Is there a brand that you think is superior to Patek Philippe?

[belligero]

Originally Posted by moonwolf

Superior is a hard to define term to me..

I think Lange has more visually pleasing finishes and Rolex has better quality movements (technically). And, to me Dufour is THE GRAIL.

Yet, I think Patek still is the most prestigious brand in general terms of things.

Agreed on all counts.

The interesting bit is whether the general perception of Patek Philippe as being the top watchmaker will last; in the long term, there has to be enough substance to back up the image.

They abandoned the traditional Geneva Seal certification in 2009, and this may be seen as a symbolic turning point in their steady transition to becoming primarily mass producers instead of artisans. The move to an internal standard could have been done with the best of intentions — of course, one would obviously be somewhat naïve to entirely believe that story — but doing away with independent quality verification will inevitably lead to conflicts of interest and temptations to cut corners.

Some of the pieces in the lineup are still outstanding, but not every watch of theirs is all that special any more. Their prestige may eventually suffer as a result.