The year 2025 is a monumental one for Audemars Piguet, the venerable Swiss Haute Horlogerie Manufacture, as it proudly celebrates its 150th Anniversary. To honor a century and a half of uninterrupted watchmaking mastery, the company is doing more than just unveiling exceptional limited-edition timepieces; it is opening up its archives in a magnificent new publication, simply titled The Watch – Stories and Savoir Faire.
More than just a catalog, this comprehensive tome is a richly illustrated tribute to the very art of watchmaking and the unique history of the brand, “Born in Le Brassus.”
Immortalizing the Legacy of Le Brassus
Founded in 1875 by childhood friends Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet in the Vallée de Joux, Audemars Piguet has always been defined by a spirit of independence and bold innovation. This new book offers an unprecedented deep dive into the elements that have sustained its success:
- The Family History: It chronicles the successive generations of the founding families who have fiercely maintained control, making AP one of the last great independently-owned Swiss watchmakers.
- The Vallée de Joux Soul: The book explores the rugged, isolated landscape of Le Brassus that forged the character of the founders and the artisans—a place where watchmaking savoir-faire was passed down through generations.
- The Evolution of Design: From the highly complicated pocket watches of the late 19th century to the revolutionary stainless steel Royal Oak of 1972, the publication showcases the pivotal designs that broke established conventions and shaped modern watch aesthetics.
- Complications and Craftsmanship: It pays homage to the technical mastery that is the brand’s core, detailing the ingenious mechanisms behind minute repeaters, perpetual calendars, and the relentless pursuit of thinness.
Beyond the Anniversary Watches
While the 150th-anniversary celebration is headlined by stunning novelties—including the all-new ergonomic perpetual calendar Calibre 7138 and the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Chronograph RD#5—the book serves as the intellectual foundation for the celebration.
Featuring contributions from over 40 experts, historians, and watch enthusiasts, The Watch – Stories and Savoir Faire is positioned as the definitive history, providing context for the Manufacture’s most daring creations. The sheer scope of the project underscores the brand’s commitment to sharing its complex and fascinating journey with watch collectors and horology aficionados around the world.
As Audemars Piguet steps into its next 150 years, this new book is more than a commemorative object; it is a meticulously documented reminder that every great timepiece has a great story—and in the case of AP, that story is an epic saga of tradition, creativity, and the enduring passion for mechanical time.
