In an interview published on October 6, 2026, Perpetual Passion’s Matteo Bega spoke with Patek Philippe president Thierry Stern at the Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Milan. Stern’s central message was that the manufacture must listen to collectors and keep evolving without losing its identity—a responsibility he connects to long-term planning, watchmaking education and preparing the next generation.
Why Milan—and why Italy matters to Stern
Stern describes Italy as an important market with knowledgeable enthusiasts who give direct responses. He also recalls travelling there with his father early in his life, experiences he says contributed to his own education.
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He explains the Milan exhibition as more than a showcase for the manufacture’s know-how: it is intended to educate a broad audience. The location was chosen, he says, because a European venue could draw visitors from across the region and beyond. As Stern put it, “It’s something that goes beyond know-how. It’s also about education.”
How Stern balances heritage with change
Stern presents continuity and innovation as a leadership responsibility learned through experience, not a formula. He says he is teaching his son how far Patek Philippe can push itself while protecting the company’s identity. That means treating design as both rooted in heritage and capable of innovation.
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He links this approach to a long horizon: “A long-term vision means working towards 2040.” He says that outlook informs movement development as well as the watch collection: “I have to protect Patek Philippe’s vision: certainly for the movements, but also for the collection.”
To illustrate the danger of chasing one successful product too heavily, Stern imagines a future in which the company focuses only on titanium Nautilus watches. This is a deliberately extreme example in the interview, not a forecast or a stated production plan. The point is the tension between responding to demand and avoiding dependence on a single design.
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What watch would represent his presidency?
Asked to name a watch that would represent his time as president, Stern chose the 5970 chronograph in yellow gold with a white dial. He praised its case. The answer fits his broader description of Patek Philippe design: respect for established forms need not rule out creative development.
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What the interview says about craft and succession
Stern says his son Adrien is undertaking a five-year training program that takes him through the company’s departments. In Stern’s account, transmitting the company’s values requires learning the work from the bottom up and gaining experience across the organisation, rather than simply inheriting a title.
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On production and quality, Stern said in this 2026 interview that Patek Philippe makes 70,000 watches a year and that he does not intend to compromise on quality. Those are his statements in the interview, not independently verified current production figures. The distinction matters: in a separate CNA Luxury interview published in June 2025, Stern gave a figure of 72,000 watches per year and described more than 2,000 people working at the new factory. These dated interview figures should not be treated as a reconciled or audited company total.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How this conversation fits with earlier interviews
The themes in Milan echo earlier comments, while each interview has its own context. In a 2012 Hodinkee interview, Stern discussed his involvement in design, described vintage auction books as an educational resource and said he would hold back a difficult watch release until he was confident it met the company’s standards. In 2024, speaking to Worldtempus, he highlighted independence and watchmaking credibility as sources of confidence.
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In the June 2025 CNA Luxury interview, Stern discussed the 2025 collection, including Cubitus and a Twenty~4 perpetual calendar. He described Cubitus as a calculated risk and spoke about the family’s role in creative decisions. CNA Luxury’s headline captured a related theme: “The ability to adapt while maintaining our identity is what distinguishes us”. These are separate interviews and dated statements, not a single continuous announcement of company policy.
Quick Recap
What readers should take from Stern’s remarks
- Listening is part of creation: Stern presents customer responses, including those of Italian collectors, as contributing to the development of watches.
- Identity is a constraint, not a ban on change: His emphasis is on adapting without allowing a successful model or short-term demand to define the entire collection.
- Long-term stewardship includes people: The 2040 horizon and Adrien Stern’s departmental training connect product continuity with passing on practical knowledge.
- These are the president’s views: The interview offers Stern’s account of strategy and priorities; statements about production, quality and direction are not independent audits or forecasts.
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