Before the unveiling of Cubitus, Patek Philippe’s most recent line was the Twenty-4 Collection, released in 1999. Critics highlighted various supposed issues with the new collection and its launch.
In a surprising twist, Patek Philippe president Thierry Stern got on the front foot and suggested that the criticism was predictable and came from ‘haters’.
The heated debate about the collection appeared to faded; however, a recent report suggests that these watches have proven remarkably popular among consumers.
“To its critics, it was lazy, it was too big, too like the Nautilus, too unlike the Nautilus, too square, not square enough,” writes Nick Foulkes for the Financial Times.
“There were, of course, those who liked the watch. But the majority of comments were splenetic. As outrage peaked, there were even calls for president Thierry Stern to resign, much as if he were an elected official accused of malfeasance while holding public office.”
The Cubitus has a square case with rounded corners and is available in three distinct styles: steel with an olive dial, a steel and rose gold two-one model with a blue dial, and a complicated platinum with a blue dial.
At the time, David Bredan of ABlogToWatch suggested that Patek Philippe's dismissive response to the criticism was an interesting example of why people find joy in the woes of major brands and companies.
Foulkes suggests that based on feedback from retailers, it appears that this passionate criticism was largely overblown.
“Things are quieter now. Patek Philippe’s Geneva HQ was not razed to the ground; Stern did not have to go into exile, and anecdotally, I hear from Patek’s authorised retailers that they have no shortage of buyers for Cubitus, only shortages of the new watch. Looking back, the impression is of a tempest in a teaspoon,” Foulkes continues.
“Of course, only the coming decades will tell whether Cubitus is a classic. But it made me think what other watches started life as a pariah, then went on to achieve iconic status.
“The Cartier Crash, for example, was made in very small numbers by Cartier London in the late 1960s, and failed to convince even Jean-Jacques Cartier himself when presented with the final version.”
Based in Switzerland, Patek Philippe was established in 1839.
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