The story of celebrated family-owned manufacturer Audemars Piguet and its universally acclaimed, widely coveted luxury watches begins deep in the Jura Mountains in western Switzerland.
The Vallée de Joux has been a haven of watchmaking since the late 18th century, when the residents of farming communities began creating timepieces during the winter months.
Jules Louis Audemars (1851–1918) and Edward Auguste Piguet (1853–1919), both natives of the region, were already deeply entrenched in the world of watchmaking when they joined forces to form a new house of horology near the end of the 19th century, an alliance that would be the start of a multigenerational family company. With complementary specialties within the field, Audemars and Piguet made the perfect pair in 1875: Audemars, the more technically minded of the two, oversaw production, while Piguet specialized in quality control and led the business and marketing parts of the outfit.
Audemars Piguet’s first major milestone came in 1892, when it created the world’s first minute-repeating movement for a wristwatch. (It was sold to Omega, whose origins date to 1848.) That was soon followed in 1899 with the Universelle pocket watch, a masterpiece of horology that boasted a perpetual calendar, minute repeater, alarm and chronograph with jumping seconds. It is still said to be the most complicated timepiece that Audemars Piguet has ever designed.
Between 1918 and 1919, both founders of Audemars Piguet had died and were replaced by their respective sons, incidentally both named Paul. Under the leadership of Paul Louis Audemars and Paul Edward Piguet, the watchmaker continued to innovate. It retained an ever-evolving technical focus and found new praise for its efforts, producing the world’s thinnest pocket-watch caliber in 1925, the first skeletonized pocket watch in 1934 and the world’s thinnest wristwatch in 1946.
When the quartz crisis of the 1970s left many watchmakers in the lurch, Audemars and Piguet found a creative solution, tapping the Geneva-born Gérald Genta to conceive the first-ever luxury watch in stainless steel. Launched at what would become the Baselworld watch and jewelry fair in 1972, the Royal Oak, with its octagonal face and integrated bracelet, would come to define the look of Audemars Piguet and revolutionize the luxury wristwatch industry, setting a standard that continues to this day.
Find a collection of vintage Audemars Piguet wristwatches and pocket watches on 1stDibs.
Vintage 1990s Audemars Piguet Bugatti 14677 18K YG Openworked Dial Auto 34mm
By Audemars Piguet
Located in New York, NY
Horology As Automotive Sculpture In the 1990s, Audemars Piguet created an exceptionally rare series of watches that fused high horology with automotive art. This reference 14677 is ...
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s Audemars Piguet Pocket Watch Skeleton 18K Yellow Gold Manual 42mm
By Audemars Piguet
Located in New York, NY
A Masterclass In Horological Art Before the Royal Oak, Audemars Piguet built its reputation on producing some of the most refined and technically complex dress watches in the world....
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Audemars Piguet Vintage Onyx and Diamond Wristwatch in Yellow Gold
By Audemars Piguet
Located in New York, NY
This one-of-a-kind vintage wristwatch by Audemars Piguet features a 33x23mm case that frames a black onyx dial adorned with diamonds. Its minimalist design, free of numerals, highlig...
Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s Audemars Piguet Cobra 18k Gold Diamond Dial Manual 26mm
By Audemars Piguet
Located in New York, NY
The Other Side Of Audemars Piguet Before the Royal Oak, Audemars Piguet built its reputation on elegant and complex dress watches that blurred the line between horology and high jew...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Audemars Piguet Octagonal 18K YG Diamond Dial Manual 30mm
By Audemars Piguet
Located in New York, NY
A Different Side Of Audemars Piguet Before the Royal Oak became the brand's defining model, Audemars Piguet was a master of the classic precious metal dress watch. This octagonal pi...
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$45,600
W 1.05 in L 1.15 in
Vintage 1970s Audemars Piguet Cobra 4239BA 18K YG Diamond Pavé Manual 26 mm
Located in New York, NY
Full pavé, no restraint intended This Audemars Piguet Cobra comes from the late 1970s, when the brand was pushing hard into jewelry-forward design with absolute confidence. Fully ex...
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Audemars Piguet Cobra 18K YG Diamond Sapphire Dial Manual 31mm
By Audemars Piguet
Located in New York, NY
A Sun Etched Under Pave The dial is the reason this watch exists. Audemars Piguet etched a sun pattern radiating out from the center and then set it with pave diamonds, so light doe...
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1990s Audemars Piguet Cobra 5403 18K YG Champagne Diamond Dial Auto 35mm
By Audemars Piguet
Located in New York, NY
The Art Of The Integrated Form Before the Royal Oak became the face of Audemars Piguet, the brand was a master of the integrated dress watch. The Cobra Ref. 5403 is a prime example ...
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Audemars Piguet Skeleton Pocket Watch 18K Yellow Gold Manual 42mm
By Audemars Piguet
Located in New York, NY
An Exhibition Of Pure Craft Before the Royal Oak, Audemars Piguet built its legacy on high-complication and dress watches of the highest order. This skeletonized pocket watch from the 1970s is a definitive statement of that heritage. It represents a form of watchmaking where the movement itself is the dial, and the artistry of the engraver is the main event. Pieces like this were created in exceptionally small numbers, showcasing the pinnacle of the manufacture's hand-finishing capabilities for its most discerning clients. A Rare And Elevated Specification This is not a standard execution. While any AP skeleton watch...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Audemars Piguet Dress 18K YG Champagne Dial Quartz 34mm
By Audemars Piguet
Located in New York, NY
A Different Side Of The Holy Trinity Before the Royal Oak became the defining face of the brand, Audemars Piguet built its legacy on crafting some of the world's finest dress watche...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
The timepiece features a pink dial to celebrate the arrival of a baby girl
As the watch world celebrates one of fine timekeeping’s most disruptive designs, AP archivist Sébastian Vivas tells tales from the piece’s storied history.
