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Interesting, thanks

Oct 31, 2024,02:04 AM
 

Clearly PP is big business.

Would be curious to know how many of these are the complications or handcrafts models.

I would hazard a guess that the ‘regular’ models are coming off what must by now be *highly* automated production lines. Nothing like what Rolex (or Omega) does, but if you’re looking for handiwork in the finishing of your common or garden variety Twenty-4, Calatrava or Aquacubinautilus, you’ll probably be disappointed.

Happy to be told I’m wrong, of course…but it would (and this has been discussed before) explain moves like going away from the Geneva Seal to the ‘Patek Seal’ (which to me, like any self-certification, is pretty meaningless) and the new movements like the 30-255 in the 6119 with their simpler bridge shapes.

Best

E.

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Patek Philippe: Annual Production Estimates Over Time

 
By: AGiftOfFlowers : October 30th, 2024-16:41
These are contemporaneous estimates of Patek Philippe's annual production over time. Only the first two estimates (1895 and 1915) come from me, all others were pulled from newspapers, magazines, interviews, etc... ...  

Sounds

 
By: GLau : October 30th, 2024-17:02
about right 👍

Robust markets,

 
By: Mendezj49 : October 30th, 2024-17:09
more people with more money than sense. Stern laughing his way to the bank selling $100K uninspiring stainless steel watches. It’s a crazy world going crazier.

It would be interesting to know how many Quartz watches are included in these figures...

 
By: amanico : October 30th, 2024-17:20

Peaked in the 80s

 
By: AGiftOfFlowers : October 30th, 2024-18:15
Quartz was 40% of production in 1989, now its under 25%. Probably going to keep declining relative to total.

I had not realized they still make so many quartz!

 
By: Chronometer (aka yacomino) : October 30th, 2024-18:37

Almost all of the women's models, probably

 
By: j.jota : October 30th, 2024-20:47

Yes.

 
By: amanico : October 30th, 2024-22:04

Yes, they do.

 
By: amanico : October 30th, 2024-22:04

I just received…

 
By: Mendezj49 : October 31st, 2024-01:09
…my wife’s Twenty4 (however they call it) from Stern NY as it needed a new battery: $669 (without polishing which would have added to the cost).

669 USD just for a battery??? They made it in platinum or what???

 
By: amanico : October 31st, 2024-07:06

Did they replace the movement?

 
By: fmc000 : November 5th, 2024-09:26

What I wondered, for this price...

 
By: amanico : November 5th, 2024-09:53

You are very right the Twenty-4 model is probably Patek's best seller and most of them are quartz, so it is probably more than expected

 
By: montres1 : October 31st, 2024-10:13

What I think...

 
By: amanico : October 31st, 2024-10:36

That's in line with what I understand from my sources

 
By: Tim_M : October 30th, 2024-17:27
I expect 2024 will yield around 74,000 units. Best, Tim

And I thought this was the waiting list time, in thousands of months

 
By: mrds : October 30th, 2024-19:22
On a more serious note, seems like Patek is doing everything right. Trying to make as many customers happy as they can without ruining the brand.

I think this makes me feel even better about opting for an older watch :)

 
By: m2 : October 30th, 2024-19:49

Fantastic post. Extremely interesting. Thanks!!!

 
By: patekova : October 30th, 2024-20:49
I remember, probably in the 1990s, when it was said that Rolex made more watches in one year than Patek made in its entire history. Those days are long gone but still Patek’s yearly production is a small fraction of Rolex’s. Best, Patekova

Too many?

 
By: jparadise2010 : October 30th, 2024-23:39
I personally think it is too many, Patek philosophy changed years ago.

Interesting, thanks

 
By: Esharp : October 31st, 2024-02:04
Clearly PP is big business. Would be curious to know how many of these are the complications or handcrafts models. I would hazard a guess that the ‘regular’ models are coming off what must by now be *highly* automated production lines. Nothing like what R... 

The new movements have more complex bridge shapes than what came before

 
By: AGiftOfFlowers : October 31st, 2024-03:11
Compare 30-255 to the 315, or 31-260 to the 240. Patek started avoiding interior angles about 50 years ago. Patek only went all-in on the Geneva seal around the 70-80s, historically it wasn't that big a deal. Pop the back off a ref. 96 or 1518 and there's... 

Interesting! Thank you for sharing, this is good info 🙏

 
By: Esharp : October 31st, 2024-03:43