They might sometimes be overshadowed by their more technical brethren, but watchmaking historians and archivists are responsible for much of what we appreciate about the field. An occasion such as a 150th anniversary is a time for such experts to shine—and, as it happens, Audemars Piguet did exactly that last year, celebrating its founding in 1875.
“It has been a very intense and fruitful year,” says Sébastian Vivas, the manufacture’s Museum and Heritage Director. “I’m really happy about everything that happened because, in terms of heritage, we could develop new content. We could dig further and deeper into the archives to better understand the history of the company.”
One of the most intriguing stories he uncovered was that of Suzanne Audemars, a near-unmentioned figure until now. A resident of the sometimes-harsh Vallée de Joux region of Switzerland, which would become the birthplace of Audemars Piguet, she lost three children and her husband within a few weeks during the winter of 1791–1792. An evidently determined character, she ensured that her three surviving children learned a trade—watchmaking—thereby unwittingly setting in motion the dynasty that would form part of the company’s founding.
“We never really understood how important she was,” Vivas says. “She represents the resilience, the strong character, and the sense of innovation and independence that the Vallée de Joux still embodies today.” This story is among others featured on the brand’s AP Chronicles website, which includes two retrospective articles published this year by Vivas and his team—an exhaustive history of the manufacture and the circumstances leading up to its founding.
In terms of product, Vivas notes that the manufacture released two revolutionary takes on two important complications: the perpetual calendar Calibre 7138, which tackled the simple yet mechanically monumental task of reinventing the complication to be operated solely by the crown instead of requiring pushers; and the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph RD#5, which packs an incredible number of features into a very compact profile, along with a new movement architecture that allows chronograph pushers to require a much lighter touch and far less travel than conventional mechanisms.
“The perpetual calendar and the chronograph are two big achievements in two main classical complications,” Vivas says. “I think it makes this year really meaningful, and we are all very satisfied with what happened.”
A more hands-on experience was implemented twice in 2025, in exhibition format. The first opened in May in Shanghai, while a similar concept was created for Dubai Watch Week in November. The latter was an ambitious freestanding pavilion housing a multi-room gallery—a one-stop shop for anyone wanting to know more about the brand, from its roots in the Vallée de Joux to the basic principles of watchmaking, and all the way to the finer points of the manufacture’s latest cutting-edge releases.
Vivas notes that although the exhibition was designed to appeal to experienced watch collectors—as one tends to find in Dubai—it was also meant to draw in a less knowledgeable general public, as he observed in Shanghai, and to bring the magic of watchmaking to all. “We showed that the company could be open to the wider public and share the culture of watchmaking, and not only the history of Audemars Piguet. That was our objective,” he explains.
Another project aimed at this goal was the book published in October. Titled The Watch—Stories and Savoir Faire, it was a massive undertaking headed by Vivas that involved a dozen writers, more than 40 expert contributors, and nearly 600 pages in the final count. More than a history of the company, it is also a complete manual of watchmaking in general and of all those who have contributed to the craft.
“It’s the book I would have liked to have received when I started to be interested in watchmaking,” Vivas says. “All these questions that we ask ourselves every day, by looking at what we do but also what others do. We found a way to share that culture with a larger audience. And, for me, that’s the achievement—not only of Audemars Piguet, but a celebration of watchmaking in general.”
“We feel responsible for sharing this culture, and we don’t take anything for granted,” Vivas adds. “We think that nobody knows everything about watchmaking—because we don’t know everything.” Although not a watchmaker, Vivas has worked in the industry for 25 years. “And I’m learning every day, and I think anyone interested in this field will learn every day. Because there’s so much to learn. That’s why we want to share.”
