Patek Philippe Watches
Many rate Patek Philippe watches as being the best in the world. They are considered to set the benchmark in watch making and are considered to be works of art. I, for one, agree. Many watch manufacturers claim to make watches that are timeless and will still be desired years after they have been made and their original owner has long passed on. With Patek Philippe watches, this claim is true, as each year, antique Patek Philippe watches fetch incredible prices at auction.
Patek Philippe produce 22 basic calibers and over 45 different types of movements and is the undisputed leader of traditional fine watch making. It takes 3 - 5 years for Patek Philippe to design a new watch, depending of the complication of the watch. This can take much longer for exceptional pieces like the Patek Philippe Caliber 89 pictured left) - created for the 150th anniversary of the company in 1989. It holds 33 complications, including the date of Easter, a thermometer, time of sunrise, equation of time, sidereal time, and many other indicators; it is the world's most complicated portable timepiece.
But Patek Philippe hasn't just relied on years of tried and tested craftmanship to make a beautiful watch. The company has continually experimented with new materials and technology. This has led to the development of the silicon escape wheel for a Swiss lever escapement. Silicone is lightweight, hard, anti-magnetic, highly corrosion-resistant, truer to shape than any steel wheel, and above all, its locking tooth faces never need to be lubricated.
It is the last surviving independent watch manufacturer in Geneva, a legacy reflected in the 160-year-old tradition of excellence. The current Patek Philippe collections include the Patek Philippe Calatrava Collection, Patek Philippe Complicated, Patek Philippe Calatrava Collection, Patek Philippe Gondola Collection, Quartz Model 4824J, Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse Collection, Patek Philippe Twenty-4 Collection.
I have long wanted to own a Patek Philippe. They are exceptional watches but they don't come cheap. Maybe, when the kids have left home and the mortgage is paid, I might seriously think of buying one of the cheaper Patek Philippe watches.