearly. Lockdowns and different measures have all reduce manufacturing in Switzerland considerably.
On the subject of the ref. 6301P, we current Stern’s views as they had been communicated. With us on this session are the Straits Occasions, Revolution, Crown and Indochine Media.
Some corporations will emerge stronger from the present state of affairs, simply as Patek Philippe did in 2008. What about Patek Philippe right this moment, with the funding within the new facility that simply opened?
What’s essential to me is that I imagine in Patek Philippe… I imagine in a future for Patek Philippe. I imagine it is going to be stronger and higher sooner or later. To be stronger, you want to have the ability to enhance the standard, and the brand new constructing offers us the area to do it. We can add all types of know-how and (usher in artisans of all kinds). At this time, the constructing is just too large for us however tomorrow, we’ll want it. My kids, in the event that they wish to develop the corporate, they are going to want it. I had a alternative: do a small constructing first after which one other small one later, or do one large constructing. There was
no query which one I wished to do.
If we discuss amount, perhaps we’ll develop by 1-2% so we want the area for that too. Even with our present manufacturing, we’ve got to count on all these watches to return to us for servicing, in order that’s another excuse I made a decision on this sort of growth.
We now have to ask the tough query… why launch such an accomplishment because the ref. 6301P on this horrible yr?
There’ll all the time be good and dangerous years. We must always not cease simply due to that. It’s (comparable) to after I took over as President (in 2008), which was a really dangerous yr. It’s out of the query to cease launching items as a result of it’s a tough yr. Anyway, the watch will likely be within the assortment for a few years to come back, and perhaps there’ll just one or two this yr. We aren’t planning on doing 10,000 items or something! Additionally I feel the launch of (a watch like this) brings just a little hope and happiness on this tough yr, and it was meant to have a good time my father’s birthday.
“It’s out of the query to cease launching items as a result of it’s a tough yr”
What number of occasions did you hearken to the 6301P, in growth, and the way would you describe the sound?
I listened to the watch perhaps 20 or 30 occasions, and that’s solely me! Earlier than me there may be additionally the watchmakers! It’s a protracted course of. We tried many various gongs, approaches and even a special case. It’s all the time a problem, between making the sound very stunning or very loud. It’s all the time a compromise. The one factor you are able to do is hear to every watch and decide, which is what I did. I wished this watch in platinum as a result of I wished to show that we had the know-how to do a grand sonnerie on this very dense and tough materials. I needed to set the purpose that we’re Patek Philippe and we will do this stuff. That features the truth that you’ll be able to actually put on this watch day by day…it isn’t fragile or delicate so if you wish to put on this (steadily) I’d haven’t any downside with that. In the long run, I’d say the watch sounds cool. If I needed to grade it on a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give it an eight. I say this as a result of I do know we will nonetheless enhance it!
Why did you determine to incorporate the lifeless seconds complication?
Technically, it was good so as to add the lifeless seconds right here. For some prospects, they respect this type of element. To start with, let me say it was difficult for our technical division to do that complication. However we would have liked to do it to indicate that it is a very correct watch. You’ve the grand sonnerie and it’s stunning, however the watch additionally has a really correct motion. So sure, there may be much more work that went into the watch (to execute the lifeless seconds) however at our stage, frankly I feel we needed to do it. We now have all the time been combating for higher accuracy so if we will do it, I wish to do it.
Thierry Stern shares his views on household, enterprise, and legacy right here.