In 2009, Patek Philippe ended its 122-year partnership with the Geneva Seal. At the time, the Geneva Seal only covered origin and retouching techniques, which was slightly outdated. In order to keep up with the pace of continuous development of the watchmaking world and the increasingly high demands of excellence, Patek Philippe created its own unique seal. In 2012, the Geneva Seal also ushered in a new era, becoming more rigorous and more in line with the spirit of the times. So the question is coming, Geneva Seal VS Patek Philippe Seal, which one is better?
Geneva Seal
- The Geneva Seal requires that watches must be made in Geneva and adhere to strict retouching standards. Substrates, bridges, gemstones, screws, and wheel trains must be removed from the machine marks, and they should be beautifully retouched, leaving people a pleasing feeling.
- Now, the Geneva Seal also requires functional testing. Test all watch functions to ensure proper operation. Check the parts to ensure that the calendar is in normal challenge, hour-minute-second can function normally, the timing can start, stop and reset normally, and so on.
- Water resistance is now also a factor to consider, and watches bearing the Geneva Seal must pass a test of at least 3 bar (about 30 meters). In terms of accuracy, the error of the watch should not exceed one minute after seven days. The power reserve is also tested to ensure that the minimum guaranteed value is met.
Patek Philippe Seal
- The Patek Philippe Seal not only covers the movement, but also the case, dial, hands, buttons and lugs (metal bars for fixing the bracelet), taking the certification to a new level, and requiring that every component should adhere to the strict specifications. The edges of the substrate and the bridge must be mirror-polished, with the Geneva side of the bridge visible and the rounded grain on the inside. Patek Philippe also set up a special imprint committee and supervisory committee to ensure that all timepiece models are strictly enforced.
- Similar to the Geneva Seal, the Patek Philippe Seal also requires testing of the functions of the finished watch. After the case is assembled with the movement, the entire watch speed needs to be tested. After 24 hours, the movement error of a diameter exceeding 20 mm should not exceed -3 / +2 seconds; the movement error of a diameter less than 20 mm should not exceed -5 / +4 seconds; the movement error of the tourbillon should not exceed -2 / +1 second.
- The Patek Philippe Seal does not specifically mention the water resistance and power reserve, but we can safely assume that all watches are tested for accuracy and reliability.
- The Patek Philippe Seal also covers material standards, and all alloys and gems used should be of the highest quality without compromise. All diamonds must meet the flawless top Wesselton (G-grade) standard.
- The case must not have sharp edges or protruding gems to avoid scratching.
- The most important aspect of certification is reliability. In any case, it should be not compromise, and all retouching must follow this basic principle.
Summary:
In fact, the standards of the Geneva Seal have been revised to be more rigorous and more in line with the spirit of modern watchmaking. Of course, the Patek Philippe Seal is more and more strict currently and it will continue to be superior in the foreseeable future.
