Patek Philippe brings the Watch Art™ Grand Exhibition to Milan

From 2 to 18 October 2026, Milan will host the Patek Philippe Watch Art™ Grand Exhibition for the first time in Italy, at the CityOval in CityLife.

Following Dubai, Munich, London, New York, Singapore and Tokyo, the Geneva-based Maison has chosen Italy for the seventh edition of its Grand Exhibition. It will be the largest ever organised by Patek Philippe, spanning approximately 2,900 square metres and 15 thematic areas dedicated to the history, innovation and savoir-faire of fine watchmaking.

Entirely free of charge and open to the public, the exhibition will offer an immersive experience, giving visitors the opportunity to discover approximately 300 timepieces and objects, including creations designed specifically for the occasion, live demonstrations by master artisans, and more than 90 masterpieces exceptionally brought to Milan from the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva.

We discussed the exhibition with Laura Gervasoni, General Manager of Patek Philippe Italia, whom we thank for sharing with ProPosition the meaning and spirit behind an event that, beyond the world of fine watchmaking, explores themes that strongly resonate with organisations today: the preservation of expertise, innovation, talent and the ability to build long-term value.

Following some of the world’s major international capitals, Patek Philippe has chosen Milan for the seventh edition of the Watch Art™ Grand Exhibition. What does bringing this event to Italy for the first time represent for the Maison?

Italy has always been an important market for Patek Philippe and is a country deeply rooted in a culture of craftsmanship, design and excellence.

Bringing the Watch Art™ Grand Exhibition back to Europe, following two editions held in Asia, and choosing Milan has a particular significance. Milan is today a highly international city, capable of attracting visitors from all over the world, while at the same time retaining a scale that makes it accessible and easy to experience within an exceptionally vibrant cultural environment, rich in events and attractions.

It is also a city with which Patek Philippe has particularly strong ties, as it has been home to Patek Philippe Italia since 1999.

The exhibition is also an opportunity to thank the Italian market and all those clients and enthusiasts who have supported and followed the Maison with great loyalty over the years.

The Milan edition will be the largest exhibition Patek Philippe has ever organised. Beyond the figures, what makes this edition truly exceptional?

Each edition of the Watch Art™ Grand Exhibition is conceived around significant content and with the aim of offering visitors a complete immersive experience. In Milan, the choice of venue also enabled us to develop the project even further.

Having access to a prestigious, exceptionally large space with no internal divisions has allowed us to expand and enrich the exhibition route with new thematic areas, effectively bringing an important part of the Geneva Manufacture directly to Italy.

For many people, travelling to Geneva and visiting the Museum to explore the world of the Maison in such depth would not necessarily be easy. Our aim is therefore to provide this opportunity free of charge, allowing visitors to understand the extraordinary amount of study, research, design and craftsmanship behind every creation.

Visitors will be able to discover the entire current collection, alongside limited editions and Rare Handcrafts creations produced exclusively for Milan, as well as exceptional pieces from the Museum.

These include some of the most extraordinary Grand Complications in Patek Philippe’s history, such as the Calibre 89, the Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175 and the Star Caliber 2000.

The exhibition will also offer a comprehensive insight into the diversity of Patek Philippe’s creations and the balance of a collection designed to express itself with equal naturalness on both men’s and women’s wrists.

The exhibition takes visitors “behind the scenes” of the Patek Philippe universe. How important is it today to communicate not only the final product, but also the expertise and craftsmanship that create its value?

It is fundamental, particularly for those who are not deeply familiar with how mechanical watchmaking works. By looking only at the finished product, it is difficult to appreciate the level of research, design and precision required to create it. Every single component must interact perfectly with all the others, and behind every movement lie years of study, highly specialised expertise and an extraordinary degree of accuracy.

Explaining Patek Philippe also means conveying what it truly means to be a Manufacture: not simply creating an object of great value, but conceiving it so that it can accompany its owner over time, be maintained and ultimately passed on to future generations.

Indeed, from the very beginning, Patek Philippe has been committed to ensuring the maintenance and restoration of its timepieces, so that they can be preserved over time and handed down from one generation to the next.

This also relates to the emotional value of a watch. A timepiece often accompanies an important moment in a person’s life – a birth, a professional achievement, an anniversary – and becomes part of an individual and family story.

This is where the concept of legacy takes on a particularly tangible meaning.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the exhibition will be the opportunity to watch artisans and watchmakers at work. Can an exhibition like this also help introduce younger generations to fine watchmaking and to professions they may know little about?

Absolutely. One of the most interesting aspects of the exhibition is the opportunity not only to observe the artisans at work, but also to speak with them, ask questions and gain a real understanding of the nature of their expertise.

Those who are unfamiliar with mechanical watchmaking are often struck by the extremely small scale of the components, the precision required and the extraordinary manual dexterity needed to work on elements that are so minute and delicate.

The exhibition also provides an opportunity to discover a wide range of professions: from watchmakers to artisans specialising in enamelling, engraving, gem-setting and wood micro-marquetry, as well as engineers and research and development professionals involved in the design of new movements.

These are professions in which tradition, creativity, technical expertise and innovation constantly coexist. In this sense, the exhibition can also play an important role in providing guidance and inspiration. It may enable a young person to discover that behind fine watchmaking lies an entire universe of professions – technical, engineering, artisanal and artistic – far broader than one might imagine.

The Watch Art™ Grand Exhibition is free and open to the public. What would you say to those who consider fine watchmaking a world reserved exclusively for collectors and connoisseurs?

I would encourage them to come precisely to discover that this is not the case.

The Watch Art™ Grand Exhibition was created with the aim of enabling the general public to discover the Patek Philippe universe in its entirety: not only the watches themselves, but also the heritage, history, philosophy, expertise and savoir-faire that define the Maison.

Audio guides will also be available, allowing visitors to follow the exhibition in a structured and in-depth way.

There is therefore no need to be a collector or an expert. It can be a fascinating experience for anyone interested in mechanics, engineering, art, design, craftsmanship or simply in understanding how excellence is created and preserved over time.

Being an independent Maison also means having the ability to look to the future from a long-term perspective, deciding where to invest, which skills to develop and what heritage to pass on to future generations.

Opening the doors of this world to the public reflects a desire to create a closer connection and to share a culture that is not intended to be exclusive, but rather to spark curiosity and inspire. A heritage with its sights firmly set on the future.

We would like to thank Laura Gervasoni for guiding ProPosition through the Patek Philippe Watch Art™ Grand Exhibition 2026 and for sharing the wealth of expertise, savoir-faire and vision that has always distinguished the Maison.

Admission to the exhibition is free of charge. Registration is recommended, particularly at weekends, via the following link: Patek Philippe Watch Art™ Grand Exhibition.