The design of a case can make or break a watch. Instinctively, it’s one of the first things that grabs your attention and it’s also probably the biggest contributing factor to how comfortably it wears on the wrist. The designs of Patek Philippe have been almost peerless in their excellence over their near two-century history, helping to build their reputation as one of the finest manufacturers in the world.

Despite being most associated with classic aesthetics, this does not mean that the Genevan watchmaker has remained conservative in its designs throughout. Patek Phillipe may appear to change very slowly, but it does not stand still. There have been many deviations from the norm, enough in fact to fuel a whole category of collectors, who crave and chase the outliers and oddballs, within Patek Philippe’s production.

 

three unusual patek philippe case designs from the 1960s and 1970s Three of the curious designs to have left the Maison in the last 100 years.

 

The manufacture’s ability to innovate in its designs, pushing the aesthetics of the whole industry forwards, as well as taking risks alongside young, promising creators, has been a contributing factor to their long-standing success. Over the course of the last century or so, we break-down some of their most unusual and iconic designs.

Understanding the classic rules

 

When we spoke to Jean-Pierre Hagmann, one of the most fabled casemakers of the 20th century, often