Audemars Piguet renews itself, from watches to boutiques
The Swiss maison presented 22 models, in April it will participate in the Watches and Wonders fair in Geneva, and later this year it will expand the AP House format with locations in London and Miami
After officially opening its new 23,700-square-metre Manufacture called Arc in January, in the Swiss town of Le Brassus where it is historically based, the independent watch brand Audemars Piguet presented its first new products at the AP Social Club event in early February. These consist of 22 watches, 20 of which, including skeleton complicated models with perpetual calendar, expand the main Royal Oak, Royal Oak Offshore and Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collections.
There are two special models: the first is an ultra-complicated platinum pocket watch, the 150 Heritage with universal calendar, made in two pieces (eight more will later be produced in white gold); the second is a wristwatch, the Neo Frame Jumping Hours, which, with its rectangular pink gold case design and black sapphire crystal dial, is inspired by one of the company's 1929 timepieces.
Ilaria Resta, ceo of the brand, explains: "The 150 Heritage is the most significant of the new launches because it represents the summa of all our complications, but also of the art crafts, while the Neo Frame Ore Saltanti is a dress watch that has potential and could even become a collection: but as of today, it is a single new watch". Of the market performance in 2025, the year in which Audemars Piguet also celebrated its 150th anniversary, the CEO adds: "turnover grew by 10%. Given the context, this is a considerable result that confirms the decision to continue investing in innovation and in our excellence. We have also hired new specialised watchmakers'. On the number of customers, which is on the rise, the CEO emphasises that '11% belong to Generation Z, while women are the fastest growing'.
Ilaria Resta thinks that, in general, 2026 will be a bridge year for the watch industry: 'Barring unforeseen events, I am quite convinced that the sector will get back on its feet and then restart in 2027. I believe this because all the fundamentals for growth are there: customers interested in mechanical watchmaking, accumulated savings and interest in objects with emotional value'.
Meanwhile, in April the brand will once again be present at a watch fair with its debut at Watches and Wonders Geneva (it had participated until 2019 when the format was different and it was called Sihh). "We will unveil something special, which will be a tribute to watchmaking savoir-faire, but we won't be there to launch new products: we already have the AP Social Club for that," she points out. "We want to present our initiatives to people who are wondering who we are, what our history is and what our contribution to watchmaking has been. The CEO confirms that no changes in distribution strategies are on the horizon: "On the contrary, the aim is to focus even more strongly on this winning business model, which for us is directly controlling our retail channel. This year we will open more AP Houses, including one in London and one in Miami. The customer expects more and more interesting models from us, but also experiences like our Masterclasses, and services like AP Coverage, our insurance service'. Finally, with regard to the second-wrist market, which in recent years has seen the direct entry of a number of important brands, Ilaria Resta closes by anticipating: "Towards the summer there could be news in this regard.
