18ct yellow gold Patek Philippe open face 'Gondolo' pocketwatch.

In 1872, Patek Philippe began selling watches in South America through the retailer Gondolo and Labouriau, based in Rio de Janeiro. Their relationship lasted until 1927, and proved extremely lucrative for Patek. Gondolo and Labouriau retailed nearly a third of Patek Philippe’s entire production while Europe suffered economically in the leaner years surrounding the First World War. Sales in South America were so successful that Brazilians began to use ‘Patek’ as a substitute for the noun, ’watch.’