Audemars Piguet
Le Brassus, Switzerland · Est. 1875
Founded by Jules-Louis Audemars, Edward-Auguste Piguet
Founded in 1875 in Le Brassus, Switzerland, by Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward-Auguste Piguet, Audemars Piguet remains one of the few major Swiss manufactures still in family hands. It is best known for the Royal Oak, designed by Gérald Genta in 1972, which defined the luxury sports watch category.
- Founded
- 1875
- Headquarters
- Le Brassus, Switzerland
- Group
- Independent
- Price Segment
- Ultra
- Status
- Active
Key Collections
- Royal Oak — Designed by Gérald Genta in 1972, the Royal Oak introduced luxury watchmaking in steel with an octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet. It revolutionised the industry and remains the definitive AP piece.
- Royal Oak Offshore — A bold, oversized evolution of the Royal Oak launched in 1993 and designed by Emmanuel Gueit. The 'Beast' became synonymous with power, sport, and celebrity and spawned a new segment of luxury sports watches.
- Millenary — An oval-case collection with an off-centred dial and skeletonised movement. The Millenary represents AP's haute horlogerie ambitions in a non-Royal Oak format.
- Code 11.59 — Launched in 2019, AP's contemporary round dress-sport hybrid. Complex double-curved sapphire crystals and an intricate multi-layer case construction distinguish it from everything else in the AP line.
- Royal Oak Concept — Ultra-futuristic, limited-edition series pushing materials and complications to their extreme. The Concept series has included tourbillons with carbon nano-fibre, flying tourbillons, and split-seconds chronographs.
Timeline
- 1875 — Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward-Auguste Piguet found Audemars Piguet on 17 December in Le Brassus, Vallée de Joux, Switzerland.
- 1882 — AP completes its first minute-repeating pocket watch movement — an extraordinarily complex chiming complication that establishes the brand's technical ambitions.
- 1892 — AP produces the world's first minute-repeating wristwatch, pioneering what would become a defining category of haute horlogerie complications.
- 1972 — The Royal Oak is unveiled at Basel, designed overnight by Gérald Genta. A luxury sports watch in steel with an octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet — the watch that changed luxury watchmaking forever.
- 1986 — AP becomes the first manufacturer to release an automatic tourbillon wristwatch — a mechanical landmark combining the power of automatic winding with the precision regulation of a tourbillon.
- 1993 — The Royal Oak Offshore launches, designed by Emmanuel Gueit. Dramatically oversized and assertive, it creates a new category of ultra-luxury sports watches.
- 2004 — The Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet opens in Le Brassus, connecting visitors to 130 years of watchmaking history in the brand's home village.
- 2019 — The Code 11.59 collection is launched — AP's contemporary round collection featuring complex double-curved sapphire crystals and multi-component case architecture.
- 2025 — Celebrated 150th anniversary with new Calibre 7138 perpetual calendar and Bleu Nuit Nuage 50 blue ceramic.
- 2025 — Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in sand gold won the Iconic Watch Prize at GPHG 2025.
- 2026 — Returned to Watches & Wonders Geneva as exhibitor for first time in six years. Debuted 41mm Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in full blue ceramic.
Frequently Asked Questions about Audemars Piguet
- Why is Audemars Piguet called one of the Holy Trinity?
- Alongside Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin, AP is considered one of the three greatest Swiss watchmakers for its combination of unbroken independent ownership, technical innovation, and historical prestige. Unlike most luxury brands, AP has never been acquired by a conglomerate.
- What makes the Royal Oak so iconic?
- In 1972, making a luxury watch in steel was almost unheard of. Gérald Genta's octagonal bezel with exposed screws, integrated bracelet, and 'tapisserie' dial broke every convention — and the high price for a steel watch shocked the industry. It succeeded because the design was genuinely extraordinary.
- Is AP still family-owned?
- Yes. The Audemars and Piguet families remain direct shareholders, making AP one of the last grandes maisons still owned by the founding families after 150 years.
- What price range should I expect?
- Entry-level Royal Oak Sports start at approximately CHF 30,000; Royal Oak Offshore pieces range from CHF 40,000–80,000; complicated pieces and Concept watches can reach several million francs.
- Where are AP watches made?
- Entirely in Le Brassus, Vallée de Joux, Switzerland. Audemars Piguet has never left its founding village — the manufacture, museum, and atelier are all in the same location where Jules-Louis and Edward-Auguste first started in 1875.