Story of Audemars Piguet Movements

In 2018, Audemars Piguet launched a number of complicated watches to maintain the brand’s consistent watchmaking style. Among them, the highly-recognized Royal Oak ultra-thin perpetual calendar watch, lasting for 5 years to create, it was another representative of the soil in the field of watchmaking.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Series RD 2 Ultra-thin Perpetual Calendar Watch

The case thickness is only 6.30 mm, making it the world’s slimmest self-winding perpetual calendar watch and breaking the latest record set by Audemars Piguet. In the R&D and manufacturing phases, the biggest challenge is to redesign the original three-layer movement into a single-layer structure that achieves ultra-thin dimensions while incorporating and reorganizing functions to enhance the comfort, performance and durability of the ergonomic design. Another perpetual calendar watch launched in 2018 is equipped with the Caliber 5134 self-winding movement. Unlike the ultra-thin perpetual calendar, this movement may be more aesthetically pleasing in thickness.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Series Perpetual Calendar Watch with Caliber 5134 self-winding movement

The creation and development of each complex function is a huge challenge for watchmakers. They must overthrow their previous achievements and start over again. The process is much harder than we think.

Audemars Piguet designer is drawing sketches

In fact, in addition to the technical problems to be overcome, the birth of each Audemars Piguet timepiece requires the designer’s creative and unconstrained design. Those seemingly impossible designs finally presented to us is each pieces of art artifacts. Audemars Piguet adheres to the development of mechanical movements and complex functions, and incorporates artistic design on this basis. The perfect blend of technology and art, in 2018, Audemars Piguet’s complex series also brought us many surprises.

Superb: The Perfect Blend of Skills and Art

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Skeleton Watch

Real Shot of Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Skeleton Watch Detail

The new Royal Oak double balance wheel hollow watch combines aesthetic design, precision performance and balanced shape. The patented double balance device requires a complex process to improve accuracy and stability while allowing the internal movement to pulsate from both sides of the case.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Series Floating Tourbillon Wristwatch

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Series Floating Tourbillon Timepiece

The unique aesthetic design is reminiscent of the beautiful winter scenery of the valley. The white gold dial is inlaid with a pyramidal cone-faced diamond, and the white lacquer finish is used to exude a radiant glow. The hollowed-out barrel is like a “snowflake” and it perfectly echoes with the “snow diamond” embedded in the floating tourbillon escapement system. Combining technology into the design of the watch, Audemars Piguet turned each timepiece into a work of art.
The beginning of everything stems from the cooperation of two master watchmakers 143 years ago, and now Audemars Piguet still adheres to the love of mechanical watchmaking. Whether it is the development of complex functions or the insistence on mechanical watchmaking, Audemars Piguet will always bring us unlimited surprises and creations.

In the watch industry, the definition of “advanced watchmaking” is not clearly identifiable. It seems that this concept comes from people’s conventions, and no one has a clear explanation for advanced watchmaking. Watchmaking history, movement, complex functions… Which elements are really convincing for measuring premium watch brands? Audemars Piguet, the prestigious watchmaking brand, what makes it be in this position? Today, follow me to explore the story behind Audemars Piguet.

Long Time: A Long History of Watchmaking

Early Audemars Piguet Factory

Early Audemars Piguet craftsman is working on watchmaking

Audemars Piguet, born in the heart of the valley with the melody of the complex watch movement. In 1875, Audemars Piguet began the brand’s road to watchmaking. To this day, as the world’s only high-end watchmaking brand still managed by the founding family, Audemars Piguet’s watchmaking craft has passed through generations and has become the essence of Audemars Piguet’s watchmaking philosophy.

Modern Audemars Pioneer Watch Factory

Modern Audemars Piguet watchmakers are working on watchmaking

Audemars Piguet Founder & Founding Family First Generation: Jules Louis Audemars / Edward Auguste Piguet

Two watchmakers Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet, also from the valley, founded Audemars Piguet. Since the brand was founded, timekeeping devices, chronograph and astronomical complex functions have always been the specialty of Audemars Piguet. Between 1882 and 1892, Audemars Piguet produced about 1,500 timepieces. Audemars Piguet’s historical books show that more than 80% of timepieces have at least one complex function, some of which have multiple complex functions.

Inheritance: Traceable Process Development

In 1892, Audemars Piguet developed the world’s first Minute Repeater timepiece

Most of Audemars Piguet’s historical models have complex functions.

(Some of the ultra-complex function timepieces developed by Audemars Piguet from 1899 to 1986)

The complex function of Audemars Piguet not only shows the beauty of Audemars Piguet’s craftsmanship, but also reflects the brand’s exquisite watchmaking skills. The complex function is Audemars Piguet’s core research and development concept. In 1892, Audemars Piguet created the world’s first Minute Repeater timepiece; In 1899, the first pocket watch named “Universelle” was born, which has many complicated functions including double-second chronograph, instantaneous jump second hand and straight-in second hand, big self-sounding, minute repeater time, alarm, perpetual calendar, etc; In 1955, Audemars Piguet established a leap year on the perpetual calendar for the first time; In 1986, the first self-winding tourbillon watch developed by Audemars Piguet was born…

Adhere to: Research and Development of Mechanical Movements and Complex Functions

Audemars Piguet Caliber 2885 automatic self-produced movement

The birth of each of Audemars Piguet’s ultra-complex timepieces means the breakthrough and development of Audemars Piguet’s watchmaking process. Looking back at Audemars Piguet’s watchmaking, the Caliber 2885 self-winding self-produced movement is the pinnacle of Audemars Piguet containing up to 648 parts, and it is completed by a watchmaker independently, which take more than 700 hours one the adjustment and assembly.

Audemars Piguet Caliber 2885 self-winding self-produced movement exploded view

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Complex with Caliber 2885 self-winding movement

In addition to this Caliber 2885 self-winding movement, the Caliber 2959 self-winding movement also reflects Audemars Piguet’s superb watchmaking craftsmanship. The new Royal Oak super-timer minute repeater watch launched in 2018 is equipped with this movement.