Patek Philippe, or the art of making watchmaking treasures, in Seville

The Swiss brand shows in the Casa de Salinas its 2014 collections by the hand of “El Cronómetro”.

The exclusivity and quality were noticeable in the atmosphere. The emblematic Casa de Salinas was the setting chosen for the presentation of the new watches of the prestigious firm Patek Philippe, which has been represented in Seville for almost 50 years by the watchmaker’s shop “El Cronómetro”.

The “unique” decoration of the event: a hundred models of the Swiss house. Art in its purest form. Small engineering works with the highest design. Unique models: masculine and feminine; with or without diamond dials; with chronometer, calendar, singular dials or a youthful design. Tradition and innovation go hand in hand after 175 years of making watches “to be enjoyed”.

“Quality above all else,” said the managing director of the Geneva brand, John Vergotti. A regular visitor to the capital of Seville, which he always finds “fantastic”, Vergotti says it was “an honor and a pleasure” that a watchmaker like “El Cronómetro” is the ambassador of Patek Philippe in Seville. Here and in much of Andalusia, as it is the only place in the region -along with Marbella- where these exclusive watches can be found. And here, “the public is different from Malaga,” said Vergotti.

The Seville market “is loyal to the brand”, awaits the release of the new collections and “almost without going to market, they are already sold out”. This was stated by Álvaro Sanchís. He embodies the new generation – and there are already six – of the Sanchís family at the head of “El Cronómetro”, which he still runs together with his father and uncle.

Since 1965, the emblematic Sevillian establishment has been bringing the quality and luxury of these Swiss watches to the city. It’s not easy, but it’s not surprising that the Sanchís family has succeeded. “They have been training for years to represent our models in the best way,” explained Vergotti. Not only that: “They are true professional watchmaking craftsmen,” said the managing director of Patek Philippe. There is no better ambassador than the one who knows what the product is like, “and they know it perfectly”.

Its customers are also good connoisseurs of the brand. “There are real lovers of these watches,” Sanchís assured. Precisely, the most exclusive customers of “El Cronómetro” were the ones who attended this unique presentation.

Between art and watchmaking

The exclusivity of the brand was evident in the models presented at the event: only eight new watches, one for each Patek Philippe collection. “Some are more technical in nature, others are design or a change of material,” explained Vergotti.

Among them are two unique pieces: a men’s watch with minute repeater and perpetual calendar and a model for women of high jewelry, with mechanical movement with manual winding and made with diamonds, gold and Akoya pearls. “Small treasures”, as Vergotti described, within reach of the Sevillian public in the traditional watchmaker’s shop “El Cronómetro”. It is clear that the “professional and friendly” relationship between the two houses has “a long future”, as both were convinced. Now, for another half century.