[Interview] Patek Philippe International Customer Service Director François Bauder

The front line of maintenance supporting the creation of the world's finest watches

　Patek Philippe Japan's service center has been further expanded. We spoke to François Bauder, International Customer Service Director at the headquarters, who visited Japan for the press unveiling, about the latest developments in the maintenance system.

Francois Bauder
Born in Switzerland in 1967, he studied microengineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. After graduating, he worked in international customer service at a major Swiss watch manufacturer. In 2016, he became Director of International Customer Service at Patek Philippe. He also serves as Vice President of WOSTEP, an educational program that trains Swiss watchmakers.

"The service system in Japan is at the high level desired by the headquarters. It can be said to be the highest level outside of Switzerland," he says. Specifically, he adds that maintenance of annual calendars and perpetual calendars is currently possible in Japan. "We handle repairs up to the highest level possible outside of Switzerland here."

　How is the company's maintenance system divided between Switzerland and overseas? "The more complicated the watch, the more experience and training it requires. For this reason, we regularly train our watchmakers at our headquarters in Switzerland, with intensive training at least once or twice a year. Perpetual calendars take a minimum of five to six years to maintain."

　So, what about the silicone parts that Patek Philippe uses in some of its models? I've heard that other companies send their watches back to their home country for maintenance, but I asked about that at Patek Philippe.

"Just like traditional parts, new material parts are sourced locally and watchmakers are trained to handle them locally."

　Even with new materials, each country already has a system in place to handle them, which is impressive. Furthermore, Patek Philippe headquarters is said to be able to repair and maintain basically all vintage pieces, with the exception of a few special models. Is this policy still in place?

"Of course. We still routinely accept the watches we have made since our founding in 1839, even if they were made in the same year we were founded. We keep records of all the information and drawings about the watches we have made up to now, and we still have spare parts in stock from the time they were made."

　In other words, will parts made from new materials such as silicon be kept so that they can be maintained even 100 years from now?

"Our company motto is to provide full after-sales service for everything we make, so this is something that remains unchanged and is always in our sights."

　The headquarters and local offices are perfectly organized. What qualities are required of a watchmaker working at such a prestigious company?

"Passion comes first, skill comes second, and perseverance comes third. You need the patience to endure the long time it takes to master a skill. But there's no limit to what you can ask for, so there's no end to it."