Patek Philippe and Tiffany & Co. are two of the most prestigious luxury manufacturers on Earth, and the two companies have a longstanding relationship that dates all the way back to 1851. Additionally, while Patek Philippe is already one of the most highly regarded names in the world of horology, its various watches with Tiffany Dials occupy an entirely different realm of collectibility, and a Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe can be worth tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars more than an otherwise identical timepiece. Arguably no name carries more weight when it comes to the highest levels of collecting, but what exactly is a Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe? Why are these watches so desirable? And most importantly, how do you get your hands on one?
Below we are going to break down everything that you need to know about this elusive segment of collecting in our guide to Tiffany dial Patek Philippe watches.
What Is a Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe?
In short, a Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe is a watch made by the famous Swiss manufacturer that was originally sold by Tiffany & Co. and features the famous American luxury retailer’s logo printed on its dial. From a design and functionality standpoint, Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe watches are entirely identical to their standard-production counterparts, and the only physical detail that separates them is the addition of the small Tiffany & Co. signature that appears somewhere on the surface of their dials.
In terms of their designs, materials, colorways, and configurations, Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe watches are no different than their siblings that are sold by other retailers and boutiques, although the simple fact that they are co-branded with both the Patek Philippe and Tiffany & Co. names makes them unique, and since Tiffany Dials can only be found on select watches that were originally retailed by Tiffany & Co stores, they exist in significantly smaller numbers than the standard versions that lack the additional Tiffany signature.
The History of Patek Philippe Tiffany Dials
The historic partnership between Patek Philippe and Tiffany & Co. spans more than 170 years, and the famous New York-based luxury retailer was instrumental in establishing Patek Philippe as a premier manufacturer within the collecting community when it first entered the American market. Similar to other high-end luxury retailers that also served as distributors for Patek Philippe’s watches during this era, Tiffany & Co. was permitted to co-brand the timepieces that it sold by adding its own name to their dials, and this practice started the now-famous tradition of Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe watches.
Rather than being printed by Patek Philippe at its factory, the famous Swiss manufacturer trusted Tiffany & Co. enough to allow the American luxury retailer to add its own signature itself, and the famous co-branding was first carried out at Tiffany’s flagship store in New York City. Although you will find older Patek Philippe watches that are stamped with a variety of different retailer names, the era of co-branded Patek Philippe dials is now largely behind us, and Tiffany & Co. is the only retailer in the entire world that is still allowed to stamp its own name on the dial of Patek Philippe watches.
Which Patek Philippe Models Have Tiffany Dials?
Technically speaking, any Patek Philippe model sold by Tiffany & Co. has the potential to be fitted with a Tiffany Dial, although it’s important to note that not all watches sold by the retailer receive this ultra-desirable additional signature. Consequently, you will find Tiffany Dials fitted to highly complicated Calatrava dress pieces, although you will also find them inside simple three-handed stainless steel sports watches, such as those from the Nautilus and Aquanaut collections. However, since Tiffany Dials are only fitted to some of the watches that get sold by the famous American luxury retailer, buying a Patek Philippe from Tiffany & Co. isn’t a guarantee that you will actually get a watch with a Tiffany-signed dial.
While any Patek Philippe model has the potential to be fitted with a Tiffany Dial, there is one watch that takes the concept of a “Tiffany Dial” to the next level. Launched in 2021 as an exclusive limited edition of 170 examples to celebrate the landmark anniversary of the partnership between Tiffany & Co. and Patek Philippe, the stainless steel Nautilus ref. 5711/1A-018 represents the final farewell to this fan-favorite model. Along with featuring the famous Tiffany & Co. signature on its dial, the dial itself appears in the luxury retailer’s iconic “Tiffany Blue” color (Pantone 1837), although this ultra-exclusive model is somewhat of an outlier within the greater context of Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe watches, and it is the only publicly available model that is entirely unique and exclusive to this historic partnership.
Why Are Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe Watches Rare?
Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe watches are considered rare because they only account for a small fraction of the total number of timepieces that Patek Philippe produces each year. Only some of the watches sold by Tiffany & Co. actually receive Tiffany Dials, and since the famous luxury retailer is just one of Patek Philippe’s global distributors, Tiffany Dials ultimately represent only part of what is already a fraction of the brand’s annual output.
Beyond their limited numbers, Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe watches are also considered rare because they can only be purchased from Tiffany & Co. and you can’t get a Tiffany Dial directly from Patek Philippe itself. Given that many Patek Philippe models are already near-impossible to acquire at a retail level, finding one with an ever-elusive Tiffany & Co. stamp becomes a significantly more difficult task, and Tiffany Dials are prized collectors items that represent an additional level of rarity within the already exclusive world of Patek Philippe.
How Do You Get a Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe?
As mentioned, only Tiffany & Co. sells Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe watches, which means that the only place to buy one brand-new is directly from one of Tiffany’s own boutiques. With that in mind, since only some of the watches sold by Tiffany & Co. actually receive Tiffany Dials, finding the exact model you want with a Tiffany-signed dial can often be an incredibly difficult task. Given that certain Nautilus references are already incredibly elusive at a retail level, getting your hands on one with a Tiffany Dial can often be borderline impossible unless you have an extremely good relationship (and purchase history) with your local Tiffany & Co. boutique.
Although some collectors enjoy the never-ending hunt of finding Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe watches at a retail level, others who want to guarantee their acquisitions turn to the secondary market, where a vibrant collecting community creates ample opportunities to circumvent the obstacles of retail availability and access a vast assortment of different Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe watches that are all available for immediate purchase. With that in mind, while you can typically find exactly what your heart desires on the secondary market, highly desirable Patek Philippe models with Tiffany-signed dials are virtually guaranteed to cost a significant premium above their original retail prices.
How Much Is a Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe Watch?
At a retail level, Tiffany & Co. doesn’t charge more for its watches that have co-branded dials, although due to their prized status among collectors, Tiffany Dials can often be worth staggering sums of money when it comes to the open-market prices of various different Tiffany-signed timepieces. Nearly all Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe watches are worth more than their otherwise identical counterparts that lack the Tiffany & Co. signature, although the additional premiums can range dramatically depending on the specific model.
On the low side of the spectrum, older Calatra dress watches with Tiffany Dials might only be worth a few thousand dollars more than their siblings that lack the Tiffany & Co. stamp, and these models are easily the most affordable options for those who are first entering the world of Tiffany-signed Patek Philippe timepieces. However, when it comes to some of the more complicated and collectible Nautilus references that already trade hands for values that are significantly greater than their original retail prices, the presence of a Tiffany Dial can sometimes be worth a six-figure premium, and these models rank among the most desirable Patek Philippe watches in existence.
The highest levels of watch collecting place an enormous emphasis on small details, and while the addition of a Tiffany & Co. signature might seem entirely insignificant to the uninitiated, the same can be said about virtually all of the other factors that collectively account for the value and collectibility of timepieces. Not all Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe watches are grail items worth small fortunes, although every single one holds a special place within the collecting community, and these watches are ultimately representative of one of the oldest and most prestigious partnerships in the entire luxury industry.