Patek Philippe unveils horological masterpieces at its Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Tokyo

TOKYO – It is 9.45am, just 15 minutes before Patek Philippe’s Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Tokyo throws open its doors to visitors.

A snaking queue of about 200 people – running the gamut from young, dandily dressed watch geeks to animated elderly women to middle-aged couples with children in tow – has formed inside the Shinjuku Sankaku Hiroba, which means “triangular plaza” in Japanese. 

The all-weather atrium, which opened in 2020, boasts a gigantic glass roof, which lets in lots of natural light. It is a new addition to the Shinjuku Sumitomo Building, a 211m-high skyscraper built in the 1970s.

Real estate professional Arvin Lim is among the early birds eagerly waiting to get inside the exhibition – the sixth and largest yet – staged by the Swiss luxury watchmaker after Dubai (2012), Munich (2013), London (2015), New York (2017) and Singapore (2019).

The 34-year-old has flown in from Manila for the event – which runs until June 25 – with three watch-loving friends, all of whom are sporting Patek Philippe timepieces on their wrists.

“I don’t have any Patek Philippe watches now, but I hope to get my first one soon, probably a Calatrava 6119,” Mr Lim says, referring to a classic time-only model by the brand. 

Finance executive Tetsuji Tanaka, 42, says he has waited a long time for the exhibition, which was originally scheduled to take place in 2021, but had to be postponed because of the pandemic.

“I’ve read all about the other grand exhibitions and I can’t wait to shake his hand,” he says, gesturing to Patek Philippe president Thierry Stern, who has flown in for the event and looks extremely chuffed with the set-up.

Featuring re-creations of, among other settings, Geneva’s famous flower clock and Jet d’Eau fountain, and the brand’s classy Rue du Rhone boutique in the city, the Tokyo edition of the Watch Art Grand Exhibition spans more than 2,500 sq m. It has 10 themed spaces which showcase 500 timepieces and objets d’art, including more than 190 pieces belonging to the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva.

Among them is the Ref 2523, a 1953 World Time men’s wristwatch, one of only 11 produced with a decorative cloisonne enamel map dial. Two years ago, one of these was sold for 7 million Swiss francs (S$10.4 million) by auction house Phillips, which described it as an “end game for collectors”.

The brand has pulled out all the stops to give visitors an intimate understanding of the complexities of haute horology. Its arsenal runs the gamut from giant 3D plexiglass models to films to immersive experiences.

Watchmakers and artisans such as famous enamel artist Anita Porchet are also on hand to explain the required skills and the laborious processes involved in fine watchmaking.

For many die-hard watch fans, the biggest pull is the range of pieces created for the event. Patek Philippe has released six limited-edition series for the exhibition, one of which is the World Time Date (ref. 5330G), the brand’s first world time with a date display. 

Fashioned from white gold, it has a guilloche dial in a stunning plum hue, the official colour of the exhibition. Limited to just 300 pieces, the watch is fitted with the Calibre 240 HU C, an iteration of the Calibre 240 HU used in the brand’s regular World Time pieces, but with a new date complication comprising 70 components. Two concentric gear trains work in tandem to manage the local time and date, keeping the date hand stationary, or moving it forward or backwards in one position.

Equally stunning is the World Time Minute Repeater Limited Edition Tokyo (2023 ref. 5531R-014), which boasts a map of central Tokyo with Grand Feu cloisonne enamel in the middle of the dial.

The 40.2mm watch case is fashioned from rose gold and the timepiece – limited to just 15 pieces – is powered by the self-winding R 27 HU calibre.

The platinum Quadruple Complication – which combines a minute repeater, a split-second chronograph and an instantaneous perpetual calendar for the first time – is another head-turner. Boasting a rose-gilt opaline dial, the piece is the flagship model of the Tokyo special edition series. It is also limited to just 15 pieces.

“When you see a piece like this, you realise there is so much more to Patek than just Nautilus and Aquanaut,” says Mr Ker Penaloza, referring to two of the brand’s most famous and coveted sports models. 

Sporting a Patek Philippe World Time 5230-P on his wrist, the 42-year-old auto parts entrepreneur from Manila says he is a big fan of the brand, and made plans to attend the exhibition with his friends as soon as it was announced.

His group was also bowled over by another exhibition highlight – the Rare Handcrafts collection, which showcases stunning artisanal craftsmanship inspired by Japanese culture.

There are 40 pieces in this collection, including wristwatches, pocket watches, and domed and table clocks.

The domed clocks – 21.3cm tall and 12.8cm in diameter – are a sight to behold, featuring exquisite artistry in Grand Feu cloisonne enamel.

One of the most beautiful is Calligraphy (ref. 20140M-001), which has a floral backdrop in gold and green, the execution of which required 33m of gold wire. The masterful calligraphy had to be fired six times at 760 deg C.

Another superb example of Grand Feu cloisonne enamelling is Hanami (ref. 20137M-001), featuring kimono-clad women carrying parasols and admiring cherry blossoms. About 100 different colours of translucent enamel were used to realise the scene.

As Japan is a nation known for its love of horology, organisers hope that the exhibition will draw at least 100,000 visitors, more than the 68,000 which the Singapore exhibition attracted over two weeks in 2019.