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At the heart of Le Brassus, the village where Audemars Piguet was founded in 1875, the Restoration Workshop embodies the continuance of an extraordinary watchmaking legacy. The workshop’s craftspeople, committed to the principle of originality, preserve the original components wherever possible and highlight the piece’s patina as a precious testimony to the watch’s life.
If a part has to be replaced, a replica is made, staying true to the original. All major casing parts that are replicated – such as the dial, case middle, bezel, caseback or the metal bracelet – are discreetly marked with a hallmark or engraved with an R for “Replica”.
The Workshop works closely with the Archives and the Customer Service department and requests assistance from in-house or external workshops where necessary, while continuing to guarantee standards of excellence. A detailed history of all operations is recorded.
The Restoration Workshop
The Restoration Workshop restores Audemars Piguet watches created before 1950, as well as those for which replacement parts are unavailable. Day after day, its craftspeople uphold the age-old savoir-faire required for restoring the oldest timepieces.
Our Core Principles
The key stages of a restoration
Assessment and Verification
Restoration and Crafting
Finalisation and Checks
Assessment and verification
The restoration process begins with a three-step approach: identification, an estimate and the assessment of the mechanism. Watchmakers retrace the history of each watch alongside archivists. They then assess which operations are required and draw up a procedure that preserves original components wherever possible.
Identification
The workshop’s watchmakers identify each watch that comes in to be restored, assisted by archivists. They retrace the piece’s history by consulting old ledgers and ensure that any modifications have been properly recorded. Other sources can further add to their expertise: picture archives, collections from the Audemars Piguet Museum, stocks of old supplies and previous restoration reports.
The Estimate
Depending on the condition and complexity of the watch, preparing an estimate can take from a few hours to more than a day. The watchmakers start by examining the casing before taking the watch apart, a meticulous process that allows them to identify the changes required to restore the piece. As watchmakers are committed to preserving or restoring the components’ original qualities, some restorations can require hundreds of hours of work.
In-Depth Assessment of the Mechanism
Once the estimate has been accepted, the watchmakers perform an in-depth assessment of the mechanism and determine the steps they need to take to restore the watch. They draw up the procedure required to recondition the watch. This approach aims to use the least possible intervention, while preserving the piece’s original components and optimising the mechanism's lifespan.
Restoration and crafting
At the heart of each restoration, there is the strictest commitment to preserving original components. When an original part cannot be saved, our watchmaker-restorers recreate a version that stays perfectly true to the material, shape and finishes used when the watch was made, basing their work on plans or reference components from our archives. Assembly of the movement in blank then allows restorers to check the harmony and proper functioning of each complication before performing any finishing touches.
Preservation of Components
Preserving a watch’s integrity remains the priority for watchmakers, who restore each component with extreme precision. For example, they might set to work on corrosion, repair finishes, recreate tiny pivots or restore the curve or deep blue colour of the hands. This patient craftsmanship can take from a few hours to several weeks.
Making Replacement Parts
If a component is too badly damaged or is not authentic, the watchmakers make a new part that scrupulously complies with the shape and finishes of the original. Making a screw may appear simple, but it actually requires around an hour of meticulous manufacturing. Creating a balance staff, an essential and extremely technical part, can require several days of expert craftsmanship.
Assembly of the Movement in Blank
Once the components have been restored, the watchmakers assemble the movement 'in blank’, a key step observed in traditional watchmaking. This makes it possible to check the smooth functioning of various complication mechanisms that involve the reproduced components, check that the geartrains are balanced and make any final adjustments. The movement is then completely taken apart so that watchmakers can, where necessary, recondition decorations with extreme finesse. It is then meticulously cleaned and put back together, with the watchmaker making final adjustments to ensure the piece's accuracy.
Finalisation and Checks
After being meticulously cleaned, the movement is put back together and adjusted with the utmost precision to ensure perfect coherence between all its functions. Once the watch has been cased up, it is monitored over the course of several days to guarantee faultless reliability. Each restoration ends with the writing of a detailed report, which is stored in our archives as precious evidence of the piece’s history.
Assembly and Checks
Decorated components are painstakingly cleaned and assembled. Where necessary, the watchmakers apply oil to lubrication points to reduce friction and wear, before casing up. The finished watch is then inspected over several days, with every function and detail carefully checked to ensure that its performance is as close as possible to its original condition.
The Casing
The case, dial, hands, crown and strap make up the ‘casing’ of the watch. These parts become increasingly fragile over time. Restoring them requires the expertise of specialised craftspeople, who are able to breathe new life into every detail with the utmost precision. Historical archives also help to recreate the original spirit and appearance of certain parts, especially the dial.
Freshening Up (Light Polishing)
Aiming to restore the shine and proportions of each component, ‘freshening up’ preserves the patina that gives the watch character and authenticity. It is often used on oxidised or modified parts. Parts without decoration are polished mechanically, while delicate areas, or those featuring guilloché or engraving, are polished by hand with extreme precision.
Component Finishes
Decorative finishes are treated with meticulous care, tailored to the condition and material of each component. Polished or satin-brushed steel is corrected if attention is required due to wear or corrosion, while delicate alloys are repaired sparingly. Traditional patterns, created through highly skilled craftsmanship, remain true to Haute Horlogerie’s standards of excellence.
Checks and Care Advice
Old watches must be handled with the utmost care. Originally created without sealing gaskets or shock protection systems, they are particularly sensitive. Their lifespan depends on careful maintenance. Audemars Piguet recommends having watches serviced every five years and encourages watch owners to contact the workshop as soon as any evidence of malfunctioning appears.
OUR SERVICES
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Experience our collections in person and receive expert watch servicing from our skilled professionals.
Online service request
Fill in the following form to request a service or an official document. In some countries, you can benefit from a complimentary pick-up service for your watch.
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We invite you to visit our AP Houses and boutiques to explore a variety of Audemars Piguet timepieces and receive expert watch servicing from our skilled professionals, by appointment or walk-in.
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