Patek Philippe confirms passing of former president

Philippe Stern, former president of Patek Philipp between 1993–2009, passed away on Sunday, aged 87.

Confirming the death in a statement, the company said that Philippe Stern was “regarded as one of the industry’s most important leaders.” 

Philippe was the father of current president Thierry Stern, and grandson of Charles Stern, who acquired the Patek Philippe manufacture in 1932 with his brother.

Born in 1938, Philippe dedicated his life to the family business in Geneva, with a brief stint in New York in the 1960s, where he gained hands-on experience of the watch trade before returning to Switzerland.

He is credited with playing a pivotal role during the 1970s during the ‘quartz crisis,’ insisting that the market for traditional timepieces was still very real and that Patek Philippe should therefore not go chasing the mass market.

Patek’s decision to stay true to its mechanical roots proved to be genius, and the brand benefits from that decision to this day.

It was also in the 70s that Patek Philippe launched the Nautilus, which is another decision that Philippe Stern is given credit for. As anyone who was at Watches and Wonders this year will attest, the 50th anniversary of this model was momentous, and the Nautilus has established itself as one of, if not, the brand’s most important flagships.

Philippe handed the day-to-day running of the brand over to his son in 2009, but has remained as honorary president.