Swiss and German houses · Founded 1875
Audemars Piguet History
Audemars Piguet was founded in 1875 by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet in Le Brassus, in Switzerland's Vallée de Joux. In 1972 it launched the Royal Oak, the first luxury sports watch made of steel.
Key facts
| Founded | 1875 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet |
| Where | Le Brassus, Vallée de Joux, Switzerland |
| Famous watch | Royal Oak (1972), designed by Gérald Genta |
| Ownership | Still controlled by the founding families |
Two friends in the valley
Audemars and Piguet were childhood friends from the Vallée de Joux, a remote, snowy valley full of skilled watchmakers. They specialized in complicated movements, chronographs, minute repeaters and calendars, often supplying other brands.
A steel watch for the price of gold
In the early 1970s cheap quartz watches were threatening Swiss makers. Audemars Piguet asked designer Gérald Genta for something radical, and legend says he sketched it overnight: an octagonal bezel with eight visible screws, inspired by a diver's helmet, on an integrated steel bracelet. The Royal Oak (1972) cost more than many gold watches, which people thought was absurd for steel. It became one of the most influential watch designs ever and created the "luxury sports watch". The company is still owned by the founding families.
Read more: Who invented the watch? 50 inventions · the full story of the watchmakers
Questions people ask
Who designed the Royal Oak?
Gérald Genta, in 1972. He later designed the Patek Philippe Nautilus.
Is Audemars Piguet family-owned?
Yes. It's still controlled by the Audemars and Piguet families.
Sources
Last updated October 18, 2026. Found an error? Tell us.