The biting cold of the Jura mountains has never dampened the passion of the artisans who, for a century and a half, have been crafting some of the world's most coveted timepieces. Walking through the doors of Audemars Piguet feels like stepping into a sanctuary where time is not merely measured but sculpted. A story woven with master craftsmen, precious mechanics, forward-thinking visions, and fiercely preserved traditions.
In 1875, in the small village of Le Brassus, nestled in the heart of the Vallée de Joux, two young watchmakers, Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward-Auguste Piguet, decided to join forces to create a manufacture that, unbeknownst to them, would leave an everlasting mark on horology. One, creative and inventive, focused on complications, while the other, a shrewd businessman, ensured the company’s stability. Together, they built an empire that would transcend generations, defying time itself with an audacity reminiscent of a musical note played a century ahead of its time.
Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward-Auguste Piguet.
The early decades were defined by absolute precision—pocket watches adorned with complications as exquisite as they were complex: minute repeaters, perpetual calendars, split-seconds chronographs. By the late 19th century, Audemars Piguet had already established itself as a reference in haute horlogerie, crafting movements so refined they seemed to whisper the secrets of time itself. But in 1921, the manufacture took a bold leap, producing the first minute repeater wristwatch, an unimaginable feat at the time. A timepiece so sophisticated that only men of exceptional taste and status could wear it. Audemars Piguet was not just keeping pace with the evolution of watchmaking—it was setting the course.
Then came 1972, the year everything changed. As the Swiss watch industry trembled under the assault of Japanese quartz technology, one man, a visionary among visionaries, dared to break every rule. Gérald Genta, the legendary watch designer, was given an impossible challenge: to design a luxury sports watch in stainless steel. An idea that bordered on blasphemy at a time when prestige was still measured in gold and jewels.
On the morning of April 10, 1972, at the Basel Watch Fair, the Royal Oak was unveiled. Its octagonal case, exposed screws, and integrated bracelet provoked equal parts admiration and disbelief. Too large, too expensive, too radical—critics were quick to dismiss it. But like all revolutions, it eventually cemented its place in history. Today, the Royal Oak stands as the ultimate emblem of Audemars Piguet, the timepiece that transformed a storied watchmaker into an enduring legend.
La Royal Oak et son designer, Gérald Genta.
Time does not wait, and neither does Audemars Piguet. The manufacture continuously pushes the limits of horological artistry. In 1993, the Royal Oak Offshore disrupted the industry with its bold, oversized design, crafted for modern adventurers. In 2002, the Royal Oak Concept introduced an era of high-tech innovation, incorporating titanium and forged carbon into haute horlogerie. In 2019, the Code 11.59 collection redefined contemporary watchmaking, with an unprecedented case architecture and mesmerizing dial craftsmanship.
Today, as the maison celebrates its 150th anniversary, it is not merely looking back but relentlessly driving forward. Innovation remains its engine, perfection its obsession. Timepieces that defy physics, complications that seem to dance with eternity, creations that continue to captivate collectors as they did on day one. Audemars Piguet has never bowed to the pressures of mass production, remaining one of the last great independent watchmakers. Its workshops in Le Brassus, where the shadows of the founders still linger, stand as the ultimate testament to a watchmaking miracle that endures, century after century.
Because here, time has never been a constraint—it has always been a promise of eternity.
Article written by Chris Samassa, founder of Osterman Watch
