History of Audemars Piguet


In 1875, Jules-Louis Audemars (1851-1918), in order to cope with orders for luxury calibres emanating from the great watchmaking houses in Geneva, became officially associated with his childhood friend, Edward-Auguste Piguet (1853-1919). He handled the technical management of the small company, while his associate took charge of sales and marketing aspects, travelling through many towns and subsequently continents to establish direct contact with connoisseurs.

The company prospered and developed, coming through World War I and the Great Depression without being unduly affected, thanks to the production of ladies' wristwatches and ultra-thin models. When World War II ended, the Manufacture reorganised to create a more accessible line of watches. The repercussions of the watchmaking crisis in the 1970s were scarcely felt by the company, mainly because in 1972 it made the daring choice to launch the world's first high-end sports watch in steel: the Royal Oak . The Manufacture currently employs a staff of 500 worldwide and is starting the new millennium on a resolutely confident note .

The first wristwatch with tourbillon and mechanical winding, the smallest self-winding watch with perpetual calendar, the Dual Time, the Ladies Minute Repeater Chiming watch. throughout its history , the Manufacture has introduced a succession of landmark records and world firsts. Driven by this same conquering spirit, it is still producing the world's thinnest and most complex calibres .

Portrait of Audemars Piguet

Within its collections, Audemars Piguet offers the world's broadest range of watch complications, along with prestigious Haute Joaillerie creations. Its experience in the field of complex watches make it a standard of reference in the highly select circle of Haute Horlogerie companies.
While collectors have always been acquainted with Audemars Piguet, it has become more familiar to the general public since 1972, the date of the creation of the famous Royal Oak which revolutionised the aesthetics of luxury watches.
Alongside this prestigious line are a series of collections that are classic like Jules Audemars , astonishing like the Millenary or ultra-feminine such as the Deva or the Promesse .

Audemars Piguet calibres are developed and assembled in the workshops of Le Brassus and since 1986 in its subsidiary, Audemars Piguet (Renaud et Papi) in Le Locle. The other subsidiary, Centror SA (Meyrin, Geneva) is devoted to crafting high-end watch cases.
Worldwide distribution of Audemars Piguet watches is based on a network of subsidiaries in Germany, Switzerland, France and North America, as well as certain number of agents. Audemars Piguet boutiques and the boutiques under partnership contracts also ensure the brand's presence in the world's largest cities.