In 1875, Audemars Piguet was founded by childhood friends and watchmakers Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet. They developed complex mechanisms that made huge improvements in a watches’ precision at the time.
In 1892, the company created the first minute repeater wristwatch. By 1899, Audemars Piguet released their first pocket watch collection, the AP Grand Complication. This collection features a minute repeater, alarm perpetual calendar, deadbeat seconds, chronograph, and split-seconds hand.
During the early-mid 1900s, the company continued to push for innovation within the watch industry. In 1925, they released the thinnest pocket watch caliber. In 1946, the thinnest watch with a 1.64-mm-thick movement was released, making it lighter and more convenient.
The first Audemars Piguet perpetual calendar wristwatch was released in 1957.
In the 1970s, the mechanical watchmakers faced the quartz crisis. For this reason, the company found new ways to stand out against the competition. This is when they developed a new collection of watches in partnership with Gerald Genta, a famed Swiss watch designer and artist.
In 1972, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak was born. Different from the other timepieces on the market, it boasts a daring design with a round dial within an octagonal bezel. Thanks to its gorgeous and innovative design, it has become one of the most iconic watches.
The Royal Oak cemented Audemars Piguet’s standing as the top luxury sports watch manufacturer. Since then, the brand has continued to innovate with its new collections. To this day, this fine watchmaking company is still family-owned, making it unique in the watchword.
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