History of Audemars Piguet: 1875 to Present Day
Once childhood friends, Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet reconnected in the early 1870s to find that they were both watchmakers working to create mechanical timepieces. In 1875 they joined forces to create the brand that we know today as Audemars Piguet.
Audemars Piguet, pronounced “Oh-du-mahr Pee-geh” was founded in Le Brassus, a village inside the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland. To this day the manufacturer is still family-owned, making it unique in the watch world.
Follow the Timeline of Audemars Piguet:
> 1874-1181: Founding Years of Audemars Piguet
> 1910’s-1960’s: Continuing a Legacy The
> 1970s: Challenge Necessitates Innovation
> 1990’s: Ingenuity at Its Best
> 2000’s and On: Modern Day Releases and Innovations
> An Audemars Piguet For Any Collector
Continue reading to learn more about the expansive history of Audemars Piguet spanning over 145 years, from inception to the latest releases.
1874-1881 Founding Years of Audemars Piguet
In the 1870s, both Audemars and Piguet were working separately. Audemars created complicated watch movements for different manufacturers to then finish and fit into their own cases. Piguet performed the final regulation. After they started working together in 1875, they continued this split function in different ways. Audemars oversaw the production and technical aspects of the watches while Piguet focused his time on sales and management. The name Audemars Piguet & Cie was first used in 1881.
In 1892, the brand created the first-minute repeater wristwatch. By 1899 the first Grand Complication pocket watch was released by the pair, featuring a minute repeater, alarm, perpetual calendar, deadbeat seconds, chronograph, and split-seconds hand.
1910’s-1960’s: Continuing a Legacy
Audemars and Piguet both tragically passed away in 1918 and 1919, but the company continued forward and saw even more success. Continuing through to today, the brand was continued on by the next generation of Audemars and Piguet, this time sons Paul Louis Audemars and Paul Edward Piguet.
During the early-mid 1900s, the manufacturer continued to push for innovation within the watch community. The thinnest pocket watch caliber was released by the brand in 1925, while the first skeletonized pocket watch was released in 1934. In 1946, the brand launched the world’s thinnest wristwatch.
The first Audemars Piguet perpetual calendar wristwatch was released in 1957. The brand also holds the record for the first thinnest self-winding automatic caliber featuring a central rotor that had a thickness of 2.45mm, released in 1967.
1970s: Challenge Necessitates Innovation
In the 1970s, the quartz crisis had an impact on traditional mechanical watchmakers. Just like other manufacturers, Audemars Piguet had to find new ways to stay at the forefront of watchmaking and ways to stand out against quartz watches. This is where Gerald Genta, famed Swiss watch designer and artist, and the brand partnered to develop a new category of watches.
Introducing The Royal Oak
On the eve of the 1972 Swiss Watch Show, known today as Baselworld, Audemars Piguet gave Genta a task to create a luxury sports watch. The next day Genta presented the idea and the Royal Oak was born. The watch was different from others on the market, it was made of stainless steel and an integrated bracelet. Even more glaring was the daring design of the case. A round dial within an octagon bezel with 8 screws set inside a tonneau-shaped case. This interesting design has become one of the most iconic watches and still one of the most highly sought-after pieces.
The Royal Oak cemented Audemars Piguet in the watch world, with its luxury sports watches inspiring brands and models to come.
1990’s: Ingenuity at Its Best
While the 1990s were overall quieter years for Audemars Piguet, they produced some beautiful and notable timepieces. With additions to existing luxury watches, like adding split-seconds to its Triple Complication and brand new innovations, the 1990s proved to be a creative decade that also set the stage for present-day masterpieces.
1991: The Audemars Piguet Star Wheel
Audemars Piguet began the decade by releasing the Star Wheel Wandering Hours ref. 25720, a truly unique timepiece even for a watchmaker known for original designs. With a nod to 17th-century wandering hour complications, this wristwatch features spinning discs mounted on star-shaped wheels. A beautiful example of ingenuity, the Star Wheel is far removed from Audemars Piguet’s signature Royal Oak, but it is regarded as a horological innovation.
Royal Oak Offshore 1993 Release
The Royal Oak Offshore collection was launched in 1993 as an anniversary of the original model. This successor takes the same octagonal bezel but has a much sportier look with higher water resistance, thicker case, and is often found on a rubber strap.
2000’s and On: Modern Day Releases and Innovations
Since the birth of the Royal Oak, Audemars Piguet has continued with innovation and new model releases. Over the years the case sizes have changed across the collections and models Women’s watches have also been introduced, along with the use of ceramics.
Ceramic has been used in the watch world for the last few years, notably in bezels where it is scratch and fade resistant. Brands have started exploring the use of the material in cases and bracelets, and Audemars Piguet is creating some of their most popular models in the material.
The Royal Oak Offshore Diver, for example, was released in ceramic and featured a vertical brushed finish giving a metallic look that set it apart from other ceramics.
Here are just a few of the big releases worth mentioning.
Royal Oak Concept
The Concept collection has been a platform for experimenting with design and mechanics for the brand since 2002. The cases take the Royal Oak design to the next level with extreme angles while the dials provide depth. These pieces are all limited in production.
Frosted Gold: Diamond Cut Case Finishing
Around 40 years after the launch of the first ladies’ Royal Oak, a new case was released. This case design was in partnership with Italian jeweler, Caroline Bucci, and the finishing is called Frosted Gold. The finishing was created using a diamond-tipped tool on white or rose gold. A few years later, a yellow gold version was released.
Since the launch of the finishing on the ladies’ Royal Oaks in 2016, the finishing has now been used in a 41mm skeleton model, and in the Millenary collection, among other models.
Ceramic Royal Oak Models
In 2017, the watch world was stunned by the release of the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in black ceramic, with a black ceramic bracelet. Since the release, the black ceramic has expanded to a Perpetual Calendar Openworked, Tourbillon Extra-Thin, and Tourbillon Chronograph Openworked. Audemars Piguet has also released an all-white version of the Royal Oak Perpetual calendar with a contrasting blue dial.
Setting Ultra-Thin Records with a Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
In 2019 Audemars Piguet released their Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin, a continuation of their thin watches from the early 1900s. The new perpetual calendar measured just 6.3mm thick, although it was produced in platinum which added some extra weight to the watch.
Code 11.59 Release: Biggest Launch Since The Royal Oak
In 2019 Audemars Piguet also took the watch world by surprise by releasing a completely new model family, the Code 11.59. It was in the design process for more than 5 years and took a new stand on design for the manufacturer. While housed in a circular case, the flanks feature the iconic octagonal design seen in the Royal Oak. The lugs are also skeletonized providing an extra detail not seen in other models from the brand.
The crystal is also quite unique. The watch features an extremely thin bezel and thus an expansive crystal for a 41mm watch. The crystal is curved on two radiuses, providing a clear reading with a sharpness that is unmatched with a typical crystal that would normally provide magnification. This crystal protects a lacquered or enamel dial, in some cases, the brand has also used aventurine.
The manufacturer has also brought in different colors into this collection. In addition to the blue aventurine dials, there are reds, purples, smokey grays, and a bespoke blue and gold dial created by Anita Porchet, a highly-skilled enamel artist who has worked for some of the top brands in the industry.
Royal Oak Offshore in Ceramic
The Royal Oak offshore has always featured color in new ways and Audemars Piguet continued this into their use of ceramic for the collection. They have the classic black, and striking white, but the ceramic colors extend into a blue, army green, and gray variation.
Audemars Piguet and Marvel Collaboration
The brand has been known to collaborate with athletes and artists, but in 2021 the brand took it to the next level by partnering with Marvel to release the Royal Oak Concept Black Panther Flying Tourbillon. Only 250 pieces of titanium and ceramic will be produced. The case is inspired by the Black Panther’s cutting-edge suit. The dial features a sculpted Black Panther, a hand-painted rendition that looks ready to jump out of the watch.
An Audemars Piguet For Any Collector
Audemars Piguet is known for more than just the luxury sports Royal Oak collection. There are the dressy Jules Audemars models, the unique Millenary collection, Concept models, Code 11.59, Royal Oak Offshore, and Royal Oak collections. The brand continues to experiment with materials and finishes as well as complications, continuing the vision from the early days of the brand.
Does Audemars Piguet Make A Quartz Watch?
With the release and success of the Royal Oak during the quartz crisis, Audemars Piguet has not strayed away from utilizing the popular quartz movement. It is currently only found in ladies’ watches that are under 35mm. Some notable models include the Rose Gold Royal Oak with blue dial and diamond bezel, as well as the white gold Royal Oak with gem-set dial, bezel, case, and bracelet.
Pricing and Collectibility of an Audemars Piguet
The price of an Audemars Piguet varies greatly on the collection, material, and any gems, as well as if it is purchased from a boutique or on the secondary market. On the secondary market, the The 1916 Company inventory ranges in price from $7,950 – $300,000. Audemars Piguet is considered a part of the Holy Trinity of Watches, alongside Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe. The watches are historically important and provide a level of unmatched craftsmanship.
Owning an Audemars Piguet is at the top of the list for many collectors. Over the last decade the secondary retail value of the Royal Oak, in particular, has continued to climb thanks to the desirability of the model. Currently, on the secondary market, a a steel Royal Oak trades over retail value. This is partly due to the fact that it is a highly sought-after piece with lower production, but also comes as a result of the announcement that the 15202ST will be discontinued in 2022.
At The 1916 Company, at the time of writing, Audemars Piguet models vary in price from $10,000 for a vintage ladies 26mm two-tone Royal Oak up to $224,900 for a Tradition Minute Repeater Tourbillon Chronograph.
The polarizing brand continues to set the bar for the watch industry in design, materials, and complications. Regardless of the model you favor, you know it’s an icon and piece of art. Approximately 40,000 pieces are produced each year and the brand continues to be an independent, family-run business.