In 1875, two young entrepreneurs named Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward-Auguste Piguet opened the Manufacture in Le Brassus, a town in the center of La Vallée-de-Joux in the Swiss Jura, to create and construct timepieces with uncommon complexity. The early days of Audemars-Piguet saw the brand’s watches become highly sought after by connoisseurs of exquisite mechanical timepieces. In the 1870s, Audemars began making intricate watch mechanisms that were sold to other companies. The last bit of stipulation was handled by Piguet. First minute repeater wristwatch was made by the company in 1892. In 1899, the duo debuted their groundbreaking Grand Complication pocket watch. The Royal Oak solidified Audemars Piguet’s place in the watch industry, and the company’s subsequent premium sports watch models influenced those of competitors.

They left their mark in the history of timepieces by exerting drive, creativity, and self-discipline. Their company has been in the hands of the original family since its inception. Despite the popularity of their Royal Oak line of luxury sports watches, Audemars Piguet is well-known for much more. The dressier Jules Audemars models are separated from the more casual Royal Oak Offshore and Royal Oak lines by the Millenary series. In keeping with its founding principles, the company keeps pushing the limits of its products’ complexity through its ongoing exploration of new materials, coatings, and construction techniques.