BAZAAR

AUDEMARS PIGUETIt was 1875, in the idyllic villageof Le Brassus, Switzerland, when twofriends, Jules Louis Audemars and Edward AugustePiguet, decided to build on their love and skill for watchmaking,and founded what has come to be one of the most respected andinnovative watch brands in the world.Within a few years of the company’s inception, the duo had successfullyestablished themselves as pioneers in the industry, creating a steady stream ofworld-irst launches, both in terms of record-breaking extra-thin models and theminiaturisation of complex mechanisms.The irst was a Repeater wristwatch in 1892, which would audibly chime the time atthe press of a button—a feat in an era when electricity was scarce—followed by the world’sthinnest pocket-watch caliber in 1921, measuring at just 1.32 mm.However, global politics soon had an impact on the world of haute horology, and in 1932 thecompany created only two pocket watches. Explains Jonathan King, chief executive ocer ofSouth East Asia: “It meant two world wars, the Great Depression, the almost overnight switchfrom pocket watches to wristwatches, and surviving the quartz crisis of the ’60s and ’70s,which brought the Swiss watch industry to its knees.”In 1971, designer Gerald Genta was tasked with designing a sports watch for alloccasions. Within 24 hours, Genta conceptualised what has come to beone of the world’s most recognisable watches: The Royal Oak.The timepiece, inspired by a traditional diver’s helmetwith its octagonal bezel and hexagonal gold screws,caused a stir amongst collectors when it waseventually launched in 1972 for its heftyprice tag of 3,300 Swiss Francs.Although it took more thana year for the Houseto sell the``````irst 1,000 pieces,the allure and quality of thedesign eventually could not be negated,and today it stands as the brand’s best-sellingmodels, spawning many variations, including newtechnical solutions and complications, and featuringprecious metals, as well as leather and rubber straps.Today, the brand has six collections. There’s, of course,the Royal Oak and Royal Oak Ofshore, released in 1993 asa sportier example of its forerunner with its oversized case. In 1995,the brand launched Millinary, distinctive for its oval shape andthree-dimensional movements that created speciically created for it.The brand also ofers the Jules Audemars, a tribute to its founder,Tradition watches, a recreation of some of the House’s mostemblematic creations, and Classic Pocket Watches, as a reminderof the past. “People may look to Audemars Piguet and seethe Royal Oak, but they forget that there was 103 yearsbefore, which we had illed with beautiful things, andwe want to remind people of that,” adds King.As for what’s next for the House, onlytime will tell. ■Tracing^the^ venerable^ history^ of^O``````NCEUPON^ A^ TIMEluxurywatchmakers^ Audemars Piguet``````By Sitara MulchandaniSEE WHERE TO BUY FOR DETAILS``````(Clockwise from top)Audemars Piguet Royal OakConcept Supersonnerie;Miniature Minute RepeaterPendant Watch from theHeritage Collection, inv. 1437;details of the chimingtechnology of the Royal OakSupersonnerie; Jules LouisAudemars and EdwardAuguste Piguet. All pricesupon request.