The Electronic Clocks of Patek Philippe Once Ran the World

Aug. 9, 2022

We visit the largest collection of Patek Philippe electronic clocks ever assembled for public viewing, in New York City.

Alix Paultre

Related To: Electronic Design

This video is part of the Then and Now series in the Electronic History section of our Series Library.

Watchmaker Patek Philippe, popularly known for its fine mechanical timepieces, is considered part of the "great triumvirate" of Swiss watch manufacturers. What many don't know is that the company also was known as pioneering maker of electronic master clocks and a leader in the core technologies behind atomic and quartz timekeeping. Patek Philippe created its Electronic Timekeeping Division in 1948, and created some of the most accurate timekeeping clocks available.

Collectability and Analog:Shift presented the largest collection of Patek Philippe electronic clocks for public viewing in New York City. Valued at over $2 million, the ‘Meeting Point’ exhibition presents over 40 electronic clocks from the company, accumulated over four decades from 1973 through today.

About the Author

Alix Paultre | Editor-at-Large, Electronic Design

An Army veteran, Alix Paultre was a signals intelligence soldier on the East/West German border in the early ‘80s, and eventually wound up helping launch and run a publication on consumer electronics for the US military stationed in Europe. Alix first began in this industry in 1998 at Electronic Products magazine, and since then has worked for a variety of publications in the embedded electronic engineering space. Alix currently lives in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Also check out his YouTube watch-collecting channel, Talking Timepieces.