Messages: 16363 Location: san diegooo
Registered: August 2004
At last, the Patek Philippe Boutique Opens on Rodeo Drive
Fri, 17 August 2012 08:28
Three years ago, the Stern Family and Thomas Blumenthal decided to locate Patek Philippe's first U.S. boutique in Beverly Hills. Together, their families constructed one of the most sophisticated boutiques on Rodeo Drive. The boutique pulls together marble, alabaster, rosewood and maple into an elegant and inviting 1,250 square foot space. The Art Deco furnishings are crafted to the highest standards, with meticulous details like precious wood inlays, bookmatched wood grain surfaces, self-closing drawers and even cabinet knobs that are engraved with the Calatrava Cross. In addition, Mr. Blumenthal's veteran staff are both friendly and well-informed.
Earlier this week, President of Patek Philippe USA Larry Pettinelli graciously provided Timezone with a tour of the new boutique. As part of the tour, we looked at minute repeaters, a one-off cloisonné enamel dome clock as well as the 2012 Basel Collection.
(L-R) President of Patek Philippe USA Larry Pettinelli and Tom Blumenthal inside the private salon
Mr. Petinelli wears a special edition Calatrava from 1989 and Mr. Blumenthal wears a platinum Chronometro Gondolo
Minute Repeaters
Assembling a minute repeater typically takes 200 to 300 hours. After the assembly, the acoustics must be perfectly tuned and Thierry Stern tests each minute repeater to ensure a warm sound, harmony between the gongs and hammers that sound the minutes and hours, and then a steady and deliberate cadence.
5216 (Minute Repeater with Tourbillon and Retrograde Perpetual Calendar)
5207 (Minute Repeater with Tourbillon and Instantaneous Perpetual Calendar)
Play to hear the perfect acoustics of a 5207P minute repeater
Cloisonné enamel dome clock
Cloisonné enamel is a technique of creating cavities marked out by gold wires, in which the enamels are applied in layers and successively fired in a furnace at 850° C. To commemorate the opening of the Patek Philippe Boutique on Rodeo Drive, Patek Philippe crafted a table clock decorated with the California state flower (Golden Poppy) and bird (California Valley Quail).
Basel 2012 Collection
The new boutique will hold an expansive collection of timepieces. The latest Basel collection will be available from this summer (simpler movements) until late fall (more complicated movements).
5123R (Calatrava with manual winding Caliber 215 PS)
Nautilus
5130/1G (World Time with integrated bracelet)
5396/1R (Annual Calendar)
5960R (Annual calendar chronograph)
5940J (Perpetual calendar)
Ladies Watches
7140R (Ladies First Perpetual Calendar with white opaline dial)
Patek's first perpetual calendar for ladies
7071G (Ladies First Chronograph with grey opaline dial and Caliber CH 29-535 PS)
4968R (Moon phase with white mother-of-pearl dial, engraved in a spiral decoration)
Other Timepieces
5270G (Chronograph with Perpetual Calendar )
5235G (Annual Calendar with regulator-style display)
I love to talk about nothing. It's the only thing I know anything about. Wilde
- Jessica