Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Audemars Piguet Holding SA
AP Talks - Origins / AUDEMARS PIGUET
AP Talks welcomes Olivier Audemars, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and great-grandson of one of our founders. Joining him, Ilaria Resta, CEO, Sebastian Vivas, Heritage and Museum Director, and Christoph Guhl, Guide, share their view of Audemars Piguet’s enduring commitment to people and craftsmanship since 1875 and reflect on how traditional watchmaking values continue to shape the identity of our Manufacture.
00:00 Introduction
00:26 Chapter 1: The pionners
04:02 Chapter 2: Life in the valley
05:42 Chapter 3: The savoir-faire
#AudemarsPiguet #AP150 #APTalks
Transcript (2 segments)
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Narrator0:02
150 years ago, deep in the Vallée de Joux, a story was set in motion. In a world on the edge of transformation, two men, driven by passion and precision, laid the first stones of what would become a revered legacy in the art of crafting time.
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Olivier Audemars0:28
If we go back to the beginning, the Piguet family was among the first to settle in the Vallée de Joux. The Audemars came after the war of religion in France. My grandfather told me stories about his father, who was a co-founder and friend of Jules Audemars. They were both watchmakers passionate about complicated watches. At a time when Americans were industrializing watch production, they wanted to continue making watches by hand to express human skills. So, 150 years ago, they established Audemars Piguet with a tradition of independence, community, and collaboration. Living in the Vallée de Joux, with its harsh winters and limited resources, fostered creativity and watchmaking. The long winters gave people time to develop skills, leading to the industry's birth. I first came here as a child and felt at home in this beautiful nature. Transmission of knowledge is essential—taking what's good from the past and passing it to the future. Savoir-faire is at our history's heart. The etablissage system of interconnected workshops made complicated watches possible through collaboration. Celebrating our 150th anniversary is emotional. We've survived wars, economic crises, and quartz. As an independent family company, we feel responsibility to innovate and push boundaries while honoring our partners and heritage.