Patek Philippe: Exceptionally Straightforward

Mr. Michot, the theme of this issue of rampstyle is “Keep it simple and smart.” It’s all about paring things down to the essentials. These days, we are positively surrounded by things that tell us the time. Why would anyone still need a mechanical watch?

The answer is actually quite simple: nobody really needs a mechanical watch. You don’t need an expensive watch either. Not even a Patek Philippe. Just like you don’t need an expensive car. For getting from A to B, you can just as well get in a Smart. That’ll do. Or take the train. But the emotional aspect is another matter.

Though a mechanical watch is a complex work of art. So it is anything but simple.

Let’s start with the fact that the word “complication” is always misinterpreted. In watchmaking, a complication is simply a feature of the watch beyond the display of hours, minutes and seconds. The date indicator is such a special feature, so it’s what we call a complication. Thierry Stern, the owner of Patek Philippe, once said, “My greatest complication is my wife.” He was still married at the time.

Then let’s keep it simple. Can you describe the Patek ­Philippe brand to us in just a few words?

Yes. Patek Philippe is a company that has been around for 183 years. And this company has always done the same thing. From the beginning to the present day, it has focused on doing just one thing, which is to produce the best watches in the world. Nothing else. Without interruption. That’s important, because many watch brands stopped producing watches at some point and then started again a hundred years later. That’s a very good way to sum it up.

Is Patek Philippe associated with certain values?

Yes, and interestingly these values were defined by Thierry Stern’s father, Philippe Stern, who I also had the pleasure of working with. There are ten values: quality, service, heritage, emotion, independence, tradition, aesthetics, rarity, innovation and value.

How would you define modern luxury? What makes something luxurious?

There are three things that sum up luxury for me: Authenticity, which I think is very important, craftsmanship, which is often forgotten, and rarity, because when everyone has something, it’s no longer a luxury.

One of your corporate values is innovation. What does the research and innovation department of a watch brand like Patek Philippe look like?

The question is especially interesting because what we have here is just a small mechanical device, a few square centimeters in size, which has existed for some five hundred years, and everything about it has already been invented. But still, something new is always being developed. It’s always evolving. You can see that in our research department, which is constantly coming up with new innovations.

How do you recognize style?

Style is unintentional and spontaneous. Style cannot be recognized immediately, because it is an impression. You either have style or you don’t – you can’t invent it and you can’t buy it, just like charisma. Some people can wear the cheapest things and still have style.

And it has nothing to do with the price?

Definitely not. You can wear the most expensive things in the world and still look terrible in them.

Speaking of things: What kinds of things are important to you in your life?

I have a lot of books at home, which I love and care for very much. And when it comes to cars, I must say that I’ve always found the 911 to be aesthetically pleasing. Though I’m not really a car person and wouldn’t necessarily want to drive these cars at all. I would rather put them in my living room.

You mentioned books. Do you have a favorite literary genre?

I’ve always read novels. Novels have had a strong influence on me, starting when I was very young. And books remain as fascinating and important to me today as they ever were. Hermann Hesse made an enormous impression on me when I was around twenty years old, which is a time in life when you don’t know where you’re coming from or where you’re going. And a few years ago, not that long ago actually, I read another novel of his. And I found that his books are still something quite special.

→ Read the full interview with Yannick Michot in rampstyle #25