For the seventh edition of its Grand Exhibitions, Patek Philippe has chosen the Palazzo delle Scintille in Milan's CityLife district. The building has been fully renovated for the occasion and renamed «CityOval».

Beneath a 30-metre dome, the exhibition will occupy some 2,900 of the venue's 4,000 square metres. Admission is free.

Six stops, seven years

The series began in Dubai in 2012. Munich, London, New York, Singapore and Tokyo followed. Together, those six editions drew roughly 165,000 visitors.

Milan is now the seventh stop on the world tour – and the second in a country neighbouring Switzerland.

Off to Milan: «Burano» pocket watch, Ref. 992/193J-001. (Image: Patek Philippe)

Two new one-of-a-kind pieces

At the centre of the Rare Handcrafts collection, comprising 27 pieces, are two new unique creations. The «Burano» pocket watch, Ref. 992/193J-001, in yellow gold pays tribute to the Venetian island of the same name. It combines cloisonné enamel in 70 colours with guilloché and paillonné techniques, alongside hand engraving inspired by lacemaking.

The «Sicilian Oranges» dome table clock, Ref. 20179M-001, layers two visual planes: orange trees in the foreground, the city of Palermo in miniature painting behind. Roughly 15 metres of gold wire outline the trees, and the enamelled plates underwent up to eleven firings at 900 to 910 degrees.

«Sicilian Oranges» dome table clock, Ref. 20179M-001. (Image: Patek Philippe)

The museum travels too

As was the custom with previous editions, this exhibition will also present a selection of more than 90 timepieces belonging to the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva and exceptionally allowed to travel for the Milan event. Among them: the 1897 pocket watch of King Umberto I of Savoy, and a pocket watch from around 1830 made for the Italian market.

Also on display: the 1948 World Time Ref. 1415 HU and historic highlights such as the Calibre 89 with 33 complications, shown in a dedicated «Super Complications» room.

From the museum: 1897 pocket watch of King Umberto I of Savoy. (Image: Patek Philippe)

Several limited editions across various collection segments will accompany the Milan exhibition. Patek Philippe has not yet disclosed further details.

A favourite among finews readers

Patek Philippe has been owned by the Stern family since 1932. Owner and chairman Thierry Stern has repeatedly stressed the manufacturer's independence as central to its identity.

Among finews readers, Patek Philippe holds its own too: in the 2025 finews watch survey, it ranked third among preferred brands, behind Rolex and IWC.