About Us
Made in Le Brassus
Our company’s exceptional story has all unfolded here, in Le Brassus. Discover our singular approach to watchmaking, our history and our ongoing story.
Established in 1875
Audemars Piguet is not just a company. It’s still an independent family business established in and continually operating from Le Brassus, in the Vallee De Joux, the cradle of fine watchmaking.
OUR FOUNDERS
In 1875 Jules Louis Audemars, decided to join forces with Edward Auguste Piguet, in order to develop and craft watches equipped with complex mechanisms. They shared a passion for watchmaking and a mastery of the art of precision that still characterizes the company today.
A HISTORY OF INDEPENDENCE
Today, Audemars Piguet is still the oldest fine watch-making manufacturer never to have left the hands of its founding families. This gives the company an independent streak that allows it to go its own way and follow its own unique vision.
From 1875 until Today
World Firsts
- 1892
- Development and production of the first minute repeater wristwatch.
- 1915
- The smallest five-minute repeater calibre ever made, with a diameter of just 15.80 mm.
- 1921
- First jumping-hour wristwatch.
- 1925
- World’s thinnest pocket-watch calibre 1.32 mm.
- 1934
- First skeletonised pocket watch.
- 1946
- World’s thinnest wristwatch.
- 1957
- First Audemars Piguet wristwatch with a perpetual calendar.
- 1967
- World’s first thinnest selfwinding calibre with central rotor (2.45 mm).
- 1972
- Birth of the Royal Oak, the first steel high-end sports watch.
- 1978
- First selfwinding ultra-thin perpetual calendar wristwatch with central rotor.
- 1986
- First ultra-thin (5.5 mm thick including the case) selfwinding tourbillon wristwatch.
- 1989
- Smallest selfwinding perpetual calendar watch.
- 1994
- First wristwatch with Grande and Petite Sonnerie, quarter repeater striking on two gongs.
- 1996
- First selfwinding Grande complication watch.
- 1997
- First Grande Sonnerie chiming model, minute repeater with three gongs and three hammers.
- 2000
- First model with Equation of Time, sunrise and sunset times and perpetual calendar.
- 2006
- Audemars Piguet direct-impulse escapement.
- 2008
- First watch featuring a carbon case and movement.
- 2009
- High-frequency chronometer with Audemars Piguet escapement and double balance-spring.
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1882
Development and production of the first minute repeater wristwatch.
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1978
First selfwinding ultra-thin perpetual calendar wristwatch with central rotor.
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2008
First watch featuring a carbon case and movement.
Our ambassadors
To break the rules, you must first master them. Over the years we’ve developed friendships with some of the world’s amazing people and organizations. They come from different fields, but they share our love of creativity and independence.
Our Partnerships
SAVOIR-FAIRE
Audemars Piguet draws upon its unique blend of tradition, experience and knowledge in order to push the boundaries of fine watch-making. Experience the philosophy, craft and evolving expression of our Savoir-Faire.
LEARN MOREThe Foundation
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School boat financed by the Foundation for the Selva Viva program, an Amazon rainforest preservation project. Peru, 2007.
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Entry of the Discovery Path, financed by the Foundation for Audemars Piguet's 130 year anniversary. Risoud Forest in Switzerland, 2006
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To mark its tenth anniversary, the Audemars Piguet Foundation has decided to finance a large-scale project: raising the awareness of Japanese children with regard to the essential role of the tropical forest. -
Stone walls restored thanks to a training workshop partially financed by the Foundation. Jura vaudois Park in Switzerland, 1995.
WATCHES SERVING FORESTS
The Audemars Piguet Foundation has been contributing since 1992 to the cause of worldwide forest conservation through environmental protection and youth awareness-raising endeavours.
PLANTATIONS
It has already funded projects on four continents aimed at reconstituting forests and restoring the natural diversity of biotopes destroyed by natural disasters, over-exploitation or climate change.
TRAINING
It promotes projects aimed at raising children’s awareness in the field of environmental protection, and at highlighting the value of traditional skills and knowledge
PROMOTING AUDEMARS PIGUET'S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
It oversees the Audemars Piguet environmental policy with regard to the management of energy, water, procurement and waste, as well as soft mobility.
CONTACT
The Board of the Foundation is chaired by Mrs Jasmine Audemars. It comprises a scientific advisor from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (UICN).
Each Audemars Piguet watch sold contributes to financing the Foundation.
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