About Audemars Piguet Mechanical and Hand-wound Watches
~A top-class watch brand that lives up to its name as one of the world's three great watches~
Audemars Piguet is considered one of the three great watch makers in the world, alongside Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe.
This is a watch that is coveted by watch enthusiasts.
These are the world's most expensive watches, far beyond the reach of beginners, and it is not uncommon for prices to exceed 10 million yen.
Even the entry-level model is a heavenly watch that costs at least 2 million yen.
This is because Audemars Piguet has been practicing "making ultra-precise watches" since its founding.
Making ultra-precise watches requires more than just machines, so many parts are done by hand, making it a brand that is true to its artisan spirit.
As a result, fewer than 4,000 bottles are produced per year, so they are rarely distributed on the market, and it is a brand that is rarely seen even in Japan, unless you go to a store in a large city.
The reason why they capture the hearts of watch enthusiasts is that almost all models are equipped with complex mechanisms such as tourbillons, perpetual calendars, and moon phases.
You will be drawn into the elaborate worldview.
When it comes to watches of this class, owning one carries great status.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Michael Schumacher are also Audemars Piguet fans, and Arnold Schwarzenegger announced a collaboration with the film Terminator 3, in which he starred.
Schumacher also serves as an ambassador for the brand.
This worldview is maintained precisely because it is set apart from mainstream society.
Audemars Piguet is one of the few brands that has remained in the hands of the founding family, and while other brands have fallen under the umbrella of Swatch, Richemont, and LVMH,
The company is managed without being under the umbrella of any other company.
Audemars Piguet's masterpiece is undoubtedly the Royal Oak.
The world's first stainless steel sports watch collection took the world by storm when it was launched in 1972, and made its mark in history.
Now, let's take a look at the history of this watch brand, which bears the name of one of the world's three greatest watches and is always ahead of its time.
■ History
The brand was founded in 1875 in Le Brassus, also in the Swiss Jura Mountains.
Jules-Louis Audemars and Edouard-Auguste Piguet joined forces to found a precision movement manufacturing company.
From there, the brand gradually began producing its own watches, which marked the early days of the brand.
The brand name is taken from its founders, Jules-Louis "Audemars" and Edouard-Auguste "Piguet".
This is something that Vacheron Constantin's Jean-Marc "Vacheron" and François "Constantin" have in common.
In 1928, the company began manufacturing wristwatches, taking advantage of the shift from the era of pocket watches to the era of wristwatches.
By the 1930s, the company had already developed advanced technologies such as jumping hours and minute repeaters.
From the 1940s to the 1960s, in line with the trends of the times, the company produced some of the thinnest, most complicated watches in the world, which became extremely popular.
At the time, brands such as Piaget (which is still one of the brands that is working day and night to develop thin watches with complicated mechanisms) were also releasing thin watches.
They have competed fiercely in the market and made their mark on the brand.
One of Audemars Piguet's guiding principles is "Be Bold."
The Royal Oak, introduced earlier, embodies this philosophy.
The year 1972 was a time when the quartz shock caused by the quartz mechanism developed by Seiko was causing a storm throughout the Swiss watch industry.
The Royal Oak, which was released in this context, overturned the conventional concept of luxury watches, including those of Audemars Piguet itself, which had previously been studded with precious metals.
This watch was created by the famous watch designer Gerald Genta in just one day.
It is said that the design was created with the theme of "a tribute to steel, and sporty luxury."
These types of watches may not be so unusual these days, but there are some with bezels that resemble ship's portholes,
The bracelet, which was integrated into the case, was also an extremely innovative and "bold" design at the time.
This masterpiece remains the most popular in our collection to this day.
■Collection
1. Royal Oak
Since the introduction is repetitive, I will omit some parts.
This model was released in 1972 and is now Audemars Piguet's signature model.
This watch features an octagonal bezel and case, and eight screws running from the bezel to the case back.
Some people just starting to learn about watches might mistake it for a Hublot Big Bang because of the screws that attach the case.
It's easy to tell the difference because the Hublot is round and the Royal Oak is octagonal.
The concept is sporty luxury, so the stainless steel case is extremely sturdy.
Derivative models such as the "Royal Oak Chronograph" with a chronograph function and the "Royal Oak Offshore" with a chronograph function and improved magnetic resistance and water resistance are just as popular as the Royal Oak.
The price for a parallel import is around 1.8 million yen, so it is probably a bit out of reach for most people.
2. Tradition
The Tradition collection was produced in the 1920s.
The motif is Audemars Piguet's outstanding pocket watch, and the model is characterized by its classic and retro shape.
The Tradition Collection is currently a rare series within Audemars Piguet's collections, and as of 2016 it appears to be a collection that has not been released.
It is basically designed with two needles with no unnecessary features.
The price is higher than the Royal Oak, costing 2.5 million yen.
3 Millenary
The Millenary is characterised by its oval case.
Millenary, which means "1000 years," is a collection created in 1999 inspired by the Colosseum, an ancient Roman building.
Audemars Piguet's development department is also famous for having Japanese watchmaker Naohiro Hamaguchi as the head of movement design.
Some Millenary models are equipped with the new automatic winding model "Millenary 4101" developed by him.
The movement is installed upside down so that it can be seen from the front of the dial.
The watches he designs are all models priced at over 10 million yen...
4. Jules Audemars
The "Jules Audemars" model is named after Jules-Louis Audemars, one of the founders of Audemars Piguet.
This is Audemars Piguet's signature round watch collection, and is characterized by its wide range of models, from exquisite two-hand models that combine beauty and functionality, to complex complication models that bring together Audemars Piguet's technology.
Many of these models are adorned with precious metals, which is typical of luxury watch brands.
5. Classic
This collection is dedicated to pocket watches.
The predecessor of the wristwatch is the pocket watch.
As the name suggests, this collection embodies the most old-fashioned style.
■Finally
Like Rolex, Audemars Piguet is a brand whose second-hand products often fetch high prices.
When buying a second-hand product, we recommend that you always inspect the item in person and have it diagnosed by a professional appraiser before purchasing.
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