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.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 26331ST SS Blue Dial Auto Men's Watch 41mm
By Audemars Piguet
Located in Miami, FL
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 26331ST Stainless Steel Blue Dial Automatic Men's Watch. Fits a wrist measuring approximately 7 inches. Original box and papers are not included.
Stainless Steel
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470ST SS Blue Arabic Dial Auto Men's 42mm
By Audemars Piguet
Located in Miami, FL
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470ST Stainless Steel Blue Arabic Dial Automatic Men's Watch. Fits a wrist measuring approximately 7.75 inches. Original box and papers are not i...
Stainless Steel
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 26365IS Titanium Blue Arabic Dial Auto Men's 42mm
By Audemars Piguet
Located in Miami, FL
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 26365IS Titanium Blue Arabic Dial Automatic Men's Watch, 2019. Fits a wrist measuring approximately 7.5 inches. Includes original box and papers.
Titanium
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 25721SA SS Blue Index Dial Auto Men's Watch 42mm
By Audemars Piguet
Located in Miami, FL
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 25721SA Stainless Steel Blue Index Dial Automatic Men's Watch. Fits a wrist measuring approximately 8 inches. Original box and papers are not included.
Stainless Steel
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15000ST.OO.0789ST.06 SS Blue Stick Dial Auto 33mm
By Audemars Piguet
Located in Miami, FL
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15000ST.OO.0789ST.06 Stainless Steel Blue Stick Dial Automatic Unisex Watch. Fits a wrist measuring approximately 6.5 inches. Original box and papers are no...
Stainless Steel
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15710ST SS Blue Index Dial Auto Men's Watch 42mm
By Audemars Piguet
Located in Miami, FL
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15710ST Stainless Steel Blue Index Dial Automatic Men's Watch, 2020. Fits a wrist measuring approximately 8.5 inches. Includes original papers; box is not i...
Stainless Steel
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 25860IS Stainless Steel IKB Blue Dial Auto 39mm
By Audemars Piguet
Located in New York, NY
A Foundational Design In A Rare Color The Royal Oak is the watch that created the luxury sports category. Its chronograph form, often nicknamed the "Kasparov," is considered by many...
Steel, Stainless Steel
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Extra Thin Blue Dial Unworn
By Audemars Piguet
Located in Mayfair, London, London
An unworn NOS 39mm stainless steel Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin by Audemars Piguet 15202ST.OO.0944ST.02. This model is an earlier version of the 15202ST'...
Stainless Steel
Audemars Piguet 37mm Royal Oak Blue & Steel 15451ST.ZZ.1256ST.03 Complete
By Audemars Piguet
Located in New York, NY
Truly NEW Audemars Piguet 37mm Royal Oak Blue & Steel 15451ST.ZZ.1256ST.03 Complete with original box and original papers. Silver-tone stainless steel case with a silver-tone stainless steel bracelet. 8 screws fixed silver-tone diamond set bezel. Blue with grande tapisserie pattern dial with silver-tone hands and index hour markers. Minute markers around the outer rim. Dial Type: Analog. Luminescent hands and markers. Date display at the 3 o'clock position. Audemars Piguet Calibre 3120 Automatic movement, containing 40 Jewels, composed of 280 parts, bitting at 21600 vph, and has a power reserve of approximately 60 hours. Scratch resistant sapphire crystal. Screw down crown. Transparent case back. Octagon case shape, case size: 37 mm, case thickness: 9.8 mm. Ap folding clasp. Water resistant at 50 meters / 165 feet. Functions: date, hour, minute, second. Luxury watch style. Watch label: Swiss Made. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Automatic...
Steel
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Boutique Edition Blue Dial 77351ST.ZZ.1261ST.01
By Audemars Piguet
Located in Mayfair, London, London
stunning unworn 34mm Royal Oak, crafted from stainless steel by Audemars Piguet. Featuring a blue dial with grande tapisserie pattern and a date display. Complimenting the dial is a stainless steel fixed bezel with Audemars Piguets iconic 8 screw design, and is set with 40 round brilliant diamonds weighing at ~0.71ct. Fitted with a glareproofed sapphire crystal and powered by a self-winding automatic movement, which is visible though the exhibition case back. This watch is presented on a stainless steel bracelet with a concealed AP folding clasp. Limited to only Audemars Piguet boutique stores, this timepiece comes complete with a Audemars Piguet box...
Diamond, Stainless Steel
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Wristwatch in Stainless Steel
By Audemars Piguet
Located in New York, NY
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Model Ref. 25860ST.OO.1110ST.01 Case: 39mm Stainless Steel Case with fixed stainless steel ...
Stainless Steel
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 38 Steel Silver Dial 26315ST.OO.1256ST.01
By Audemars Piguet
Located in New York, NY
Introducing the stunning Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 38 wristwatch, a true masterpiece of luxury and precision. Crafted with a solid stainless steel caseback and bracelet, ...
Stainless Steel
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.
