Tatler GMT attended the opening Patek Philippe’s Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Tokyo, happening now till 25 June and showcasing over 500 watches and objets
Southeast Asian watch enthusiasts will surely remember Patek Philippe’s 2019 Grand Exhibition, held at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. It was the 5th Grand Exhibition organised by the iconic Swiss watch company, and the first in Asia. Previous editions included Dubai, Munich, London and New York. Singapore, when it was held, was the largest to date; the exhibition showcased 467 timepieces and was visited by almost 70,000 people over 16 days. After the success of Singapore, Patek Philippe decided that the next one would be in Tokyo in 2021—after Munich, it had become policy to organise a Grand Exhibition every two years.
Of course, in 2020, the world stopped. The showcase had to be postponed. Two years after it should have opened—four years after Singapore—the Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition finally opened in Tokyo on 10 June 2023, and runs until 25 June. The opening date was auspiciously chosen. In Japan, the 10th of June is celebrated as Time Day, or Toki no Kinenbi.
In case you missed it: 5 Things To Expect At Patek Philippe's Watch Art Grand Exhibition Singapore 2019
Time Day 2023 in Tokyo started beautifully. While it had rained for much of the previous day (and would rain the next), the skies that morning were clear. Hundreds of watch enthusiasts made their way to the Shinjuku Sumitomo Building. Their destination was the Sankaku Hiroba, a 3,250 square metre triangle-shaped glass pavilion built around the impressive office building.
Inside the atrium, a large but orderly crowd gathered in front of the entrance to the Grand Exhibition, eagerly waiting to be let inside. Ticket-holders quietly (this is Japan after all) queued with anticipation and excitement. Media and VIPs mingled near the entrance. Patek Philippe President Thierry Stern excitedly surveyed the crowd, stopping to shoot his own video of the gathered throng, a large satisfied smile adorning his face, as 4 years of planning finally came to life.