The OAK Collection travelling exhibition reveals one of the wildest private hauls on the planet

Zach Blass

Let me just say from the outset that if you are in London, or any of the locations this exhibition will eventually travel to, this is an absolute must-visit. One benefit of joining the industry for me has been ticking off bucket-list items such as visiting watch manufactures and museums in Switzerland. To see large and curated collections of watches, museum-grade watches at that, truly is a privilege. I remember when Patek Philippe exhibited a large selection of their museum pieces in NYC, back in 2017, I carved out a day to ensure I got to spend ample time walking through it – and to this day I have people tell me the FOMO they have not making the trip to see the exhibition. The OAK “One of a Kind” exhibition I want to share with you all today, however, is a whole other animal. The exhibition is not presented by a manufacturer, but rather a highly disciplined private collector, businessman Patrick Getreide. With over 600 watches in his private collection, the collector has decided to share his pieces and knowledge through a travelling exhibition of 162 curated pieces that auction houses, watch dealers, and even the brands (such as Patek Philippe), would die to have in their possession.

The travelling collection was assembled over four decades, and all of the pieces are in pristine museum-grade condition. The One of a Kind name is also not just for show, many of the pieces the collector owns are bespoke commissioned pieces (both by himself personally, as well as notable pieces commissioned by Henry Graves Jr.), piece uniques, and pieces originally owned by icons such as Eric Clapton. In fact, Getreide is notably the most prolific bidder of the OnlyWatch auctions – with over ten OnlyWatch pieces in the OAK Collection.

There are eleven sections, or chapters, to The OAK Collection Exhibition – seven of which are dedicated to Patek Philippe: Patek Philippe Calatrava, Patek Philippe Chronograph, Graves-Fullerton Patek Philippe, Patek Philippe Nautilus, Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar / Complications, Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts, and Patek Philippe World Time. But the private collectors’ focus is not limited to just Patek Philippe. The remaining four sections are: New Age Independents & Steel Sports, Rolex GMT Master, Rolex Sports Chronograph, and Rolex Sport Watch.

Obviously, much of the collection is devoted to Patek Philippe – understandably so considering the legendary status and craftsmanship of the manufacture. The pieces range across collections and complications, but making them even more special is the fact that most were made bespoke as a result of a dialogue between the collector and manufacture. For those who love clean and classic, the OAK Collection reperesents the world’s largest concentration of coveted Patek Philippe Calatrava watches. The Patek fun certainly does not end there, with chronographs, complications, and Nautilus references ranging all the way from the original 3700 to the recent 5711/1A-014 with a green dial.

The OAK Collection, true to its “One of a Kind” moniker, is also home to five pieces from Henry Graves Jr.’s collection – the most held in a private collection outside the Patek Philippe Museum (which holds 13). For those less familiar, the OAK Collection exhibition explains: “For high-end watch collectors, a piece from the Henry Graves Jr.’s collection is the ultimate grail… Henry Graves Jr, heir to a banking and railroad fortune, ordered 39 Patek Philippe watches between 1922 and 1951. Only about 30 are believed to still exist.” It is a rare opportunity to see these pieces “in the metal”, so I implore any horology lovers reading this to seize the opportunity if possible.

Don’t worry about Patek fatigue with this exhibition. While it is certainly a large focus of the OAK Collection, it is not the only focus. Rolex lovers will swoon as well over the incredibly preserved and patinated collection of the Crown’s most coveted references – whether the bakelite-bezeled and crown guard-less “Pussy Galore” Rolex GMT Master or a “Paul Newman” Rolex Daytona. There are also pieces from other brands and independents such as F.P. Journe and Kari Voutilainen as well. Believe me, there is plenty to explore within this 162-piece exhibition.

OAK Collection exhibition details:

This is the first time the collection, which has been passionately and meticulously built over the last 40 years, will be displayed publicly.  The OAK Collection travelling exhibition opens at the Design Museum, 224-238 Kensington High St, London W8 6AG on May 19th and runs until May 25th. It will then move to the Bahrain National Museum before heading onto China and the USA in 2022.