A unique collection
The Patek Philippe Museum
The Patek Philippe Museum houses one of the world's most significant and prestigious watch collections, spanning over 500 years.
Practical information
Plan your visit
As one of Geneva's most beloved cultural landmarks, the Patek Philippe Museum promises an unforgettable experience. To ensure your visit is seamless and enjoyable, we recommend checking the museum's opening hours and reserving your tickets online in advance.
Preserving for the future
A personal collection
The Patek Philippe Museum is the embodiment of a passion, that of Philippe Stern, honorary president of the Manufacture, who gradually assembled one of the world's most extraordinary watch collections. Its mission is to share the art of fine watchmaking with a broad audience, promote Geneva’s rich horological legacy, and inspire future generations to embrace and preserve this remarkable heritage.
An extraordinary heritage
The Museum’s Collections
The Museum presents a remarkable collection of around 2,500 watches, automatons, precious objects, and exquisite miniature enamel portraits, offering a captivating journey through five centuries of Genevan, Swiss, and European watchmaking artistry. It also showcases an extensive overview of our creations since 1839, alongside a library of over 8,000 works dedicated to the art of timekeeping.
16th – 19th Century
The Antique Collection
Exhibited on the second floor of the Museum, the Antique collection unveils a fascinating array of Genevan, Swiss and European watches and enamels. This unique selection includes a great number of masterpieces that have left a profound mark on the history of horology.
The Museum’s collections include more than 1000 antique pieces that represent timekeeping landmark.
The Antique Collection consists of historic items that go back to the dawn of the portable timekeeper around 1500.
The collection presents some of the very first portable watches, together with richly enameled pocket watches.
Many of the timepieces displayed are signed by the greatest European watchmakers.
The magnificent panorama also showcases musical automata and technical timepieces.
1839 to the present
The Patek Philippe Collection
Visible on the first floor of the Museum, the Patek Philippe collection presents an outstanding panorama of extraordinary pocket and wristwatches crafted since our inception in 1839. This remarkable selection stands as a testament to over 175 years of unparalleled creativity and innovation in the art of watchmaking.
The Patek Philippe Collection offers a selection of the manufacture’s most splendid creations, including the first Patek Philippe wristwatch (1868).
This watch, which employs Jean Adrien Philippe’s innovative stem-winding system patented in 1845, was presented to the Queen Victoria at London’s Great Exhibition of 1851.
The first known perpetual calendar wristwatch (1925) was a milestone for watchmaking, made by Patek Philippe, and is housed in the Museum.
A unique platinum minute-repeating wristwatch with perpetual calendar and moon phases, originally cased in 1930.
Calibre 89 was Patek Philippe’s groundbreaking masterpiece in 1989 with 33 complications, unveiled to celebrate the brand's 150th anniversary.
The Artisan's Atelier
Workbenches and restoration
On display on the ground floor is a fascinating collection of workbenches and antique tools, along with the Museum's restoration atelier. This exhibit offers visitors a rare insight into the meticulous craft of watchmaking, providing a closer look at the intricate world of the master watchmaker.
These antique watchmaking workbenches date back to the 19th century, showcasing the tools and setups used by master watchmakers.
The display includes rare hand-forged tools that were essential for shaping gears, engraving dials, and assembling movements with unrivaled precision.
The restoration atelier is where expert watchmakers bring historical timepieces back to life, using methods unchanged for centuries.
Each tool on display reflects a specific function, highlighting the complexity of mechanical watches.
On view on the ground floor is a collection of workbenches and antique tools, along with the Museum’s restoration atelier.
Chronicles of time
Library and historical archives
The Museum's third floor is home to an extensive library boasting over 8,000 publications dedicated to time and its related disciplines, along with the Manufacture’s historical archives. Visitors can also admire a stunning collection of portraits and snuff boxes, intricately adorned with miniature enamel paintings.
Among the treasures in the archives is a unique collection of hand-painted portraits on enamel, a technique that requires exceptional precision and artistry.
The enamel-painted snuff boxes on display showcase the extraordinary craftsmanship of 18th-century artisans.
The Museum library is one of the largest horological archives in the world, featuring rare manuscripts and books that explore the science, art, and philosophy of time.
The historical archives provide a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of Patek Philippe, preserving original designs, patents, and correspondence from its early days.
Visitors can explore a timeline of horological innovation and artistry through the library's collection, complemented by displays of exquisite decorative objects.
