Which Patek Philippe watch is widely regarded as the first Swiss wristwatch, made in 1868?

The 1868 Patek Philippe watch is widely regarded as the first Swiss wristwatch.

Patek Philippe made the watch for Countess Koscowicz of Hungary, and records describe it as a bracelet watch fitted with a keyless-winding mechanism. It predates the widespread popularity of wristwatches by several decades, when pocket watches were still the dominant personal timekeepers.

The piece is historically important because it links a refined piece of jewellery with a functional mechanical watch. Early wristwatches were often marketed toward women, while men generally continued to use pocket watches until wristwatches became practical for military use and everyday life.

This watch should not be confused with the Calatrava, introduced in 1932, or the Nautilus, introduced in 1976. Those are major Patek Philippe collections, but neither was the company’s earliest wristwatch.