News After more than two years of restoration and significant revamping, Patek Philippe is opening the first Maison Patek Philippe in China in the historic Bund area of Shanghai. This new exclusive venue marks seven years of growing success in the Chinese market.
The company’s presence in China began with the inauguration of a Patek Philippe Boutique in Shanghai in 2005, now to be replaced by the Maison Patek Philippe, and of a second store in Beijing in 2008. The Maison Patek Philippe will offer Chinese watch collectors and enthusiasts an intimate place to share views and knowledge of fine timepieces as well as to experience the exceptional brand heritage of the famous Genevan watchmaking company.
The Maison Patek Philippe creates, for the first time in Asia, a venue serving a similar function as a Patek Philippe Salon. It highlights a remarkable display of beautiful timepieces with an invitation to experience the legendary history and values of Patek Philippe as well as its outstanding customer service. In this distinguished location of Shanghai, the first Maison Patek Philippe bears a unique status and architectural style that will delight enthusiasts of beauty and art.
As opposed to the existing Patek Philippe Salons in Geneva, Paris and London, the main purpose of the Maison Patek Philippe in Shanghai is to bridge the vast geographical distance between Europe and China and create a new Patek Philippe home away from home. «We want to welcome our Chinese guests in a place that is unlike any boutique or shop, one where they will feel totally at home, personally hosted by Patek Philippe,» said Philippe Stern. «This marks our intention to enhance our service-oriented market strategy along with our brand’s commitment to China».
With the upgrading of the Service center in Shanghai, Patek Philippe reaffirms its long-term dedication to offer professional service to Chinese customers. The new Customer service center, with its entirely independent space of nearly 1,000 square meters situated near the Maison, has been significantly improved to guarantee consistent business operations and customer service following the strict standards specified by the Geneva headquarters.
The Maison Patek Philippe is located in the historic Bund area, a neo-classical and colonial style district offering spectacular views of Shanghai. It shares ground with the former British Consulate built in 1849 and embodies a blend between Chinese and Western cultures. The Maison Patek Philippe is housed in the former British Consul’s Residence, a building that dates back to 1884, at No. 33 Waitanyuan, on the converging point of two rivers. Great care was taken in the restoration phase to preserve the original two-story wood and brick structure of Roman and Corinthian styles, thus restoring the former brilliance of a historic landmark in Shanghai.
As is a tradition in the family-owned company, Gerdi Stern, wife of Philippe Stern and mother of Thierry, put her whole heart into the interior decoration of this new home. All the furniture and artistic ornaments come from Switzerland, France and Italy, adding a touch of grace and nobility. The invitingly warm salon atmosphere is reminiscent of the classical elegance of Napoleon III, accented with Louis XVI antiques. Crystal chandeliers tailor-made by Bagues, a purveyor to the French royal court, were installed in the halls and display rooms. The showcases are built in wood and finished with paint and gilding. Every detail and work of art was carefully selected to allow visitors to experience the Patek Philippe universe of aesthetics, culture and hospitality.
Covering an area of 1,227 square meters on two floors, the Maison Patek Philippe spans nine rooms including the main exhibition hall, which accommodates the complete Patek Philippe current collection, the largest collection on display in Asia.
To commemorate the opening of the Maison Patek Philippe, the brand organised a special one-month exhibition displaying twenty-two rare handcrafted objects of art including a cloisonné enameled Dome table clock, a Dome table clock in hand-engraved Baccarat crystal, a hand-engraved pocket watch and two unique Haute Joaillerie wristwatches. All of these timepieces are unique treasures of art that traveled from Geneva to Shanghai to celebrate the inauguration of the Maison Patek Philippe.
Moreover, Patek Philippe specially designed a limited edition series of four commemorative watches in platinum celebrating the Year of the Dragon with a cloisonné enameled dial featuring a Dragon motif. In addition, a special Shanghai World Time model was created in a limited edition of 50 pieces, 25 pieces in rose gold and 25 pieces in white gold with a 24-timezone dial indicating Shanghai in red instead of the usual time zone indication of Hong Kong.
The legendary Star Caliber 2000 timepiece was also brought from Geneva to Shanghai for the inauguration ceremony. With 21 complications, this exceptional timepiece is the world’s third most complicated pocket watch. These special watches highlight the rare and superb traditional craftsmanship, technical innovation and legendary timelessness for which the brand stands.
November 27, 2012
