Audemars Piguet is a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer founded in 1875 by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet in Le Brassus, in the Vallee de Joux region of Switzerland. The company remains family-owned by the descendants of its founders, making it one of the few major Swiss watch brands still controlled by its founding families.
The brand is best known for the Royal Oak, designed by Gerald Genta and introduced in 1972 as the first luxury sports watch in stainless steel with an integrated bracelet. The Royal Oak's octagonal bezel with visible hexagonal screws has become one of the most recognizable designs in watchmaking. The Royal Oak Offshore, a larger and sportier derivative, was introduced in 1993. Other collections include Code 11.59, the Royal Oak Concept line, and high-complication pieces in the Classique and Jules Audemars lines.
Audemars Piguet manufactures all movements in-house and operates its own foundry for producing cases and components. The company produces approximately 45,000 to 50,000 watches annually. In recent years, the brand has shifted toward a direct-to-consumer model, opening its own boutiques (AP Houses) and reducing reliance on third-party retailers.
Retail prices begin at approximately $24,000 for entry-level Royal Oak models in steel and extend well into six figures for complicated and precious metal references. The company operates the Musee Atelier Audemars Piguet in Le Brassus, a museum and workshop open to visitors.