Patek Philippe unveils two first exceptional timepieces to be exhibited at WATCH ART grand exhibition Milan 2026

The event will be held on 2 to 18 October 2026.

For the seventh edition of its Grand Exhibitions across the world, Patek Philippe chose Italy, one of its leading historical markets. From 2 to 18 October 2026, merely 3 months away, the general public and watch enthusiasts will be able to immerse themselves in the world of the last remaining independent family-owned Geneva watch manufacturer. They will discover a decor of nearly 2,900 square metres, taking them behind the scenes of Patek Philippe itself. The largest exhibition ever organised by the manufacturer, this event will be marked by the launch of several limited editions and the display of rare, exceptional timepieces.

As heir to a noble Genevan tradition, Patek Philippe has always placed great importance on sharing its passion for fine watchmaking, particularly by means of exhibitions. Fourteen years ago, Patek Philippe launched a new concept of Grand Exhibitions open to the public, offering free admission and encouraging closer acquaintance with its creations, heritage, philosophy and breadth of expertise. In the course of the six editions organised to date, these events have increased in size and scope, welcoming a total of some 165,000 visitors. After Dubai in 2012, Munich in 2013, London in 2015, New York in 2017, Singapore in 2019 and Tokyo in 2023, Patek Philippe chose Milan for its seventh Grand Exhibition.

Historically, Italy represents a key market for the brand – a market of connoisseurs, treasuring rare handcrafts and able to appreciate all the technical excellence and painstaking workmanship contained in a timepiece. Italian customers, born into a culture that unites respect for tradition and artisan skills with a flair for design and fashion and an avant-garde spirit, are also perfectly placed to understand the “tradition of innovation” that has guided Patek Philippe since 1839.

An exceptional decor

Open from Friday 2 to Sunday 18 October 2026, the Patek Philippe WATCH ART grand exhibition Milan 2026 will be held, as were the previous exhibitions, in the emblematic surroundings of the host city. This Italian edition will take place in the Palazzo delle Scintille, newly renamed the CityOval, at the heart of the CityLife district, Milan’s new, exclusive business and residential quarter.

The last historic bastion of this new quarter, the Palazzo delle Scintille has been completely renovated as part of this zone’s urban regeneration. Beneath a dome rising to 30 metres, the exhibition will occupy some 2,900 square metres of the total 4,000 available. Located at its centre, Patek Philippe will offer the most spectacular décor ever conceived for its Grand Exhibitions. Divided into 15 different themed areas, the exhibition will offer visitors many new surprises through a total immersion in the Patek Philippe universe and a unique chance to discover the brand’s most renowned Geneva settings: the historic headquarters in the Rue du Rhône, the manufacture at Plan-les-Ouates and the Patek Philippe Museum.

The entire current collection

The Patek Philippe WATCH ART grand exhibition Milan 2026 will bring together some 500 timepieces and objects illustrating a wealth of different types of expertise. In particular, visitors may admire the manufacture’s entire current collection, with its lavish choice of watch families and models for men and for women, spanning every watchmaking segment from the style icons to the most technically complex mechanisms.

A selection from the Rare Handcrafts collection

A dedicated Rare Handcrafts collection comprising 27 exceptional timepieces, including dome table clocks, pocket watches and wristwatches with miniature painting on enamel, cloisonné enamel, hand engraving, micro wood marquetry, hand-executed guilloché work and gemsetting, will be on show, along with demonstrations by artisans before the visitors’ eyes. Amongst this exceptional collection, the following two unique timepieces will be featured.

The “Burano” Ref. 992/193J-001 pocket watch in hand-executed cloisonné, flinqué, and paillonné enamel, as well as hand-engraving, a truly unique piece in yellow gold, pays tribute to the Venetian island of Burano, known for its canals lined with brightly colored houses.

The case-back is adorned with guilloché work in a pattern of waves, then with cloisonné enamelling in 70 colours. The sparkling, colourful reflections in the water are rendered with the paillonné technique of gold and silver leaf embedded beneath the enamel. Further line engraving decorates the border of the case back, the bezel and the bow, drawing inspiration from an ancient motif used in lacemaking, an art for which Burano is renowned. Guilloché work produces the pattern of waves on the dial, shining through the translucent blue enamel of
flinqué enamelling.

This pocket watch is accompanied by a stand in yellow gold presenting an arc adorned with a capstan knot and eight rings, set with 108 spinel gems (1.15 cts) and 102 sapphires (1.18 cts). The arc rests on an oval base in blue quartz clad with glyptic work in rock crystal and set with a blue sapphire cabochon (0.4 ct). It also comes with a chain in yellow gold, suspending a medallion set with 18 sapphires (0.31 ct) and 18 spinels (0.30 ct).

The “Sicilian Oranges” Ref. 20179M-001 Dome table clock is a unique piece in Grand Feu cloisonné enamel showcasing the technical feat of offering two visual planes for a sense of depth to the scene: the first plane is of orange trees, the second of the city of Palermo in miniature painting on enamel. To outline the trees and the fruit the enameller used some 15 m of gold wire (~26.8 g). The vibrant tints to render all the nuances of the orange trees called for a rich palette of transparent, opalescent and opaque enamels in 49 colours. Miniature painting on enamel in 4 to 5 pastel colours lends a touch of softness to the decoration.

This contrast allowed the enameller to convey the distance between the two planes, notably by introducing blurring and shading effects, a mark of great technical prowess. Each enameled plate underwent from 9 to 11 firings at temperatures of between 900°C and 910°C.

The hour circle, inspired by the clock on a Sicilian church, presents applied Roman numerals transfer-printed in blue and pierced blue-lacquered leaf-shaped hands centring a metallic ornament cut out to represent the sun. This piece is powered by the calibre 17’’’ PEND TABLE mechanical movement rewound by an electric motor.

The Jewels of the Patek Philippe Museum

As was the custom with previous editions, this exhibition will also present a selection of more than 90 timepieces belonging to the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva and exceptionally allowed to travel for the Milan event. Those from the “Antique Collection” (16th to early 19th century) include some of the oldest watches in the world and numerous technical and aesthetic masterpieces illustrating the entire history of horology. In addition, pieces from the “Patek Philippe Collection” trace the manufacture’s rich heritage. The following exceptional timepieces were specifically chosen for this Italian event.

The pocket watch of King Umberto I of Savoy (N° inv. P-1235) from 1897 is an open-faced watch with stem winding and setting by a pusher in a yellow gold case, featuring a white enamel dial with double numbering of painted black Roman numerals for the diurnal hours, and painted red Arabic numerals for the nocturnal hours, with a subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock. The back is enamelled with the coat of arms of King Umberto I and set with rose-cut diamonds.

A pocket watch from circa 1830, made for the Italian market (N° inv. S-563) features key winding, a cylinder escapement with a ruby cylinder, and a dial made of engine-turned silver with hour (XII) and minutes (60) indications. The case is made of engraved gold and champlevé enamel. The back cover is enhanced with champlevé enamel representing a map of northern Italy.

The World Time Ref. 1415 HU (N° inv. P-1026) from 1948 is a gentleman’s wristwatch in a rose gold case. The rotating bezel indicating 41 locations represents the 24 time zones. The cloisonné enamel dial with applied gold Roman numerals represents the Eastern hemisphere. The revolving 24-hour disc indicates diurnal and nocturnal hours with Arabic numerals.

An exceptional reunion of horological masterpieces

Additionally, the most prestigious pieces of the history of Patek Philippe will be exhibited in Milan for a truly amazing and eye-opening experience, including the famous Calibre 89, most complicated portable timepiece (33 complications), which was made to celebrate the Manufacture’s 150th anniversary, the most complicated wristwatch, the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175 with 20 complications, created for the 175th anniversary, and the Star Caliber 2000, in a specially dedicated area, the “Supe Complications” room.

A large space will be reserved for chiming watches, one of the manufacture’s strongholds showcased in a dedicated room entitled “Master of Sound”. Visitors will also have the chance to meet Patek Philippe master watchmakers, who will carry out demonstrations on a variety of movements.
Another room will present the vast collection of movements designed and built entirely by Patek Philippe, with an expanded area devoted to the steps involved in producing the parts and another dedicated to research and development.

A fine array of limited editions

Similar to its predecessors, the grand exhibition WATCH ART Milan will be accompanied by the launch of various limited editions in every segment of the Patek Philippe collection.