The Past, Present and Future of Audemars Piguet

In 1972, the world of haute horlogerie was rocked by the release of the first Royal Oak, the first-ever luxury sports watch in stainless steel. Nearly half a century later, Audemars Piguet’s piece de resistance has become the ultimate cult watch among horologists and collectors, who have fallen head over heels for its angular aesthetic, distinctive guilloché tapisserie dial and octagonal bezel held by eight hexagonal screws. These exact sentiments are shared by Michael Friedman, who, in 2013, decided to sign on as the brand’s official historian after being approached by its charismatic CEO, François-Henry Bennahmias.

Michael Friedman, Brand Historian, Audemars Piguet

“My role at Audemars Piguet is to weave together the manufacture’s past and present. This involves studying the archives as well as viewing the historical watches that were produced in the past, while also absorbing the various lessons learned by these watchmakers and experts to be applied to where we are today. If you were to ask me about my typical work day, I would describe it as being atypical – but it always involves passionate and talented individuals as well as fascinating and creative watches. There are days when I may begin by looking at watches from the late 19th century before moving on to studying the various prototypes that will be released next year. I feel fortunate to be able to work with so many interesting and talented people within the company as well as the industry.

“I have always been a huge fan of Audemars Piguet watches and have even acquired a few pieces for my own personal collection,” says Friedman, revealing a Royal Oak Reference 5402 sitting comfortably on his wrist and explaining in vivid detail the historical significance of this very special timepiece. “This was the first Royal Oak designed by the legendary watch designer, Gérald Genta. It also has a 39mm case which, back then, was considered to be very large for a watch and this is why it was nicknamed ‘The Jumbo’.”

“The watch I’m wearing is about 45 years old but very well preserved because of the finishing technique that was used,” he explains, adding that most steel watches from that era or even earlier were either moulded or machined, but the 5402 was handcut and hand-finished, which was very unconventional for a stainless steel watch at the time. “And that is what has made all the difference,” he says with a grin.

While there’s certainly no denying the astounding success of the Royal Oak, Friedman is quick to bring up the many other astounding timepieces created by Audemars Piguet in the past. “Even during the 1910s and the Art Deco period of the 1920s, they were already producing timepieces that combined different materials, utilised different shapes and had stylised dial designs that were very distinctive from the other brands.”

A black and white photo of the Audemars Piguet manufacture in Le Brassus in 1907.

For Friedman, this can also be attributed to the location of the manufacture in Le Brassus, a remote village in the Vallée de Joux with a longstanding tradition of watchmaking that dates back to nearly two centuries. “At the time, the people working at the manufacture were not influenced by trends found in other major cities, which meant that the artisans had more power over the design and creation of these watches. Even to this day, some of the best ideas have and are still being generated in the workshops, not from boardrooms and executives. A good example of this is the Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked from 2016, which was designed, developed and created by the watchmakers.

“As a collector, I know from first-hand experience just how rare these watches can be. In one of my earlier discoveries, we learned that the reference numbers were only introduced in 1951 – so any watch released before that year is a single unique piece with absolutely no duplicates. This has also been confirmed by the Museum Director at Audemars Piguet, Sebastian Vivas.” As Friedman explains, such discoveries are not only important to the history of the company but also watch collectors, which is why the heritage department at Audemars Piguet makes a point to disclose and share all the information gained from these discoveries as soon as possible.

“The manufacture was founded in 1875, while our archive records date to only 1882 and this is sequential all the way until today. This includes numerous archival materials: original photographs, drawings, sketches and notes from the creators behind each timepiece. If the watchmakers had more time on their hands, they would even include extensive details such as the type of numerals, different colours utilised on the dial, the shape of the hands and so forth.”

According to Friedman, it was sometime during the 1920s that the manufacture began using cameras to document the watches that were being produced. “Thanks to these images, we can find out if a vintage Audemars Piguet watch sent to us has been restored by a third party and even use these images to restore it to its original glory. We are also willing to share these sketches and photographs, which can be found in watch catalogues from major auction houses such as Christie’s or Sotheby’s. This also helps in boosting confidence among the collectors who are bidding on these watches.”

An advertisement for the first Royal Oak that was created by Audemars Piguet in 1972.

As for his advice on buying a vintage Audemars Piguet timepiece, Friedman says that the main thing to keep in mind is how rare these timepieces can really be. “What most people aren’t aware about Audemars Piguet is that there were lots of unique pieces made in very small batches. We currently make about 40,000 pieces a year but, for most of the company’s history, we were only making less than a thousand a year and that number decreases with every decade before that. We only arrived at the 5,000 mark during the 1970s.

“So, once you do find a piece that interests you, whether at an auction or a shop on the street where you live, the most important thing to do is to photograph the watch and get the serial number before contacting our heritage department. That way, we can conduct the research for you by verifying the watch using the serial number, looking through our records and determining what the details should look like. Our top collectors will usually request for a full analysis, where the watch will be sent to Le Brassus so that our top watchmakers at the restoration workshop can disassemble the model and we can study the individual parts.”

Audemars Piguet will officially launch the newest extension of its existing museum in Le Brassus. Dubbed Maison des Fondateurs (Home of the Founders), the museum imagined by Danish architectural firm Bjarke Ingels Group will house themed exhibitions as well as a space for watchmaking workshops and other presentation facilities.

According to Friedman, being able to cater to such requests is what makes Audemars Piguet especially popular among entrepreneurial minded individuals: “It’s a company where, if you’re too conventional, you won’t fit in. It is a company where you not only work hard, but also enjoy the work that you’re doing. I think this holds true not just for myself but also for the many people who are involved in this company. Life and work very much blend together, and many of my closest friends are people from the industry, some of whom are within the company that I’ve known for over half my life now. That, to me, is a very lucky aspect of being in this business.”

PHOTOGRAPHY JASON LEE & AUDEMARS PIGUET