he last time Patek Philippe launched a new collection was in 1999 when the Twenty-4 made its debut. Thierry Stern was 29 years old and, prior to that, had witnessed the launch of the Aquanaut in 1997, but not that of the Gondolo, in 1993, nor the Nautilus in 1976, when he was a wee boy of six, and certainly not the Golden Ellipse (1968) nor, long before that, the Calatrava (1932).

Another launch – that of the Ladies First chronograph in Paris in 2009, not strictly speaking a collection but a new model – would be where Philippe Stern passed the baton to his son, who made his first public appearance as President of the family firm.

This shows how important, and rare, these occasions are. The introduction of the Cubitus, which sent the online watch community into meltdown, is no exception.

The Cubitus, “100%” Thierry Stern

A few hours earlier, also in Munich, Thierry Stern had welcomed us to the vast offices of Deutsche Patek Philippe (managed by the affable Yannick Michot). He was joined by his son, Adrien, who was on a work placement there, just as he himself had been, several decades ago. “It was his decision, no-one was forcing him to join Patek Philippe. It’s a chance for him to experience a launch. He might see another two, three at most, in his lifetime,” mused Stern, visibly delighted by this rare moment.

For Thierry Stern, the launch of the Cubitus, a watch “for a young generation”, is of particular significance. He makes clear the extent to which this is his project; that he is “100% personally responsible for the Cubitus’s design”. He doesn’t downplay his involvement: “I’ve learned what design implies, I have my ear to the ground, it’s something I’m passionate about. I also understand the technical aspects. The entire process takes place in-house. I consult with four people who complement each other perfectly. Everything is decided and approved with them.”

Thierry Stern launches the Cubitus in Munich on October 17, 2024.

He reckons “50% to 60%” of the movement and the technical elements came from him. “I really enjoy researching new ideas because, contrary to popular opinion, we are still a long way from having invented everything there is to invent in watchmaking. I have countless ideas for mechanisms and designs, and Patek Philippe will continue to innovate in both these domains. With our own rules. To give just one example, we will never entertain anything other than the so-called noble materials. I’m behind a multitude of ideas which are then examined, approved and implemented by our R&D team, under Philip Barat. Being a leader implies being a genuine creative force, taking people by surprise, venturing into difficult sectors. Monoculture is a dangerous thing. We must offer our customers a wide range of movements and forms which fully respect our line, our deepest identity and the quality that is the hallmark of Patek Philippe.”

As Thierry Stern remarks, with a hint of mockery in his voice, very few brand or group presidents involve themselves “100% in the design and technical aspects of their products.” Or feel qualified to do so.

A strangely familiar feeling

Back to the matter at hand. The Cubitus should have been a closely guarded secret until the official reveal in Munich but four days before the launch it was leaked, unleashing a maelstrom of social media comments. Self-proclaimed specialists and influencers were almost unanimous in their dislike of the “big square watch” they had never seen in the metal, only on a single meagre visual. Does Thierry Stern wish the leak had never happened? Of course, but he takes it in his stride: “When you bring out a new product, there will always be haters, and to be perfectly honest I couldn’t give a damn. But it is disappointing, all the same. Having said that, we only ever release a watch when we are 100% confident.”

So, what is the Cubitus all about? After the initial surprise of a “square” Patek Philippe (although historically, in particular during the Art Deco years, the brand created multiple square, rectangular, cushion, even trapezoid shapes), one whose generous size appears almost counter-intuitive at a time of receding diameters, once you actually have the Cubitus in your hand, it feels right. Slip it on your wrist and it feels strangely familiar. Clearly a Patek Philippe. Already, almost a classic.

At 45mm, the Cubitus’s diameter – or rather the diagonal from 10 to 4 o’clock – sits comfortably on even the narrowest wrist. Patek Philippe has given the case an original shape that subtly melds a square with a circle and an octagon. It has a two-part construction (the back/middle and the bezel, with the movement cased from the front), flanked by bold attachments on each side. Slimness was clearly a priority, with a slender profile of 8.3mm to 9.6mm depending on the model. Surfaces are finished with vertical satin brushing on the flat of the bezel and the front of the case, counterbalanced by polishing on the bezel’s chamfer and case flanks. This requires 55 manual operations (including for the bracelet that equips two of the three debut models), with striking results, and Thierry Stern clearly relishes the fact that “this, among other things, is something no counterfeiter – and there are plenty of them – can do.”

However, the collection’s signature feature, the one that makes the Cubitus instantly recognisable, is the horizontal embossed lines on the dial, which catch the light in subtle ways. The same design appears on the rotors and mini-rotors of the movements that equip these first Cubitus.

Triple instantaneous

Of the trio unveiled in Munich, the standout is the Cubitus Instantaneous Grand Date, Day and Moon Phases Reference 5822P-001 in platinum. It is an indication of the importance Patek Philippe accords to the Cubitus family, coming equipped with a purpose-developed movement that displays a large date (whose discs are positioned on exactly the same plane), the day of the week and moon phases. All three change instantaneously. The brand has patents pending for six innovations, for example to guarantee that the displays jump simultaneously, in 18 milliseconds, and are perfectly aligned.

As Philip Barat explained, for the three indications to change at exactly the same moment, at exactly midnight, 106 components had to be added to the movement, bringing the total to 353. The six patent applications also demonstrate “the extreme complexity of this original movement in terms of mechanical sophistication,” adding that “we wanted there to be a large date, on condition it were in some way special and unique.” (You can find the full specs and a complete list of patents at europastar.com.)

The flagship for this new Cubitus family, Reference 5822P-001 in platinum with mini-rotor on a composite material strap (CHF 75,000 / €87,000), is joined by two elegant propositions in a lower price segment. They show hours, minutes, seconds and date in steel (CHF 35,000 / €40,000) or in rose gold and steel (CHF 52,000 / €60,000), both on a metal bracelet.

A name with more than one meaning

We already know the Cubitus family is set to grow and that new sizes will follow, including a ladies’ version. No doubt there are already other innovations in the pipeline for this sport-chic model, aimed at an audience of watch buyers seeking a less overtly classic design. “We only use what’s ours”, insists Thierry Stern. “As we move forward we build on previous steps, in particular the Nautilus and the Aquanaut. It’s a kind of organic evolution.”

Asked the sensitive question of how much weight these two lines carry in Patek Philippe’s output, he reveals that “they account for more or less 40% of the manufacture’s production” (of around 70,000 watches a year in total) and that this figure will tend to decrease as the Cubitus gains ground.

Patek Philippe does not equate growth with increased production at all costs, as “this would run the risk of diminishing quality, which would be inconceivable.” Rather, the watchmaker is looking to develop a well-balanced offering. “Launching a new collection is more than just releasing a new model. All too often we forget what’s involved. The impeccable quality of the product itself but also the support, training, preparation and quality of customer service, too.”

The watch industry is entering (some would say it has already entered) a difficult period. Is this really a good time to be launching a new collection, we ask. “Absolutely”, says Stern. “This is an excellent time to bring out a new model that renews and enriches our offering. Watchmaking has always been cyclical and crisis, or no crisis, because we regulate our production from a quality perspective there is no risk of a drop in sales.”

Anatomically speaking, the cubitus is the bone in the forearm which, thanks to the elbow and wrist joints, allows us to turn our palm upwards or downwards. A name which not only alludes to a square (or cube) but symbolically references the hand’s capacity to turn in all directions.