It starts! The watch world’s largest show! We were at the Media Preview this afternoon and bring you this inside peek at the exhibition. Make your plans and book your tickets (they are free, but you need to register – details within). Let’s go!
The Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition, Singapore 2019
Patek Philippe is organizing its fifth watch exhibition from September 28 to October 13, 2019, the largest one of its kind ever. Presented as the “Watch Art Grand Exhibition Singapore 2019”, the exhibition is held at the Sands Theaters at Marina Bay Sands.
After Dubai in 2012, Munich in 2013, London in 2015, and New York in 2017, Patek Philippe has now picked Singapore as the venue for its new large-scale exhibition, an event with which it can showcase its expertise and creations. In ten theme rooms spanning 1800 m2, aficionados of superior watchmaking artistry and the public at large can immerse themselves into the world of Patek Philippe as if they were personally visiting the historic salons on Rue du Rhône in Geneva, the manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates, or the Patek Philippe Museum. It is a unique opportunity to take a backstage look into the last independent, family-owned watchmaking manufacture. The exhibition coincides with the launch of several limited-edition watches and also presents a rich collection of Rare Handcrafts timepieces inspired by the cultural and artistic traditions of the countries in this region.
A theater transformed
The location is rather interesting. What is normally the Sands Theaters showing live performances like The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Cats and the like, the entire venue is transformed into a very high end salon, and reminds us of the Patek Philippe Museum and also the Grand Boutique Showrooms in Geneva.
The transformation is complete, from the theater lobby to the Patek Philippe lobby:
To the Theme Rooms:
The 10 rooms
Cinema The historic Patek Philippe film is screened here.
Current Collection Room This room is reserved for the presentation of the current collection. Its interior was inspired by the appointment of the Patek Philippe salons on Rue du Rhône in Geneva.
Napoleon Room The seductive effect of this room is that it spirits visitors away to the Patek Philippe salons in Geneva, treating them to a fantastic motion-picture panoramic view of Lake Geneva.
This is also where the limited special editions created explicitly for the market in Southeast Asia are displayed.
Museum Room Like the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva, this room is subdivided into two departments, one for the Antique Collection, the other for the Patek Philippe Collection.
Rare Handcrafts Room Artisans demonstrate techniques, especially enameling, with which wristwatches and table clocks are decorated. A selection of watches that would be unthinkable without ancestral skills underscores Patek Philippe’s commitment to rare handcrafts.
Watchmakers Room Master watchmakers from Patek Philippe invite visitors to take a close look at the inner workings of mechanical timepieces.
Grand Complications Room A unique overview of the most complicated and innovative Patek Philippe timepieces concentrated in one place. They contributed considerably to the reputation of the manufacture.
Movements Room This space is dedicated to the extensive range of Patek Philippe movements – from simple calibers to highly elaborate ones developed for the world’s most complicated watches.
Interactive Room This room allows visitors to immerse themselves in the heart of the Patek Philippe manufacture and the architecture of its movements.
Photo by Adi Soon.
Singapore and Southeast Asia Room This room pays tribute to Singapore’s 200th anniversary as well as the grand heritage of Singapore and all of Southeast Asia with its rich historic, cultural, artistic, and natural legacy.
Exhibition details
The “Watch Art Grand Exhibition Singapore 2019” is a free public exhibition hosted in the facilities of the prestigious Marina Bay Sands Theater in the heart of Singapore. To gain admission, visitors must first reserve their free tickets (access to the booking platform on www.patek.com). For the occasion, Patek Philippe is producing a richly detailed catalog that shows all exhibited pieces. An audio guide with narration in Mandarin or English is available on request. Opening hours are extended until 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Family days with children’s activities are scheduled on two Sundays.
Opening hours
Sunday – Thursday: 10 am to 7 pm (last admission 6 pm) (except October 13: exhibition closes at 5 pm, last admission 4 pm)
Extended hours: 10 am to 10 pm (last admission 9 pm) Fridays on October 4 and 11, and Saturdays on October 5 and 12
Family days
A variety of interactive activities will take place between 10:00am and 5:00pm on Sunday 6 and 13 October 2019. Each child will be greeted with a welcome kit before they are sent on a “Time Treasures” hunt that allows them to create their own watches inspired by the exhibition. Specially designed balloons, a Watch Tattoo station, and a colouring station are some of the offerings throughout the days.
The young ones will have the opportunity to imagine themselves as a Patek Philippe watchmaker through a mechanical clock making kit for children, exemplifying the inner workings of such timepieces. Families visiting the Grand Exhibition can take home a memory of the exhibition by taking a photograph in the photo studio dressed as watchmakers.
The commemorative catalog
In celebration of the Watch Art Grand Exhibition, Patek Philippe will be retailing a limited-edition commemorative catalogue that highlights hundreds of historical timepieces, current collection, Rare Handcrafts, and Grand Complications that will be showcased during the Grand Exhibition for a nominal fee.
100 percent of the proceeds from the sales of the commemorative catalogue will be donated to the National Museum of Singapore in support of the preservation of arts and heritage, reinforcing and entrenching a strong message about Patek Philippe’s values in continuation of the brand’s efforts to contribute to the arts and heritage in the country.
