Audemars Piguet was founded by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet in 1875. The name Audemars Piguet & Cie was registered in 1881. AP is regarded as one of the holy trinity watchmakers, together with Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin.
Audemars Piguet has a rather impressive list of innovations to its name. From the world’s first minute-repeater wristwatch movement (1892), to the first jump-hour wristwatch (1921) and the first skeletonized watch (1934).
AP is particularly skilled at making thin movements. In 1946, they set the record for the worlds thinnest watch caliber at 1,64mm’s. They would later repeat their thinness-record-breaking habit with a tourbillon movement and later with the world’s thinnest automatic perpetual calendar.
Audemars Piguet is well known for its formal watches. From the Calatrava style watches of the early 20th century, to the elaborate haute-horology marvels of today. Their single most successful watch is something else entirely though: the Royal Oak.
The Royal Oak singlehandedly saved Audemars Piguet and much of the high-end Swiss watchmaking industry in 1972, by providing an answer to cheap quartz watches: the luxury steel sports watch. A design by Gerald Genta that would set a template for everyone. Since then, every watchbrand strives for a hit sports watch in steel. It is the horological equivalent to the Christmas hitsong.
AP has been particularly successful with the Royal Oak’s many variations since. From precious metal and complicated variants, to the more brutalist Royal Oak Offshore line. But even if you look beyond the sports models, there are many highly refined gems in both the current lineup as well as throughout the house’s illustrious history.
If a Rolex is like a Porsche, then an Audemars is like a Rolls Royce. It is every bit of luxury dialed up to eleven in an elegant, old-world kind of way. It is equal parts tradition and craftsmanship. If that speaks to you, look no further!
