Legendary Watch Brands: Audemars Piguet

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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 'Jumbo', Image: Bexsonn

This independent company was founded in 1875 by Jules Audemars and Edward Piguet. Even today, Audemars Piguet is one of the few watch manufacturers that is still in hands of the original founding family . One might know Audemars Piguet best from their Royal Oak collection of watches. This collection, however, only started in 1972 with the first reference 5402ST model from the hands of designer Gerald Genta. We will focus a bit more on the Royal Oak watch in a separate article.

Audemars Piguet Movement, Image: Auctionata

However, Audemars Piguet is so much more than the Royal Oak. They have an incredible track record of innovations and milestones in horology that date back long before the this icon of modern watchmaking was introduced. For example, Audemars Piguet produced the very first minute repeater wristwatch in 1892, although it looked very similar to a pocket watch with a small leather strap attached to it. All wristwatches at the time looked like that of course. Another example is the first jumping-hour wristwatch, introduced by Audemars Piguet in 1921.
Audemars Piguet was very good in developing and producing very thin wristwatches, with and without complications. Something that is hard to imagine with the bulky Royal Oak Offshore watches they are so keen to sell today. In 1986, Audemars Piguet introduced an ultra-thin (5.3mm) automatic watch with tourbillon. Almost one third of the thickness of a Royal Oak Offshore chronograph. Of course, today Audemars Piguet also has to fulfil the demand for sports and large sized watches. Luckily, they also still create the Royal Oak 'Jumbo' 15202 which is a very thin watch (8.1mm).

Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Extra Thin

Their classic round Jules Audemars extra-thin watch (featuring the wonderful caliber 2120 movement) only measures 6.7mm. The Jules Audemars and Millenary collections are aiming at the customer with a preference for more modest watches, although both collections have timepieces that are still quite extravagant compared to some of the classic watches of their competition.

The Audemars Piguet collection that is also well-worth investigating is the Tradition line-up. These are handsome art-deco style watches that can be had with and without complications. From the extra-thin caliber 2120 Tradition to the Tradition Grande Complication with perpetual calendar, chronograph, and minute repeater, they are all interesting designed timepieces with a rectangular shape case, Arabic appliques on the dial, and beautiful hands.

However, the Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore collection get most attention from watch enthusiasts, including here on Chrono24. In 2012 the Royal Oak collection was updated with the reference 15400 (previously 15300) and the 26320 chronograph reference (previously 26300) which both went from 39mm to 41mm in diameter. For collectors, the most important reference remained the 15202ST that also underwent some cosmetic changes.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph, Image: FratelloWatches

Last year, during the SIHH 2013 Audemars Piguet introduced the new Royal Oak Offshore chronograph line-up. The color schemes of the Theme models (eg Safari, Navy etc) changed as well as the pushers that were replaced with ceramic ones instead of rubber. Also, the 42mm Royal Oak Offshore chronograph models received a see-through case back.
It will be very interesting to see how Audemars Piguet will be able to profile themselves as high-end sports watch manufacturer as well as a traditional watch manufacture in the future with these distinctive collections. Most of the time, these worlds collide in the eyes of watch enthusiasts, but Audemars Piguet seems to be very sustainable in doing this since 1993 (introduction of the Royal Oak Offshore).
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