In the watch industry, the definition of ‘advanced watchmaking’ is not clearly discernible. It seems that this concept comes from everyone’s agreement, and no one has a clear explanation of fine watchmaking. Watchmaking history, movements, complications … what elements are really persuasive for measuring fine watch brands? Audemars Piguet, what makes this famous watchmaking brand where it is today? Today, Watch House reveals the story behind Audemars Piguet.
Long history: a long history of watchmaking
Early Audemars Piguet
Early Audemars Piguet artisans were working on watchmaking
Audemars Piguet was born deep in the heart of Rugu Valley, which moves with the melody of a complex watch movement. In 1875, Audemars Piguet began its watchmaking journey. To this day, as the world’s only fine watchmaking brand still under the control of the founding family, Audemars Piguet’s watchmaking technology has been passed down from generation to generation, and has become the essence of Audemars Piguet’s watchmaking philosophy.
Hyundai Audemars Piguet
Modern Audemars Piguet watchmakers are working on watchmaking
Audemars Piguet founder & first generation heir to the founding family: Jules Louis Audemars | Edward Auguste Piguet
Two watchmakers Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste, also from Ru Valley
Piguet co-founded Audemars Piguet. Since the brand’s inception, timekeeping devices, chronographs and astronomical complexities have been a specialty in the Audemars Piguet watchmaking world. Between 1882 and 1892, Audemars Piguet produced about 1,500 timepieces. The history book kept by Audemars Piguet shows that more than 80% of timepieces have at least one complex function, and some of them have multiple complex functions.
Legacy: Traceable process development
In 1892, Audemars Piguet developed the world’s first minute repeater watch
Most of Audemars Piguet’s historical models have complex functions
(Some of the ultra-complex function timepieces developed by Audemars Piguet from 1899 to 1986)
The complexity of Audemars Piguet not only shows the beauty of Audemars Piguet’s watchmaking skills, but also reflects the brand’s superb watchmaking skills. Complicated functions are Audemars Piguet’s core R & D philosophy. In 1892, Audemars Piguet created the world’s first watch with a minute repeat function. In 1899, the first “Universelle” super complicated pocket watch was born. Equipped with many complicated functions including double-seconds chronograph, instant jump seconds and straight-forward seconds, big self-talk, minute repeater, alarm, perpetual calendar, etc .; in 1955, Audemars Piguet was on the perpetual calendar A leap year display was established; the first self-winding tourbillon watch developed by Audemars Piguet was born in 1986 …
Persistence: adhere to the development of mechanical movements and complex functions
Audemars Piguet Caliber 2885 self-winding movement
The birth of each Audemars Piguet ultra-complex function timepiece means a breakthrough and development of Audemars Piguet watchmaking technology. Looking back at Audemars Piguet’s watchmaking path, Caliber
The 2885 self-winding self-produced movement is the pinnacle of Audemars Piguet. Audemars Piguet Caliber
The 2885 self-winding self-produced movement contains up to 648 parts, which is independently adjusted and assembled by a watchmaker, which takes more than 700 hours.
Audemars Piguet Caliber 2885 automatic winding self-produced exploded view
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Complication Watch with Caliber 2885 Self-Manufactured Automatic
In addition to this Caliber 2885 self-winding self-produced movement, another Caliber 2959 self-winding movement also reflects the high level of Audemars Piguet watchmaking technology. Equipped with this movement.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Super Repeater Minute Repeater, Caliber 2959 Automatic
In 2018, Audemars Piguet launched many complication watches to maintain the brand’s consistent watchmaking style. Among them, the high-profile Royal Oak series ultra-thin perpetual calendar watch, which took 5 years of research and development, is the second time for Audemars Piguet to break new ground in watchmaking The representative of Tu.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak RD # 2 Ultrathin Perpetual Calendar
The case is only 6.30 mm, making it the world’s thinnest self-winding perpetual calendar watch, breaking the latest record set by Audemars Piguet. In the R & D and manufacturing stages, the biggest challenge was to redesign the original three-layer movement into a single-layer structure to achieve ultra-thin dimensions, while incorporating and reorganizing various functions to improve the comfort, efficiency and durability of the ergonomic design. Another perpetual calendar watch launched this year is equipped with Caliber
5134 automatic winding movement, unlike the ultra-thin perpetual calendar, this movement may be more in line with conventional aesthetics in thickness.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Series Perpetual Calendar Watch with Caliber 5134 Automatic Movement
The creation and development of each complex function is a huge challenge for the watchmaker. They must overturn their previous achievements and start from scratch. The process is much more difficult than we think.
Audemars Piguet watches are sketching
In fact, in addition to the technical problems to be overcome, the birth of each Audemars Piguet timepiece also requires the watchmaker’s creative and imaginative designs. Those seemingly impossible designs are finally presented to us. Pieces of art. Audemars Piguet insists on the development of mechanical movements and complex functions, and integrates artistic design on this basis. The perfect fusion of technology and art, this year, Audemars Piguet’s complex function series also brought us many surprises.
Superb: The perfect blend of skill and art
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Skeleton Skeleton
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Series Double Balance Skeleton Watch Detail Shot
The new Royal Oak double balance skeleton skeleton watch combines aesthetic design, precision performance and balanced shape. The patented double balance device requires a complicated production process to improve accuracy and stability, and at the same time, you can enjoy the pulsation of the internal movement from both sides of the case.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Series Floating Tourbillon
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Series Floating Tourbillon
The unique aesthetic design is reminiscent of the bright winter scenery of Rugu Valley. The white gold dial is inlaid with pyramid faceted diamonds, and the white lacquer finish is refined to give off a bright light; the hollowed-out barrel is like a ‘snowflake’, and the ‘ice and snow’ on the floating tourbillon escapement ‘The diamond echoed. Combining technology with design in watches, Audemars Piguet turns every timepiece into a work of art.
It all started with the cooperation of two watchmakers 143 years ago, and today Audemars Piguet still adheres to the love of mechanical watchmaking. Whether it is the development of complex functions or the insistence on mechanical watchmaking, Audemars Piguet will always bring us unlimited surprises and creativity.