Patek Philippe Museum

Patek Phillipe Museum is noble and prestigious private museum mapping the history of luxury watchmaking, since 16th century up to present. Huge collection of precious clocks and watches make the visit of museum artistic experience.

Practical Information

Location: Rue Des Vieux-Grenadiers 7; 022 807 0910
Hours: 14:00 – 18:00 (Tues - Fri), 10:00 – 18:00 (Sat)
closed Sunday, Monday
Web/email: www.patekmuseum.com
Admission: CHF 10. Free for children under 18. CHF 7 for seniors, students (18-25), unenmployed and disabled persons.

History of Patek & Phillipe

Antoni Patek was Polish watchmaking pioneer, who settled in Switzerland in 1834, after career in millitary. Interested in art and trading, with good connections in Paris, he soon got into luxury watch trading and watch production. In 1839, Patek together with his partner Franciszek Czapek, (who was also Polish immigrant) created their first watchmaking company, Patek, Czapek & Co.

In 1844, Adrien Philippe presented his invention of mechanism for watches on the French Industrial Exposition, which won him the first price. There he met Antoni Patek, who invited him to Geneva and soon employed him as the head watchmaker of the now renamed company, Patek, Philippe & Co, entitling him for 1/3rd of the profits.

Switzerland, and especially Geneva region were already at these thimes the hub for high-quality watchmaking. Patek, Philippe & Co merged swiss precision with beautiful decorative making, creating one of the most ultra-luxury watchmaking brand in the world.

Because of the prestigious artistic work and high accuracy of time measurement, they soon become world most popular high-end watches and clocks, reassuring the trend of high quality swiss clocks fame.

Museum

The museum is located in beautiful historical building close to Plainpalais, right next to MAMCO. Patek Philippe museum consists of 4 floors:

Base floor presents watchmaking warehouse. Cinema.

Cinema

Small chamber cinema on the base floor screens repetitively short movie about history of Patek Philippe company, and how Patek and Philippe met.

First one you can see the history of clocks in Geneva, dating back to 15th century. You can see how the clocks were changing and developing over time. At the beginning, the clocks were full of religious ornaments, only for men. Only later they became more serious ones with more simple design and for women as well.

On the second floor you can see the history of Patek Phillipe factory, from 18th till 21st century, the most diverse types of clocks, decorative, wall, metronomes, clocks with the times of the whole word etc.

On the third floor you will find the library of books about physics and mechanics of the clocks and personal mail corenspondation of Patek Phillipe, the wooden table and machine and tools to produce the clocks. They were producing all the clocks manually.

Tickets and Admission
One ticket costs 10 CHF, students 18-25 years old: 7CHF, free with Geneva Pass and for children up to 18 years old.

Tours
There are guided tours being help by professional tourguides in English and French, on the first and second floor. Guided our at each floor takes approx. 45 minutes.
Audio guides available.

Museum Policies
You cannot take the pictures in the whole museum! There are cameras and security guides walking through the museum.

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