From Queen Victoria to Cardi B, how this legacy watchmaker found itself in the zeitgeist

 

From Joe DiMaggio to Albert Einstein, Princess Diana to Victoria Beckham, watchmaker Patek Philippe has long been a celebrity favorite. But the Swiss brand's reputation has taken an unexpected turn in recent years.

Namedropping luxury labels may be nothing new in hip-hop, but lyrical references to Patek Phillippe exploded in 2017. That year, one-third of the songs on the Billboard Hot 100 mentioned the brand, according to music website Genius.

Travis Scott has rapped about his "two-tone Patek," Cardi B (pictured top) "flooded" hers with diamonds and Gucci Mane suggested that his was "gon' make this crooked judge try throw the book at me." Young Thug, Migos and Future have all mentioned their Patek Philippe timepieces, while Lil Uzi Vert has such affinity with the watchmaker that he released two tracks honoring it, "Patek" and "New Patek." ("New Patek on my wrist," he said in the latter, "white diamonds, them sh**s hit pink.")

The phenomenon coincided with a wider surge of interest in watch collecting, according to Nick Marino, senior vice president of content at online watch magazine, Hodinkee.

"Since Patek Phillipe has always has been one of the most prestigious watch brands, it stood to reason that it would be the one that everyone was talking about," he said via video call.

"Hip-hop has a long and storied history of shouting out brands that artists like, going back to 'My Adidas' by Run-DMC, and it just so happened that watches caught fire.

"Rappers are smart," he added. "They know what status means and they know what exclusivity means. You might expect rappers to talk about Richard Mille, because that's a young, flashy, 'new money' watch brand -- and rappers love that one too -- but I love that they love the old-money watch brands.

"By positioning themselves as Patek customers, rappers are positioning themselves in the lineage of elites going all the way back to the 19th century. That's power."

The brand's place in pop culture is a far cry from its 1990s "Generations" ads, which featured predominantly White parents and their children bonding over treasured horological heirlooms. The memorable campaign helped establish the famous catchphrase, "You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation."

As a brand that promotes history and heritage as markers of quality, becoming a status symbol for the Instagram generation might have sat uncomfortably with the 182-year-old company. But, Marino said, the watchmaker has not visibly repositioned its brand -- nor need it worry about becoming too popular: "In a lot of ways, the young audience -- the hip-hop audience -- has found Patek maybe rather than the other way around.

"This brand has been a symbol of luxury since 1839, so I don't think there's any danger of them being seen as a flash in the pan," he said, adding: "Twenty-seventeen was a lifetime ago in hip-hop, and people are still talking about these watches."

Indeed, according to Sharon Chan, director of watches at Bonhams auction house in Hong Kong, Patek Philippe's place in the zeitgeist is "a very positive sign" for its future.

"Five to eight years ago, Patek Philippe watches were mostly bought by older clients," she said over the phone. "But recently, it's all the younger generation -- the second or third generation (down) from the first collector clients we had.

"Their collecting style and the types (of watches they're interested in) are quite different. In the past, experienced collectors looked for the most complicated versions of products. Nowadays, they tend to go for simpler functions -- something simple-looking or made from different materials. Whereas in the past 80% of our Patek Philippe watches we sold were (made from) precious metals, now, most customers are requesting the stainless-steel ones."

"Rarely, do (the watches) really just go down to the next generation," she added. "But it is a brand that connects the generations together."

More money, fewer complications

Celebrities' fixation with Patek Philippe may just reflect its status as the world's most expensive watchmaker -- if auction records are your measure, at least. The brand is responsible for eight of the 10 priciest watches ever to go under the hammer, including a stainless-steel Reference 1518 that fetched over 11 million Swiss francs ($11.1 million) and a pink gold version that smashed estimates to sell for almost $9.6 million last September.

A Patek Philippe watch formerly owned by Andy Warhol on display at a Christie's auction house in June 2021. Credit: Cindy Ord/Getty Images

Get your amazing Graphic and Art Backgrounds!