Founded in 1839, Patek Philippe is privately owned and has been in the Stern's family since 1932.

Many elements contribute to the unique quality inherent in Patek Phillipe watches but none more than the highest standards of workmanship and quality control. It takes more than 1,200 operations to create one watch. Between three and five years are spent creating a new mechanical movement. Six hundred hours of quality control checks are undertaken during manufacture, followed by thirty days of observation and rigorous examination. Only after all this are they ready to put their name to a watch. Each watch is individually assembled, polished and regulated by hand. It is this dedication to perfection that has kept the Patek Philippe reputation for workmanship unequalled over the years. Their commitment to quality is nothing new. Workmanship involves commitment to an ideal.

Perhaps the President of Patek Phillipe, Phillipe Stern says it best: "It is hard to measure the value of a Patek Philippe in purely financial terms. Aesthetics, craftsmanship and reliability all make their contributions. We purposefully design, produce, and test every watch to last for generations. This allows us to say: "You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation." Perhaps though, the true value is emotional. The desire to pass on a treasured possession, an heirloom, to a son or daughter can find no greater expression than in a Patek Philippe watch. Lasting value is both material and emotional.