1. Reception & Archives

On receiving the watch for servicing, Patek Philippe first need to understand the journey of the watch and find its origins. To do this, Patek Philippe check the Patek Philippe archives – a thorough list of timepieces dating back to 1839. The archives will tell Patek Philippe the age of the watch and any other previous servicing it has undergone. This work is of significant value to Patek Philippe’s heritage. By finding out the history of the watch through case numbers and movement references, Patek Philippe can ensure that our work is accurate.

2. Dismantling & Reassembling the Case & Movement

A simple Patek Philippe watch will have over 150 individual parts. It can take up to two hours to completely dismantle the timepiece, requiring great care and focus. The watch can then be diagnosed with specific repairs, and is a highly skilled, important process to ensure that the right work is performed.

The watch’s reassembling requires a multitude of processes. Components need to be lubricated, and the watch technician must ensure that the parts are replaced in the correct order, in the right place. Adjustments are made throughout and on completion of its reassembling. The technician needs to guarantee that the watch will function accurately and perform as it should.

3. The Cleaning: Exterior Elements

A simple yet important procedure to ensure that the watch is cleaned of any workshop residue and is left glistening. The process takes around 45 minutes where the case is washed, polished, and protected.

4. Polishing: Exterior Case Operations

A complete polish of the case is available on request, performed in a special workroom to prevent excessive movement of dust particles. For each unique timepiece, a different process and technique is carried out. The majority of watch cases will undergo a light polish for a bright and brilliant finish. Multiple polishing processes are also available to return the watch to its original sparkle.

5. Case Re-assembly

This completes the exterior alignment of the watch, fitting the glass, the back of the case and the crown. Applying the joints for waterproofing and ensuring the high standard of aesthetics are met, complete the process.

6. Re-casing

In a dust controlled work space, the movement and case exterior are finally brought back together. Lastly, the rotor and crown are reassembled, all moisture is withdrawn, and the case is secured.

7. Quality Control

Before the watch returns to its owner, it undergoes a final test which takes around two weeks, ensuring that the vital work carried out by the experts has met the Patek Philippe Seal.