An iconic Swiss watch company opened an enormous museum with watches that belonged to Joe DiMaggio and JFK

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Patek Philippe 0457

Sarah Jacobs

The exhibit is packed with Patek Philippe's most famous watches.

Patek Philippe, one of today's most iconic and expensive Swiss watch brands, has opened a one-of-a-kind exhibit in New York City.

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Situated in a two-story structure inside Cipriani's flagship location on 42nd Street, "The Art of Watches, Grand Exhibition New York 2017" is 15,000 square feet of sparkling and historic watches.

Visitors walk through rooms that build on each other with "a different experience and a different motif," said Larry Pettinelli, the president of Patek Philippe's US business.

The exhibit is meant, in part, to expose the brand to a younger generation who aren't buying watches like their parents did.

"It's a watch. Yes, it tells time, but in your lifetime how many things do you really buy that you intend to keep for two, to three, to four generations?" Pettinelli told Business Insider. "Most people [today] are buying things as a throwaway generation."

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He added: "There are still companies out there that care about doing the art for the sake of the art - not just to make money."

The exhibit is open through July 23. Let's take a look inside.