Patek Philippe has confirmed Milan as the location for its seventh Grand Exhibition, scheduled to run from October 2 to 18, 2026. The event marks the manufacture's return to a major European market following its 2023 exhibition in Tokyo, continuing a series that began in Dubai in 2012, followed by New York City in 2017—under the name ‘The Art of Watches Grand Exhibition’— and also included Singapore in 2019.
The Milan exhibition, branded as Watch Art Grand Exhibition Milan 2026, will occupy 2,540 square meters within the CityOval—the recently renovated Palazzo delle Scintille in Milan's CityLife district. The venue's 30-meter dome will house what Patek Philippe describes as its largest and most ambitious Grand Exhibition to date, surpassing the scope of previous editions in Dubai, Munich, London, New York, Singapore, and Tokyo, which collectively attracted approximately 165,000 visitors.
The exhibition will present approximately 500 timepieces spanning the manufacture's current collection, its Rare Handcrafts division, and select pieces from the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva. The Museum's contribution includes specimens from its Antique Collection, featuring some of the world's oldest timepieces dating from the sixteenth to early nineteenth centuries, alongside significant examples from the Patek Philippe Collection illustrating the manufacture's production history since 1839.
A dedicated section will showcase the Rare Handcrafts Watch Art Grand Exhibition Milano 2026 collection, featuring dome table clocks, pocket watches, and wristwatches executed in miniature enamel painting, cloisonné, hand engraving, micro wood marquetry, guilloché, and gem-setting. Live demonstrations by Patek Philippe artisans and master watchmakers will provide insight into the manufacture's traditional métiers d'art and movement construction techniques.
The exhibition's technical focus includes a comprehensive display of Patek Philippe movements designed and manufactured in-house, with sections devoted to component production, research and development, and the manufacture's complicated watch segment. A "Master of Sound" area will feature striking timepieces, including the 20-complication Grandmaster Chime reference 6300 and the Sky Moon Tourbillon reference 6002.
Following the precedent established at previous Grand Exhibitions, Patek Philippe will launch multiple limited editions across various collection segments to coincide with the Milan event. Specific models and production numbers have not yet been disclosed.
The choice of Milan reflects Italy's position as a historically significant market for Patek Philippe. The manufacture noted Italian collectors' appreciation for artisanal craftsmanship and technical complexity, qualities aligned with the brand's self-described "tradition of innovation." The exhibition offers free admission, maintaining the accessible format introduced with the Grand Exhibition concept in 2012.
Additional details, including registration information and specific exhibition programming, will be available through Patek Philippe’s website as the October 2026 dates approach.
