Patek Philippe Watchmaker Training Program USA

Mark in Paris's post announces Patek Philippe's significant expansion of its watchmaker training program to the USA, a move aimed at enhancing servicing capabilities for the growing American market. This article highlights the brand's commitment to after-sales service, directly addressing the increasing demand for skilled watchmakers and reinforcing Thierry Stern's vision for future improvements.

Dear all,

Anthony has just posted in our News Central the communication release of Patek Philippe concerning the development of their watchmakers training program.

Indeed, until now, the only training academy was based in the historical site of their Geneva workshops.

In a context where more and more clients are acquiring timepieces from the brand and knowing that the need for more trained watchmakers is stronger and stronger, Patek Philippe has been willing to develop its infrastructures in a way to guarantee the Servicing it requires for the U.S. market.

After I read the press release we have been provided with, I thought that it was very clear and it was worth reading it directly, instead of making a summary for our Patek forum.

You perhaps will remember when Thierry Stern considered in Baselworld 2015's communication video that the Servicing was a very important matter for the brand and that it was meant to keep improving in the future. This is what it led too.

I think it is the kind of service and attention we are waiting for and that it will please our American members and collectors about the importance Patek Philippe gives to the care attached to servicing their watches.

Have a nice read.

Cheers, Mark

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The Patek Philippe Horology Programme of New York, the second program of its kind located outside the watchmaker’s Geneva workshops, has just been officially inaugurated. The establishment of this watchmaking training center in New York confirms Patek Philippe's unwavering commitment to customer service and to servicing the U.S.market.

New Patek Philippe Horology Programme of New York Confirms Strong Commitment to Customer Service

The skills required to service, repair and restore Patek Philippe watches are much the same as those required to make one. With the opening of the second Patek Philippe Horology Programme outside Geneva, in the heart of New York City, the company further extends its commitment to lifelong servicing and restoration for all its timepieces, forever preserving their legendary reliability.

Enhancing Patek Philippe Customer Service in the US

Providing high quality customer service in global markets requires local qualified watchmakers who are trained to the Patek Philippe values and quality seal standards. "Opening a new watchmaking training center in New York will allow us to respond to increasing demand for customer services as well as provide us with qualified trained professionals", declared Laurent Cantin, Head of International Customer Service for Patek Philippe and of the new training center. 

The Henri Stern Watch Agency (HSWA) is the historical Patek Philippe subsidiary in the US. Its watch service center in New York is one of the most important in terms of volume of service requests and therefore of needs for qualified professionals. Around 10,000 watches are repaired each year by only 19 watchmakers. With increasing awareness and acquisitions of fine watches amongst American customers, the need for future repairs is growing steadily, placing even more importance on filling watchmaking positions. “We are extremely excited about the opportunity to develop trained watchmakers here in the US. It addresses the fundamental difficulty the entire watchmaking industry has finding highly trained, qualified technicians to preserve complex mechanical timepieces", said Larry Pettinelli, President of HSWA.

After 22 years at 1 Rockefeller Plaza, HSWA moved to 45 Rockefeller Plaza in February 2013 to state of the art upgraded facilities with cutting edge technology to provide the same quality servicing as in Geneva. Now with the opening of the Patek Philippe Horology Programme of New York, the building blocks for sustaining increasing demand for customer service in the future is being addressed.

Patek Philippe Trains Watchmakers Worldwide

The opening of the Patek Philippe Horology Programme of New York is yet another step in the company's intention to raise the quality of training and increase the pool of professional watchmakers. The opening of the Patek Philippe Institute Shanghai in 2013 was a great success in fulfilling this purpose in the Far East. In 2015, The New York Horology Programme will be utilizing the same successful curriculum as in Shanghai. 

In the US the younger generation is not as aware of watchmaking as a potential career choice, as is traditionally the case in Europe. There are few candidates coming out of the handful of watchmaking schools in the US and of these candidates, even fewer are able to be considered for the Patek Philippe workshop. The selection and specialized training the program will contribute will help to resolve this problem.

Highly Competitive Access to a Patek Philippe Career in the US

The Patek Philippe Horology Programme of New York aims to become the most comprehensive in-house training center. Apprentices who will follow the complete two-year training program are selected from a large pool of candidates and will be offered a long-term position once they have successfully completed the curriculum. Almost 300 applications have been received for the 6 positions offered for the fall program. The very first session began in September 2015. 

The two-year program aims to train apprentices in advanced theory and practice of fine watchmaking, more particularly machining and manual skills, to fully master Patek Philippe quartz and mechanical movements. At the end of their training, graduates will be able to successfully repair all Level 2 watches. They must be able to independently identify, analyze and solve problems in quartz, manual and automatic movements. “We are thrilled that the program will expose the world of watchmaking to six special candidates”, said Larry Pettinelli, President of HSWA.

Laurent Junod, who was appointed Director of Technical Training at the Patek Philippe Horology Programme New York, added: "Working for Patek Philippe over these last 27 years, I have gained experience as well as a deep appreciation for the fine timepieces we create. I look forward to passing on my knowledge of and passion for Patek Philippe watches to the next generation of watchmakers.”

The Heritage of Patek Philippe Service

At Patek Philippe, the international customer service network runs as a non-profit center with investment from the company. In the global network of 55 Authorized Service Centers, each one is handpicked and accredited based on achieving and maintaining a level of service that adheres to strict quality criteria. A fundamental goal of Patek Philippe is taking care of customers as individuals, with unique needs, whilst maintaining consistency in providing the highest level of support – as can be expected from a watch company founded in 1839, and managed by the same family since 1932. 

In addition to Patek Philippe’s exceptional technology, know-how, and talents of the Geneva watchmaker, three of the most powerful driving forces pushing the brand forward are the Patek Philippe Seal, the Authorized Service Centers and the Patek Philippe training centers which together will preserve the longevity and integrity of each and every Patek Philippe timepiece.