Audemars Piguet
Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet were members of a network of Swiss watch makers. This networks decided to join together and open their own workshop in 1875. At the time, both were in their early twenties and had a fierce ambition for independence and complimentary skills which helped them build an international brand.
Situated in the village of Le Brassus in the Vallée de Joux just north of Geneva, their first premises was simple and built around a well to provide easy access to water. Audemars had already made complex watch movements for a host of different Swiss manufacturers and Piguet specialized in the regulation of movements. In 1892 they created the world’s first wristwatch with minute repeater giving them a name in excellence. Then they designed and manufactured many world firsts including the ultra-complicated ‘Universelle’ watch in 1899, the first wrist watch with perpetual calendar and leap year display in 1955 and most recently the first lap timer chronograph in 2015.
Today the firm has grown from two to over 100 craftsmen and is still an independent family owned business situated in La Brassus where it began over 140 years ago.
Situated in the village of Le Brassus in the Vallée de Joux just north of Geneva, their first premises was simple and built around a well to provide easy access to water. Audemars had already made complex watch movements for a host of different Swiss manufacturers and Piguet specialized in the regulation of movements. In 1892 they created the world’s first wristwatch with minute repeater giving them a name in excellence. Then they designed and manufactured many world firsts including the ultra-complicated ‘Universelle’ watch in 1899, the first wrist watch with perpetual calendar and leap year display in 1955 and most recently the first lap timer chronograph in 2015.
Today the firm has grown from two to over 100 craftsmen and is still an independent family owned business situated in La Brassus where it began over 140 years ago.
