Born in Le Brassus
It is in the heart of the Vallée de Joux, a region that beats to the tune of complicated watch mechanisms, that everything started for Audemars Piguet in 1875.
THE VALLÉE DE JOUX, CENTRE OF COMPLICATED WATCHES
The Vallée de Joux, birthplace of Audemars Piguet and one of the centres of high-end Swiss watchmaking, is an awe-inspiring region nestled in the Jura Mountains, north of Geneva.
The region’s natural resources—specifically the forests, water, ice and rocks from which iron ore could be extracted—provided the means for the watch industry to evolve and thrive.
To this very day, the raw nature of this rugged region with vibrant views of the clear night sky, has served as inspiration for watchmakers.
Watch mechanisms are indeed representations of the passage of time as dictated by astronomy and nature has always inspired the development of time measurement devices.
WHERE FARMERS MASTERED THE UNYIELDING ENVIRONMENT
It all started towards the end of the 18th century in the Vallée de Joux, when farmers began dedicating their workday to horological craftsmanship during long winter months in the light-filled rooms at the top of their farmhouses. They transformed their agrarian dwellings into high quality ateliers for the production of watch parts such as wheels, bridges, springs, semi-precious stones, pinions and all manner of specialist part production and assembly. This tightly knit network of family artisanship that developed in the region gave birth to some of the most complicated mechanisms ever produced.
Discover the history, the movements, the entire collection, any discount coupons by visiting the brand’s website
Headquarters Location: Switzerland
Type of Movements Used: Automatic, Hand Wound, Quartz
Pricing Range: €€€€ (26k-250k)
