At Milan, Patek Philippe Pulls Out All the Stops

The format is unique: one venue, a single exhibitor, thousands of exclusive documents, watches and heritage objects, all offered free of charge to the general public for around two weeks. These are the “Watch Art” Grand Exhibitions that Patek Philippe regularly holds around the world. After Dubai in 2012, Munich in 2013, London in 2015, New York in 2017, Singapore in 2019 and Tokyo in 2023, the brand has chosen Milan for its seventh major exhibition. Why? Because Italy is the manufacture’s second-largest market in Europe (in descending order of the volume of watches sold by country: Germany first, followed by Italy, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Spain and finally France in sixth position).

The idea behind the exhibition is for it to be an open space with an oval layout where all the areas are connected to one another. Visitors can enter through multiple doors and wander around at their leisure. It is easy to get lost at the Watch Art exhibition, and that is a good thing: you need to take the time to read certain archives and revisit the current collections, before going to talk with a guillocheur, looking at a few patents, listening to chiming watches, or marvelling at pieces specially brought out for the occasion from the Patek Philippe Museum. The immersion is total, but always playful: allow three good hours for an almost complete tour, and at least a half-day to really delve into things. In total, the exhibition brings together 500 timepieces, including, unusually, the entire current collection. An extraordinary opportunity, probably unique in the world in 2026.

Seven limited editions launched for the occasion

As with each Watch Art exhibition, Patek Philippe has launched several limited editions. There are seven of them, all reserved for the Italian market. This is a major launch for Patek Philippe: in total, 685 watches are being launched simultaneously, divided among various limited editions. If we add the Métiers d’Art watches, most of which are unique pieces, the manufacture is announcing around 750 pieces dedicated to the Italian market.

Technically speaking, the “talking piece”, as the watchmaking idiom has it, is the Split-Seconds Chronograph Perpetual Calendar reference 5978P-010. It is the first Split-Seconds Chronograph Perpetual Calendar in which all the indications—meaning those of both the chronograph and the calendar—jump instantaneously. The piece is presented in a 42 mm platinum Calatrava case.

Alongside it are two series that will probably drive collectors wild. The first comprises three models inspired by the colors of the Italian flag. First, green, with the 7147G-010, a 38mm white-gold case and perpetual calendar on a sumptuous green lacquered dial—limited to only 100 examples.

Next, white, with the Calatrava Date with Small Seconds reference 7007G-010. Produced in a limited edition of 200 pieces, it is presented in a 38mm white-gold case inspired by that of reference 6007 (40mm in diameter at the time), presented in 2020 to mark the completion of the production building in Geneva.

Finally, red, with the Minute Repeater reference 7047G-010. There will be only five examples. Since Thierry Stern personally pointed out that it was his favorite piece from the Watch Art Exhibition, there is little doubt that the five pieces will have sold out within seconds.

The second group of limited editions relates to the Métiers d’Art. It is mainly enameller Anita Porchet who, together with her two collaborators, has created a large number of unique pieces or very short series. They depict the center of Milan, the main Italian landscapes accompanied by the timeless Fiat 500, or major figures from Italian art. 

Among these jewels is a pocket watch depicting Dante Alighieri, author of The Divine Comedy, surrounded by some of Botticelli’s original drawings. An extraordinary creation for the highly discerning aesthete. The renowned enameller, despite officially being retired, revealed that she had worked on it for “nearly four months”.