As a former Patek Philippe Insider, I’ve connected the dots between my childhood and the legendary Swiss watchmaker responsible for some of the most coveted timepieces in history. My passion for finely made products began long before I discovered Patek Philippe. My two brothers and I were taught the importance of quality in everything. We never sacrificed quality in food, wine, clothing, or jewelry. Living with an insistence on quality can be tricky since fine products aren’t cheap, and cheap products aren’t fine.

My Italian immigrant parents come from the humblest of beginnings, never having the money to purchase the finest timepieces, designer fashion or luxury vehicles. But they were a constant presence in our lives, pushing us to work hard to achieve our dreams. 

I grew up eating bread, pasta, and many other fine foods, all prepared by mom’s hand. Professionally, she is a gifted seamstress and tailor since her early teenage years. Mom schooled me on the importance of properly fitting clothes, and I can still hear her saying, “Your clothes should lay on your body just right.” Attending private school my whole life emphasized the importance of appearance with properly fitting uniforms. There was no place for sloppy-dressed students ever. My mom was on top of this since before I can even remember, and I appreciated having this head start. 

My favorite detail in this world is stitching. I analyze stitching in everything from suits and shoes to bags and car interiors – even watch straps. Stitching can be both functional or serve as cosmetic flare; regardless of its purpose, there’s an art to it. Without any formal training, her mastery of this trade is astounding. Sadly, she has watched this become a dying art, which makes it all the more pleasurable when you see it executed to a high degree. 

My father is a highly skilled craftsman who taught me about quality with a different set of tools. I connect to warm childhood memories of him fixing and building all sorts of things – from restoring body damage on cars to a showroom finish, hanging cabinets so perfectly you would think they grew organically out of the wall, even laying flooring with such precision that you wouldn’t believe each tile was placed by human hand. All without formal training. 

He fixated on the finest details – even the ones not visible to anyone. He obsessed over them until they were perfect. And they were always perfect in the end. When I questioned his fixation on these nuances, his response always returned to quality: “This is the mark of true craftsmanship. The work must be beautiful and perfect throughout – not just in the visible areas. It’s out of pride that I know it’s perfect in the hidden areas too.” That was it. As a young boy, I never looked at manmade objects the same again. That philosophy will forever be inscribed in my mind.

Later in life, I earned the opportunity to work for a company that exemplifies this mark of true craftsmanship. Patek Philippe is the last family-owned, independent watch manufacturer with a clear mission – originally laid down by its founders Antoine Norbert de Patek and watchmaker Jean Adrien Philippe: To develop and manufacture the finest timepieces in the world. I am so proud that Patek Philippe never made a liar out of me when talking about their manufacturing methods and the extreme lengths they go to achieve them. The more I learned, the more questions I had. So, I made myself at home in the most logical place when you’re seeking watchmaking knowledge – the workshop. 

Visiting with watchmakers was like visiting your favorite neighborhood bar. They always knew just what to serve up to keep me going back for more. What I was getting from these workshop trips was a stiff cocktail of knowledge mixed with all the essential accouterments: confidence, empowerment, and true passion. As I gained a deeper understanding of the brand, my passion intensified; this served me well when I had the opportunity to share the brand story with others. I had the privilege of regularly meeting and speaking with watch collectors and enthusiasts at home and abroad. My work as a trainer allowed me to share knowledge with the retail network. These interactions were my favorite part of the job. 

I viewed the timepieces as having nearly two centuries of storytelling within it. I reveled in the deep conversations with collectors where I could identify and present the most important details to them. If I presented the same watch ten times to ten different people, each would fall in love with it for ten different reasons. This motivated me to keep training because the eleventh person sought a different detail than the previous ten. 

I took great pleasure in presenting a Patek Philippe to my parents for the first time. I was so proud to lay it in my father’s hands. It was such a treat to bring it full circle. As I pointed out the different components and explained the time it took to craft, they just got it. My dear mom and dad view handmade luxury products simply as “How else would you make the finest product in the world if not the hard way and by hand?”. Although the goal of owning one of their own remains lofty, they appreciate the skill they’re made with. They both could have worked for a watch manufacturer if they had the influence to guide them in that direction. I’ve taken everything they’ve ever taught me into every conversation I’ve ever had about Patek Philippe. 

Details make all the difference. Patek Philippe nurtured the lesson of detail learned in my childhood and now serves as the ethos for The Thoughtful Collector. The entire luxury industry is based on this premise. Which brands go to extreme lengths to give the consumer the finest expression of details? What are the critical nuances that leave you obsessing over them? Which are timeless and forward-thinking? And most important of all, what are the details that matter? 

I continue to explore this unique world passionately, and having you along on this journey gives me great pleasure.

Welcome to The Thoughtful Collector,

Michael A Fratangelo

Founder