In January 1995, Haltom’s brought a unique Patek Philippe museum collection from Geneva to Fort Worth.
“The Time of Your Life: The Legendary Watches of Patek Philippe” debuted at the Jewel Charity Ball, and was then exhibited for 12 days at the Sid Richardson museum, next door to Haltom’s in Sundance Square.
Patek Philippe was in the process of building their Geneva museum, and they shipped an amazing collection of rare timepieces one last time for the trip to Texas. It was an incredible event and we hosted almost 15,000 visitors. Some attendees were already in love with Swiss watchmaking while a new generation was introduced to timepiece collecting.
The exhibit was showcased in 25 vitrines – an incredible number of Patek Philippe watches, including:
- The Packard pocket watch – a minute repeater with perpetual calendar, moon phases, sunrise and sunset, apparent solar time and celestial chart from 1927
- Pope Pius IX enameled coat of arms 18K gold pocket watch, 1867
- “Peace bringing Abundance” miniature enamel allegory on Rudyard Kipling’s double-cased watch
- 1853 watch made for Leonard Tolstoy
- Queen Victoria’s blue enamel and 18K gold brooch watch made for the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace, 1851
- The first Swiss wristwatch made in 1868 for Countess Kosewicz of Hungary
- Marie Curie’s pendant watch
- The Calibre 89, the world’s most complicated portable timepiece, including a wheel that completes one revolution per century
It was quite literally breathtaking, with each vitrine more exciting than the next, and these pieces were only one highlight of the show. Haltom’s commissioned five pocket watches and one table clock, each created especially for this exhibition. These pieces were miniature replicas in enamel and engraving depicting some of the most iconic paintings in the Sid Richardson:
- Miniature Russell enamels on 18K pocket watches:
- Trouble Hunters
- The Bucker
- Wounded: The Wounded Buffalo
- The Scout
- Miniature engraving of Remington on 18K pocket watch:
- Longhorns and Cowboys dome table clock in 18K cloisonné enamel inspired by the Chisholm Trail mural in Sundance Square
This two-week exhibition was the grand culmination of two years of planning, and was one of the most exciting times of my career. Looking through our scrapbooks brings back such fond memories of an incredible event. Working with Hank Edelman and Larry Pettinelli of Patek Philippe was a pleasure. Learning from Ann Quinn and Pat Massad of the Jewel Charity Ball made me their biggest admirer, and they remain my personal icons for style and grace.
We had dramatic media coverage locally with Mary Rogers and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Nationally, we made news on the Today Show, CNN Headline News as well as publications including Town & Country, Texas Monthly, the Robb Report and D Magazine.
I can only imagine how Facebook, Instagram, selfies and videos would have changed the viewing. But for me, I wouldn’t change a thing. It was truly the time of my life.
