In a space where art and precision merge, the eternal bond between Patek Philippe and Pisa Orologeria is revealed. Like the hands that enchant our days, the roots of this great synergy lie in the past, in the memories of the master watchmakers who weaved the threads of an indissoluble bond.
This story speaks of an eternal search for excellence, of a perpetual evolution in search of perfection and of an eternal partnership, founded on passion, good ambition and great authority.
The Maison of Patek Philippe between excellence, quality and prestige
For numerous enthusiasts and high watch collectors, the Patek Philippe brand , thanks to its great works of refined micro-engineering and style, is defined without any hesitation as " excellence ".
In fact, in the historical path of watchmaking there are very few manufacturers, still active today, that can boast a prestige and tradition that has left such a profound mark on memories and markets, as well as the works of this Maison.
Over time, Patek Philippe customers have always been fully aware of the importance of waiting, noting that this privilege is based on the natural respect for quality : this has a profound meaning and has always remained forged in the genetic code of this historic Geneva house.
This prestige, the result of careful skills and traditions, has inevitably sparked over the centuries a sort of specific adoration on the part of the most demanding specialists and lovers of the world of "Haute Horlogerie".
Antoni Patek Prawdzic: the awakening of a creative soul beyond battles
Retracing the genesis and evolution of the brand, its rare and great technical entrepreneurial ability comes to light, from which countless and coveted mechanical wonders were born.
In 1831 the Pole Antoni Patek Prawdzic was an officer of the cavalry brigade of the Polish armed forces. After the end of the revolt, which the Poles attempted in vain, he was wounded and discharged from his duties with honors.
The experience of his previous military interlude marked him to the point of convincing him to never again undertake senseless military battles and to build a cultured and more constructive project .
In fact, Antoni Patek exiled himself as a printer to France, like thousands of other Poles, and, only later, moved to the canton of Geneva in Versoix , a town on the shore of Lake Geneva.
Here, he was thrilled by the style, new to him, presented by the watchmaking sector and the flourishing trade of this new art. He began, therefore, to purchase watch movements, to then proceed to case them from various suppliers and, finally, to offer and resell them within the large exiled Polish community, by which he was seen as a heroic, charismatic and very influential figure , thanks to his past as a military officer.
The first steps of Patek Czapek & Cie: the genesis of a timeless brand
A few years later, in 1839 , Patek signed an agreement with his friend and best man Francois Czapek , a Czech naturalized Polish watchmaker, giving life to a small company aimed at trading watches . In the same year, this expanded with the entry of a third partner named Moreau (the wife's uncle).
In this courageous undertaking, Patek and Moreau invested the significant sum of 8,000 Swiss Francs, while Czapek contributed with his trade and watchmaking skills.
Patek Czapek & Cie was born, where Patek, given its skills, represented the true commercial soul. While Czapek was responsible for managing the technical and supply chain aspects.
During this period, Patek gradually changed its name from Antoni Patek Prawdzic to Antoine Patek . While, when he officially resided in the Republic of Geneva, he called himself by the more French-speaking name of Antoine Norbert de Patek .
The meeting with Jean Adrien Philippe in France that will change the destiny of watchmaking
After a few years, the relationship between the two partners suffered from misunderstandings: the continuous absences due to the trips to Poland and Bohemia undertaken by Czapek created fractures in their partnership. Thus, in 1845 , once the six-year contract had expired, the two partners decided, by mutual agreement, not to renew their collaboration.
Following this event, Patek felt the need to explore other markets to offer its watches with a more international scope .
At the time, one of the most sought-after events in France was the "Exposition des produit de l'industrie française" and Patek, as a skilled salesman, did not miss this opportunity: undertaking a long journey he reached the Champs Elysées where, at that time , the exhibition was set up.
Immersed in that great event, Patek was amazed by the countless goods on offer. He began to experience a new reality first-hand and realized that it could have a potential and wealthy clientele to cultivate. But not only. That event allowed him to have an extraordinary meeting : Patek still didn't know that it would change the fate of its history.
During the event, Patek met a watchmaker named Jean Adrien Philippe, son of a skilled watchmaker who enjoyed building astronomical watches.
Jean Adrien Philippe, after a profound apprenticeship with his father, continued his training in a small French town, before moving to London where he became a complete and very talented master watchmaker . Upon his return to France, full of ideas and skills, he even managed to secure public funding to open a watch factory in Versailles , a very rare thing at the time, but which demonstrated his daring skills.
In 1845 Jean Adrien Philippe patented the keyless winding and time-setting system . This differed from those already existing and designed in the past by other watchmakers for the resolution of some technical details, but above all for the ability to insert this complication on much flatter watch movements.
Patek observed his patent with curiosity and, given his predisposition and his desire to produce increasingly flatter and more elegant watches, he immediately recognized its enormous potential
The solid alliance between Patek and Philippe gives life to Patek, Philippe & Cie
As the years passed, Patek and Philippe developed a magnificent and industrious collaboration and in 1851 Philippe rightfully earned his own name alongside that of Patek: the firm was then renamed Patek, Philippe & Cie.
The historical partnership between the two partners was very strong and the business developed with surprising rapidity. So in 1853 the company moved to a rented building on the “Grand Quai” in Geneva on the banks of the Rhone.
Patek set off on his continuous travels to open new markets in America and Europe, while Philippe directed the manufacturing with extreme skill and dedication.
In the 1960s, Patek Philippe & Cie produced pocket watches with highly sought-after and valuable complications, such as perpetual calendars and chronographs, all with great finishes, engravings and a virtuous artistic style. These allowed Patek and Philippe to build a great reputation among the wealthiest and most passionate customers.
Between counterfeiting and defense of authenticity: the triumph of the Geneva Hallmark and the Calatrava cross
As time passed, the watches produced by the Maison won numerous awards, thanks to which they reached a level of great quality and precision. For this reason, some Swiss companies, but also overseas, began to falsify the brand with very similar names, in order to carve out a larger share of the market.
To give a concrete response to counterfeiting , the legislators of the institute of the Republic and canton of Geneva proposed, in a completely exceptional and optional way, a new control system to protect local watch factories belonging to the canton of Geneva. As per the new established rule and norm, the manufacturers, after having subjected the movements produced and passing the severe standards required by the examiners, rightfully received the coat of arms of the city of Geneva imprinted on the movement plate: thus the Geneva Hallmark was born in 1886 . .
After legal disputes that lasted for years and aimed at protecting its name, in 1891, the Maison Patek Philippe & Cie decided to register the Calatrava cross , already a medieval symbol and emblem of the Spanish order of chivalry, as its own symbol of recognition .
The maison navigates the challenges of the time: towards a new fatherhood
Towards the end of the century and the death at an advanced age of the two partners, pillars of Patek Philippe & Cie, the maison appeared structured and flourishing and, thanks to its successors, continued its journey at the service of illustrious customers and numerous markets open.
In the first decades of the 20th century, the company, gathering consensus and respectability, was preparing to face a new challenge and the imposing demand of the " wristwatch" market.
In the following years, the great American industrialization in the production of cheaper watches, duties , export taxes and, finally, the financial collapse of the New York stock exchange, which also spread overseas with "the Great Depression", changed the fate of the Swiss watchmaking . The sector's turnover was inevitably paralyzed and, as a result, many Swiss manufacturers were forced to cease their activity due to the serious damage suffered.
The Patek Philippe maison was not exempt from these events and, with courage and respect for its own experience, evaluated with intellectual honesty a new paternity for its company and historic manufacture.
The acquisition of the Stern company: towards success
There were many proposals from worthy and historic competitors, but the Board of Directors carefully evaluated the acquisition proposal by the Stern Frères company, led by esteemed dial manufacturers as well as trusted suppliers.
The reason for this choice was that the Sterns were capable, even in times of great crisis, of excellent quality management which aimed at preserving their product with strict rules and very high quality criteria .
After the acquisition, the Sterns demonstrated their value and very high entrepreneurial level: in the midst of a market recession, they created new strategies, models and invested in the search for highly qualified technicians and more modern and precise machinery .
All this allowed the maison to create a technical department of the highest level which immediately began designing new calibres in-house. Thus, in a few years, thanks to a proposal of new patented calibres, the challenge turned out to be prudent and successful, such as to produce high-end watchmaking wrist timepieces with a highly refined design and excellent content.
The meticulous attention to detail, combined with the singular goals achieved thanks to the iconic models produced up to the present day, have allowed the Patek Philippe maison and the Stern family to reach the top in the Haute Horlogerie sector and become the most sought-after and appreciated watch manufacturers in the world. world , as confirmed by the results in current global auctions.
Pisa and Patek Philippe: a historic partnership that stands the test of time
One of the most esteemed historical partnerships of the Patek Philippe maison in the Italian market is certainly the one linked and built in Milan with Orologeria Pisa .
Patek Philippe has been among the most assiduous companies and historical custodians of the Geneva Seal , but since 2009 the manufacture has distinguished itself with a new brand: the Patek Philippe Seal .
In retracing the genesis and events of this historic shop, the will of women and men shines through who over the course of three generations have given shape with style to a group which, today, represents the point of reference for high jewelery in Italy and, exclusively, of the most coveted and rare “ Haute Horlogerie ”.
The history of Divino Pisa: the origins in Borgo Gualtieri and the first steps towards watchmaking
The history of the Pisa family originates from a small and historic Emilian village "Gualtieri" .
This town near Reggio Emilia, in the past a fiefdom of the Sforza and the Este family of Ferrara, also hosted an important marquisate of the Bentivoglio, as well as being the place of residence and inspiration of the Naïf painter Antonio Ligabue .
It almost seems that here, in the ancient town square, the imposing civic tower with the clock marked the intuition of the Pisa Brothers, influencing their passion for the watchmaking arts with the profound artistic and historical experience of the village.
Mr. Ettore Pisa , rigorous director of an important local hat factory, was mayor of Gualtieri. Divino, the first of his 13 children, showed him from an early age his predisposition for micromechanics and in particular for watchmaking, a subject that fascinated him right from the start.
Thus, after various requests, the parents ended up following the wishes of their very young eldest son, allowing him to attend his first experience as a "shop boy" at the town's optician and watchmaker. This was his first approach to the world of work, destined to change his life and the path of his family.
The young Divino carefully followed his employer's instructions and, sitting at his desk, did what he loved doing most: surrounding himself with watches, dismantling them and repairing them.
With the help of his meticulous dedication, at the young age of 15, Divino became a talented watchmaker and, continuing his apprenticeship in Parma, managed to establish himself as an excellent and sought-after master repairer .
The move to Milan and the first great masterpieces of the Pisa Brothers
In the 1930s, after becoming aware of his abilities, Divino decided to test his craft in nearby Milan , at the time a popular and crucial destination for those who wanted to realize his arts. Here he began to take his first steps working as a watchmaker and, thanks to his skills, he founded the first Italian watchmaking school and, shortly afterwards, his much desired Pisa watchmaking laboratory in Corso Porta Romana .
The new difficulties caused by the moment of crisis in the province pushed the other brothers to follow in Divino's footsteps, thus subsequently establishing themselves in the world of Milanese watchmaking.
Over the years, the Pisa Brothers became great Master Watchmakers .
While, Divino, the initiator of this watchmaking art consolidated in the family, in 1949, built a particular " Rose of the Winds " clock for the Alemagna pastry shop in Piazza Duomo and following the design of the famous architect Melchiorre Bega. Thanks to this feat, as well as demonstrating his great skills, he received immeasurable praise from the public and the Milanese technical sector.
Curiosity combined with great mastery inevitably accompanied Divino towards one of the highest and most difficult stages of this subject, which in the past many geniuses and illustrious Master Watchmakers have attempted to approach: perpetual motion .
He built a watch with a balance wheel but without a spiral , urged and pushed by terrestrial magnetism . After creating it he turned with affection and pride to his brother Ugo, telling him: "Ugo, as long as the earth turns this clock will continue to work".
This great mechanical masterpiece , the result of a high and careful skill of the trade, will subsequently be permanently exhibited in the Museum of Science and Technology in Milan and today it can be observed in the Flagship Store in Via Verri .
The shop in Via Verri was born from the great synergy of Osvaldo and Ugo
Osvaldo , one of the youngest brothers of the Pisa family, approached the profession with passion and, working side by side with Divino, managed to distinguish himself for his predisposition to ingenuity and art .
After long training and the technique acquired over the years together with his brothers, masters of life and trade, Osvaldo opened his workshop in Via Pietro Verri in 1940 .
The strategic position of his laboratory, combined with the high-profile neighborhood, immediately allowed him to receive the first visits and requests for technical assistance from numerous customers, who, perceiving his abilities, did not hesitate to entrust him with their precious timepieces passed down.
After the important and almost unexpected workflow, the Master Watchmaker Osvaldo contacted his younger brother Ugo, inviting him to collaborate. Ugo did not hesitate and participated with dedication in the profession he loved most, aligning himself with his skills towards this new training experience and, at the same time, finalizing with his brother Osvaldo a great synergy that focused on a single mission: serving customers in the best possible way .
Once the war was over, the Pisa watchmaker became a destination for illustrious customers linked to the world of culture, high finance and the "Jet set". Osvaldo followed the laboratory, while Ugo became the commercial soul, ready to welcome the numerous customers with great charisma and competence.
In the following decades, given the great work flow and their great passion, the Pisa Brothers felt the duty to offer customers high quality watches , thus becoming dealers of the most historic and renowned watch brands in the following years.
Grazie and Mariastella Pisa between modernity and old style: towards a new transformation
Subsequently, the very young Grazia and Maristella Pisa began to express their desire to contribute strongly to the company, following their father Ugo on numerous business trips to Switzerland and to trade fairs. Thus, after adequate training, they became an integral part of the store staff.
In the early seventies, following the death of Ugo and the advanced age of Osvaldo, Grazia and Maristella, with determination and strong foresight, took over the shares of the business .
The two sisters were preparing to run the company, meticulously blending the "old-fashioned" corporate culture handed down with their modern breath. Thanks to the help of talented collaborators, they began to direct the work, giving rise to a new transformation of the business.
Fabio Bertini's contribution and the new store dedicated to Patek Philippe
A historical and important presence in the history of Pisa watchmaking is certainly Fabio Bertini .
The very young Fabio, Osvaldo's nephew, was hired by the Pisa Brothers as a " workshop boy ": he followed Uncle Osvaldo's instructions in the most varied needs that the laboratory could present.
After a few years Bertini, nurturing a very strong passion for watchmaking, became an expert in the most important brands presented in the shop and, given his expertise, carried out increasingly significant and responsible tasks, becoming one of the pillars and historical memories capable of bringing a strong contribution to the company.
In 2008, on the occasion of the opening of the shop dedicated to Patek Philippe , the Maison created, in a completely exceptional way and exclusively for Orologeria Pisa, a limited edition of 50 examples of one of the most iconic and historic models of the manufacture, the Calatrava ref 5296 , 25 pcs in white gold and 25 pcs in rose gold.
Pisa conquering new horizons
To confirm the synergy and respect shared between the two historic companies, Patek Philippe has also designed and built two rare table Pendulette Dôme specifically for Pisa Orologeria: "unique pieces" in cloisonné enamel created with motifs inspired by the famous paintings of Antonio Ligabue , artist who in the past had a frequent and friendly presence in the Pisa house in their historic residence in Gualtieri.
The sensitivity towards mechanics, art for beauty, combined with a competent vision, push the Pisa sisters to invest in new projects and new locations where to host their customers, carrying out an expansion project which today brings us two important Flagship Stores dedicated to the famous international brands of Haute Horlogerie.
Towards the future: Chiara Fiorentino passes on the values of Pisa to the new generations
To confirm the three generations of artisan talent, skilled craftsmanship and great professional goals, Chiara Fiorentino , granddaughter of Ugo Pisa, was appointed CEO of Pisa Orologeria.
Chiara, a historic presence in the shop, has been fascinated by the world of watchmaking and its mechanisms since she was a child. Furthermore, her long experience in the sector makes her rich in memories and profound values handed down capable of completing a high level profile that is aimed at the future and the new generations with the innovation and proverbial attention that has always distinguished her family .
Proof of the indissoluble bond between Orologeria Pisa and the Patek Philippe maison is the Patek Philippe Laboratory in Milan , inaugurated in 2017: this constitutes the first point of contact in the Geneva maison's territory in the field of technical assistance.
Orologeria Pisa and its collaborators have never lost that rigor and enthusiasm in showing and making their customers wear not only a timepiece, but also the realization of a long-awaited desire.
All the steps in this story make the paths of these two historic companies very similar, which over time aim to create and pass on a product and a team of the highest level, becoming the point of reference for enthusiasts and lovers of "Haute Horlogerie". ” .
