Antoni Patek

Antoni Norbert Patek (French: Antoine Norbert de Patek; 14 June 1812 – 1 March 1877), was a Polish pioneer in watchmaking and a creator of Patek Philippe & Co., one of the most famous watchmaker companies.

Antoni Patek was born in 1812 in Piaski Szlacheckie near Lublin, Poland to Anna née Piasecka and Joachim Patek of Prawdzic coat of arms.

At the age of 10, Patek moved with his parents to Warsaw. Patek's father died on April 7, 1828 in Warsaw.

On March 1, 1828, 16-year-old Patek joined the Polish 1st Mounted Rifles Regiment. He fought in the November Uprising during which he was wounded twice. On February 27, 1831 for his heroic attitude Patek was promoted the second lieutenant of the "1 August" brigade, and on October 3 of the same year decorated with Virtuti Militari Golden Cross. After the downfall of the uprising – like many other officers and soldiers of Polish Army – he had to emigrate.

In 1832 he was engaged by general Józef Bem in organising an evacuation route for Polish insurgents through Prussia to France. He was charged with a command over a staging point in Bamberg near Munich (one of five staging points on the insurgents' evacuation route). After terminating the evacuation, Patek settled in France, firstly in Cahors, then in Amiens where he worked as a type-setter.

Two years later an unfavourable decree issued by the French government under pressure from the Russian embassy, forced many former insurgents to resettle in Switzerland. Patek tried his hand at many trades, including trading with liquors and wines in Versoix near Geneva. For some time Patek attended painting courses given by the famous Swiss painter and engraver Alexandre Calame. During his studies, Patek also traveled to Paris where he remained for several months. Around this time, he was befriended by the Moreau family of Versoix who he became friends with, and at whose home he would meet his future wife. They probably encouraged him in a new activity – the trade in expensive pocket watches, which were decorated by the goldsmiths, engravers, enamellers and miniaturists of the time. He thus started by buying movements of watches which he got to the Geneva watchmakers already known for the quality of their products and, under his direction, made them furnish with cases. From the very start, he attached highest importance to the quality and the artistic value of work and rather quickly managed to find the market where such creations of exceptional quality were highly appreciated.

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