Audemars Piguet

Our group was hosted by Sebastian Vivas, Museum Director, and Michael Friedman, AP Historian and Global Ambassador.  The first thing Sebastian wanted to show us were the original books which go back all the way to 1875, when Audemars Piguet was founded.  Since this time, every piece ever manufactured by AP has been logged into these books.

Perpetual Calendar pocket watch:

Split seconds pocket watch:

Here is a triple calendar moonphase watch from 1941.  This piece was recently acquired by AP.

I could definitely get used to this

Very cool calendar with moonphase watch:

Quite an assortment here:

This perpetual calendar is extremely rare.  It was the first from AP to include the leap year indication, and it was produced in 1957:

A more recent skeletal pocket watch:

Here is an amazing surprise.  This Grande Sonnerie pocket watch was made in collaboration with none other than Philippe Dufour some 30 years ago.  5 pieces were produced.

One of the most breathtaking movements I have ever seen.

Another interesting jewelry piece:

And more pocket watches.  The metal work on these cases is nothing short of amazing.

And the movements are pretty well finished too ;-)

Oh yah... I teased this photo a little while ago.  Have you guessed what is inside this very cool AP box??

How about the 125th Anniversary Grande Sonnerie Cane Watch!  Limited to 1 piece... this one...

And credit to my very good friend Howard Parr for this photo.  We were in a tight space and I was unable to get in close.  Absolutely stunning.

And some more exceptional APs.  Here is the 20th Anniversary Royal Oak piece, with an engraved Royal Oak in the Royal Oak!

The first Royal Oak Concept Watch.  I have held this one before and it is even more amazing the second time around.  I can only imagine how much joy this piece brings to owners.

Stunning perpetual calendar Royal Oak:

Some very cool and unique AP watch boxes on display:

Check out this clock:

All sorts of winding keys and box keys:

All parts in the workshop are fabricated by hand.  Here we see a drawing for a new minute repeater gong.

Forming the shape:

And testing the tone.  This piece is continually filed and worked until the proper pitch and length are achieved. If the watchmaker goes too far with this process, the piece must be discarded and started all over.

Tools of the trade:

This small torch is as vintage as anything else in the department, and it is still used in heating metals.

And a rather famous image from the Restoration Workshop.  Boxes and boxes of old parts and partially finished watches, many with hand written notes from Jules Audemars and Edward Piguet.

You get chills when Francisco reads these notes aloud.

It is somewhat difficult to find the words to describe the emotions and feelings of standing inside this room.  This space is Audemars Piguet.  It is where the very founders worked on their projects, and countless exceptional watchmakers since.  I remember visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown as a child.  It was a magical experience.  Visiting AP's Restoration Workshop as an adult evokes the same feelings for me.  If you are truly passionate about watchmaking - the designs, the craft, the extraordinary attention to detail - you can be nothing short of awed by this experience.

I would like to offer my sincerest thanks to Sebastian Vivas, Michael Friedman, and Francisco Pasandin.  These gentlemen are very much the modern heartbeat of Audemars Piguet.

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