The history of Patek Philippe starts in the 19th century with the Polish watchmaker Antoni Patek (or Antoine Norbert Patek de Pradwdzic, or Antoine Norbert de Patek; 14 June 1812 – 1 March 1877). He was born in Piaski Szlacheckie , Poland and moved to Warsaw at the age of 10. After joining the Polish army in 1828 he settled in France in 1832, more or less as a refugee. In 1834 he had to move to Switzerland and he started making pocket watches in 1839 in Geneva, along with his fellow Czech partner Franciszek Czapek. Read more →