Audemars Piquet
 In
1875, Jules-Louis Audemars, in order to cope with orders for luxury calibres
emanating from the great watchmaking houses in Geneva, joined forces with
his childhood friend, Edward-Auguste Piguet. He handled the technical management
of the small company, while his associate took charge of sales and marketing
aspects, travelling through many towns and subsequently continents to establish
direct contact with connoisseurs.
Audemars Piguet prospered and developed,
coming through World War I and the Great Depression without being unduly
affected, thanks to the production of ladies' wristwatches and ultra-thin
models. When World War II ended, Audemars Piguet reorganised to create
a more accessible line of watches. The repercussions of the watchmaking
crisis in the 1970s were scarcely felt by the company, mainly because in
1972 it made the daring choice to launch the world's first high-end sports
watch in steel: the Royal Oak. Audemars Piguet currently employs a staff
of 500 worldwide and is starting the new millennium on a resolutely confident
note.
The first wristwatch with tourbillon
and mechanical winding, the smallest self-winding watch with perpetual
calendar, the Dual Time, the Ladies Minute Repeater Chiming watch… throughout
its history, Audemars Piguet has introduced a succession of landmark records
and world firsts. Driven by this same conquering spirit, Audemars Piguet
is still producing the world's thinnest and most complex calibres.
The Royal Oak watch became a legend
right from its launch in 1972, as a watch that has made contradiction a
style. It was designed by legendary watch designer, Gerald Genta and he
chooses the octagon to reinvent elegance; imposes steel to make it a luxury;
and demonstrates watchmaking performances. Having become a way of life,
the Royal Oak continues to demonstrate a constant capacity for invention
and daring. While asserting its flamboyant nature, it nonetheless remains
loyal to the fundamental values of the Manufacture Audemars Piguet.
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