History

Audemars Piguet was brought to life by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet in 1875. The end of the 17th century saw farmers in the rugged region of the Jura Mountains dedicating their days through the dark winter months to watchmaking – transforming their farmhouses into ateliers for the production of watch parts such as wheels, semi-precious stones, pinions and specialist parts of watch assembly. Part of this tight-knit community of artisans in the Vallee De Joux, Audemars and Piguet were passionate about creating timeless luxury watches that would inspire for generations to come. They each appreciated that watch mechanisms represented the passage of time – dictated to by astronomy and nature – offering a wealth of inspiration for the young brand. Respecting the foundations of watchmaking is at the heart of the luxury brand, with technical skills and a finely tuned sense of detail continually pushed to the limits since the very beginning.

Both Audemars and Piguet had a passion for excellence, one which saw the duo create striking mechanisms, chronographs and astronomical complications from the very early days of the brand. Such was their commitment to the art of craftsmanship of the approximate 1,500 watches made my Audemars Piguet between 1882 and 1892 it is reported that more than 80 per cent of the included at least one complication and in many instances, several complications.

Continually inspired by the wealth of natural resources surrounding their Le Brassus Manufacture the duo respected the role of the region played in keeping the watch industry ticking along, with the first ever Audemars Piguet building positioned next to a well to draw water from a nearby spring.

The brand’s workshops grew slowly, originally employing less than 50 people until the 1950s then more than 100 from 1970 onwards. Responsible for creating individual and unique timepieces with the greatest care and respect for traditional watchmaking, Audemars Piguet staff were renowned for their dedication to craftsmanship, paving the way for models of the future.

Speaking of the brand’s commitment to harbouring the skills of times gone by Oliver Audemars, Vice President of the Board, said: “Audemars Piguet is more than a company. It remains independent and family owned, responsible for the transformation of knowledge and know-how to the future generations. Here in Le Brauss, where it all started in 1875.”

And while the future remains bright, with chapters of continued excellence still to be written, the luxury timepieces brought to life by the creative artisans of Audemars Piguet are still crafted where the brand’s founding fathers took up tools.

Craftsmanship

Tradition and avant-garde are intertwined at Audemars Piguet, where impeccable craftsmanship is ingrained in the brand’s DNA. The brand understands that in order to break the rules, one must master them first and over the years has pledged to make every second count – surpassing the technical and theoretical boundaries to create ever more demanding mechanisms.

As the world of Haute Horlogerie continues to evolve, so too does Audemars Piguet with artisan watchmakers continuing to grow and develop whilst remaining true to the brand’s rich heritage. And it all begins with an idea – putting pen to paper and allowing creativity to flow. At Audemars Piguet watch designers are considered to be artists, however, each designer must factor in technical limitations that could lie ahead – meaning that foresight is perhaps their biggest ally when creating timepieces of the future. A computer aided design follows, moving from paper to screen to create a 3D image, allowing the designer to work to scale and taking every detail into consideration before a wax model is made. Every AP watch is reflective of the era in which it was created, often anticipating design evolutions to come. From the Art Deco designs of the 1920s to the dramatic bracelet watches of the 1960s, the design evolution of Audemars Piguet is undeniable.

Every Audemars Piguet luxury watch is a technical masterpiece, with assembly a painstaking process. Artisan watchmakers continually pay homage to ancient techniques of the past, keeping time honoured skills alive. All AP watches are crafted by hand on the extra thin instantaneous date calibre 2121 on a daily basis, pinning up the spring to the collet, pinning up to the stud on the balance cock and fitting the balance spring. Meanwhile, crafting the mechanical movement is also a work of art, with the pre-assembly jewelling process vital to ensuring smooth running of the calibre. When the time comes to complete the chasing up process, every watch undergoes a further month of testing to ensure perfection.

Iconic Models

Ambassadors / Partnerships