They say two together is better than one alone—and this sentiment definitely rings true when we look at iconic duos that have changed a moment in the trajectory of history. Like Loulou de la Falaise and Yves Saint Laurent or John Lennon and Paul McCartney, one duo that has ruled the watch world for the last 170 years is Patek Philippe and Tiffany & Co.
The Genevan watch firm and American jeweler were founded within two years of each other and share many of the same values, making Tiffany & Co. the natural choice when Patek Philippe was in search of a U.S.-based retail partner in 1851. Antoine Norbert de Patek visited Charles Lewis Tiffany in New York at the time while on a business trip in the United States, and a long-lasting bond was forged.
Tiffany & Co., most notably during the early decades of the 20th century, was a key player in fostering relationships between Patek Philippe and American watch collectors, such as like Henry Graves Jr., a banker in New York City who purchased one of the most complicated watches from the firm that the world has ever seen. In 2008, Patek Philippe opened a boutique within the Tiffany & Co.'s Fifth Avenue salon, where the complete current collection is housed.
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In honor of this partnership, Patek Philippe has also created several special editions for the jeweler, with the most recent being a limited run of the Ref. 5711/1A-018 Nautilus wristwatch. The Nautilus, which debuted in 2006 and will be retired at the end of 2022, boasts the iconic blue the jewelry house is known for on an embossed dial, which also features both company names with Tiffany & Co. at the 6 o'clock hand and Patek Philippe at the 12 o'clock hand. Tiffany & Co. is the only retail partner whose name appears on a Patek Philippe dial, making these pieces highly collectible. A steel case, bezel, and bracelet that has both satin-finished and polished links—a process that requires 55 production steps for each timepiece—complete the design.
A limited quantity of 170 timepieces will be available in the Tiffany boutiques in New York, Beverly Hills, and San Francisco. Tiffany & Co. will also auction off one of the timepieces on December 11, with the proceeds benefiting The Nature Conservancy.
