An 85th Birthday Watch: The Patek Philippe Ref. 1938P-001 Created in Honour of Philippe Stern
It is a touching tribute to his father: as Philippe Stern turns 85 on 10 November, his son, Thierry Stern, will introduce the world to the Reference 1938P-001, limited to a mere 30 pieces. Thus, the current President will pay homage to the Honorary President of the manufacture, while its employees likewise honour the man who led and shaped Patek Philippe for over three decades. Only the most outstanding of watches could possibly suffice to mark this occasion – so it comes as no surprise that its movement will be used exclusively for these 30 pieces alone, never to be seen again. Originally, Patek Philippe wanted to present a unique piece of this reference at the Only Watch auction and auction it off for a good cause. Following its postponement until next year, however, the 1938P-001 will now be presented on the birthday of the Patek’s Honorary President.
The perfect choice for Patek’s patriarch: A minute repeater with alarm function and miniature painting
In the late 1970s, Philippe Stern took over the manufacture from his own father, serving as president from 1993 to 2009. The company’s strength and might, as well as its stellar reputation as the home of fine watchmaking, can largely be credited to him. But, putting his entrepreneurial skills to one side, Philippe Stern also has a particular fondness for minute repeaters, which is why this complication is now considered a core competence of the manufacture. Another thing he holds dear is the virtually forgotten artisanal finesse of watchmaking, which can primarily be found at Patek Philippe in the form of its ‘Rare Handcrafts’ collection. It is therefore only natural that the 1938P – the name is a reference to the year of Stern’s birth – combines a very special minute repeater with alarm function along with a very special Grand Feu enamel dial.
The latter features a portrait of Philippe Stern, which has been applied to the dial in miniature painting. The shades of grey used on Stern are restrained and elegant, almost evoking a shadow, which seems fitting for the Honorary President, whose work remains very much visible in the company today. But more on that later.
Form and function: A special reference in every respect
It is safe to say that the birthday boy was all for Patek’s decision to opt for a classic officer’s case, alongside a black dial with the Breguet numerals. Although the 41 mm diameter was considered to be exceptionally large during his own reign, it is now regarded as one of the company’s smaller Grandes Complications cases. As spectacular as the movement is, its case remains restrained. Typical Patek Philippe, typical Philippe, and typical Thierry Stern.
The alarm function is originally known from the Grandmaster Chime, the manufacture’s most complex watch. It was precisely this function that had to be added to the established R 27 repeater movement, known from models such as the Sky Moon Tourbillon and the Ref. 5178G presented this year. This addition required a further 227 components. Four patents were registered for new mechanisms inside the R AL 27 PS calibre. One of these, for example, ensures that the mainspring barrel is fully wound each time the repeater function is activated so that the full-time strike can always be sounded, which, at 12.58 p.m., is 31 strikes. The safe switch from one striking mode to the next also had to be guaranteed.
The operation of the complex movement is pleasantly straightforward. The slider on the left-hand side of the case can be used to either trigger the minute repeater or wind the alarm. The desired mechanism is selected using a pusher in the crown. A small bell symbol at three o’clock indicates which function is selected: a black bell indicates the classic minute repeater, a red bell indicates alarm mode, and once the alarm has been successfully wound using the pusher, the bell changes to white. The exact alarm time itself can also be set using the crown, which simply needs to be pulled to the centre position. This allows the rose-gold hand to be set, and points to a matching rose-gold scale, with which the alarm can be set from a quarter of an hour to the nearest hour within the next twelve hours.
A very deliberate inaccuracy here is that the alarm always goes off two minutes before the set quarter of an hour, in order to provide a more beautiful, prolonged sound. Assuming it was set to a full hour, it would normally only indicate this with a few low chimes. This way, however, the owner can also enjoy high-low double chimes for the quarter hours and 13 high chimes for the minutes.
Four patents were registered for new mechanisms inside the R AL 27 PS calibre.
Another piece of family history
Patek Philippe has been in the hands of the Stern family since 1932: first under the brothers Jean and Charles, then Henri, who in turn was succeeded by his son Philippe, and since 2009, the current president has been Thierry Stern. Father and son worked side by side for many years before the senior bequeathed the company to the junior, just as Philippe and Henri had done before them. And just like Philippe Stern, Thierry Stern started his career in the USA in the New York branch that his grandfather had once founded.
Philippe (left) and Thierry (right) Stern, the third and fourth generations, have made significant contributions to the brand’s success.The Stern family has owned and managed Patek Philippe since 1932.
The fact that a shining star is at the helm of the manufacture is a matter of course, but it is also a given that this star understands the company and, above all, the products, down to the last detail. Despite this, there had never been room for the Stern name – or even the portrait of a family member – on the watches themselves until now. The 1938P is therefore a special watch in this respect, too. ‘À mon père, 85 ans de passion horlogére’, i.e. ‘For my father, 85 years of watchmaking passion’, is engraved on the back of the watch’s cover. Furthermore, the signature of the birthday boy himself is engraved on the oscillating weight of the movement.
Never before has the name Stern, which usually appears rather discreetly in the background, been so conspicuous on a Patek Philippe. It is the greatest possible tribute to a life’s work that only future generations will be able to fully appreciate. Patek Philippe owes much to Philippe Stern. He decisively guided the brand through every global and industry crisis, positioned it at the forefront of the industry, made the minute repeater part of the company’s DNA, introduced the annual calendar, accompanied the launch of the Nautilus, and later joined it with the Aquanaut, and safeguarded the move across to purely manufacture calibres. In short, he handed over a company to his son that he was able to make even mightier than its existing strength. The phenomenal growth seen in recent years is a family achievement that would be inconceivable without this father-son team.
One for the collectors
It is already clear to everyone that this ‘Philippe-Stern-Patek-Philippe’ is a kind of holy grail for collectors of the company’s models in general, and of minute repeaters in particular. It is a truth universally acknowledged that family-run manufactures are both rare and special. Despite a price tag of 890,000 Swiss francs, 30 pieces will not be nearly enough to meet the demand. Even without the portrait of the Honorary President, a successive reference produced in a mini-series would undoubtedly prove a great success. However, the movement will not be used in any alternative model; it was solely designed to be used 30 times – for this reference and this reference alone. Some might think that’s madness. Others will say that it’s wonderful that something like this still exists. And everyone will think and feel: this is Patek Philippe.
Jörg G. Bucherer, Chairman and Delegate of the Board of Directors of Bucherer Holding AG, passed away on 6 November. The long-time Bucherer patron was 87 years old and leaves no children to carry on the business. In order to secure the future of his empire, Jörg G. Bucherer sold his company, founded in Lucerne…
Whether it's Sofia Richie, Natasha from Sex and the City, or influencer The Gstaad Guy's 'Constance' serving as your inspiration, 'quiet luxury' remains the hottest trend this summer – and I would make the case that this dashingly handsome collector's piece doubles up as the ultimate embodiment of the 'quiet luxury' movement. With its combination…
Ever since watchmaker Louis Cottier developed the first world time wristwatch in 1931, its mechanism was steadily improved in order to make this function as attractive and simple for its wearer as possible. The classic execution displays the 24 world time zones using a peripheral ring on the dial that can be adjusted accordingly from…
Since its inception in 1995, Roger Dubuis has been a pioneer in the luxury watchmaking industry, continuously pushing boundaries and redefining standards. Through (almost) it all, the company has been home to Gregory Bruttin, who first came to Roger Dubuis in 2002. We caught up with Bruttin to discuss the significant changes in the company’s…
Swiss watch start-up Norqain earned a spot in the display windows of the prestigious retailer Wempe in remarkably little time. Our editor Joern F. Kengelbach explores this through the lens of the latest 2024 Wempe Signature Collection, created in collaboration with none other than this rising watch start-up, which has been making waves in recent…
The beauty of traditional watch manufactures is, that on the one hand production methods that once made them strong are still being emphasized today, and on the other hand this unbroken innovation spirit from past times still generates modern and exciting new techniques. The Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatique 5367 that has been introduced at the beginning…
In celebration of its 160th anniversary, Zenith is presenting the Blue Ceramic Chronograph Trilogy – 160th Anniversary Edition, which brings together three of its most significant chronographs: the Chronomaster Sport, the Defy Skyline Chronograph and the Pilot Chronograph. All three models share cases crafted from a blue ceramic developed specifically for the occasion. Among them,…
The new stars at Swiss watch-brand Carl F. Bucherer are not again Hollywood actors or sport enthusiasts as brands usually commit as ambassadors to represent their products, but 188 manta rays! The reason is mainly the brands support in The Manta Trust, a UK registered charity committed to protecting and ensuring the survival of manta rays…
How a Rolex, Zenith and Ressence proved to be the right watches for braving the eternal ice. Our author was faced with this question: Which timepieces to take to an Antarctic journey? ‘There is no law south of the 50th latitude – and there is no god south of the 60th latitude’, seafarers used to…
‘Belle Haute Horlogerie’ encapsulates what Vacheron Constantin has stood for ever since its founding in 1755: the pursuit of watchmaking in its highest form and the commitment to continually perpetuate the knowledge and know-how gathered by generations of master watchmakers. In its over 250-year history, Vacheron Constantin has unremittingly created not only fine timepieces, but…
In this world, markets regulate the price – but they cannot always reflect the true value of a product. This is probably going to be the case starting from November 29, when, as part of Sotheby's Luxury Week, something extraordinary will be auctioned on Sotheby's website until 14 December: a 911 S 2.4 Targa from…
When Axel Leuenberger and his three companions decided to launch a new watchmaking company, they had a fairly clear idea of their goal: to create timepieces that were ‘beyond products’. Leuenberger, the CEO of Vanguart watches founded in 2017, is rather laidback when describing his integral role at the company: ‘I jump between various roles;…
Vacheron Constantin is kicking off the week in style with the release of six new watches from its most esteemed department, Les Cabinotiers. Les Cabinotiers is home to the brand’s master watchmakers, whose role is to produce bespoke timepieces for only the most special of client requests. As is the case with these latest novelties,…