Audemars Piguet SA is a prestigious Swiss luxury mechanical watch manufacturer with a rich history that dates back to more than a century. The Audemars Piguet logo represents the brand’s identity as well as reflects its journey through time, innovation, and craftsmanship. It has been text-based all through its history and is very traditional. This article explores the history and evolution of the Audemars Piguet logo over the years.
The Genesis of the Audemars Piguet Logo (1875 – 1950)
Audemars Piguet was founded in 1875 by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet in the Vallée de Joux, Switzerland. The brand initially focused on creating complex watch movements for other manufacturers. The original logo featured the brand name in all capitals and in a golden logotype.
It was executed in a shadowed sans-serif typeface and covered by the double arc lettering at the top, “MANUFACTURE D’HORLOGERIE COMPLIQUÉE” in big and “DE HAUTE PRECISION” in small size. The tagline “BRASSUS GENEVE” appeared below the brand name in a traditional sans-serif typeface. The original logo rendered in golden colour looked sophisticated, elegant, and light.
(1950 – Today)
In 1950, the Audemars Piguet logo was redesigned by retaining the key elements and including a signifier, “AP,” written in a bold serif typeface and placed above the brand name. Interestingly, the enlarged “AP” has glyphs that are joined at the top. The brand name was executed in all capitals and in an elegant sans-serif typeface. Written in all black, the letters of the logo looked stylish and strong. A new tagline, “Le maitre de l’horlogerie Depuis 1875,” was written in a smooth cursive style and placed below the brand name.
“To Break the Rules” Slogan (2012)
In 2012, Audemars Piguet introduced its famous slogan, “To Break the Rules, You Must First Master Them.” This phrase became synonymous with the brand’s philosophy and was incorporated into the marketing campaigns alongside its logo. The slogan emphasised Audemars Piguet’s commitment to craftsmanship. It also encouraged innovation and creativity within traditional watchmaking.
The Elements of the Audemars Piguet Logo
Font
The font is what truly makes the logo distinct and unique. Though it may appear as a typical serif at smaller sizes, it offers much more. The wavy details on the “D” and “E,” the refined serifs, and the mix of thin and bold strokes combine to form a strikingly memorable design.
Colour
The Audemars Piguet logo has consistently featured a distinct colour scheme that reflects the elegance and prestige of the brand.
Black and White
The earliest iterations of the Audemars Piguet logo using a black and white colour scheme were simple and functional. This classic combination conveyed a sense of timelessness and sophistication and aligned with the brand’s commitment to traditional craftsmanship.
Golden
As Audemars Piguet established itself as a luxury watchmaker, the logo began to incorporate golden elements. The use of golden colour symbolised the brand’s commitment to quality and precision, as well as its association with high-end timepieces.
Blue and White
In more recent years, Audemars Piguet has incorporated blue and white into its logo design. The blue colour, often seen in the brand’s “AP” monogram, adds a touch of modernity and vibrancy to the logo while maintaining its elegance.
The History of Audemars Piguet
Audemars Piguet has a rich history that dates back to its establishment in 1875. The brand has consistently pushed the boundaries of innovation in horology while maintaining its commitment to traditional craftsmanship.
The company was founded by two experienced watchmakers, Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet, in Le Brassus, Switzerland, in 1875. They aimed to make finely crafted, complicated timepieces at a time when industrial production was starting to dominate the watchmaking industry. Their partnership combined the expertise of Audemars in creating complex movements and Piguet’s skills in regulation and sales. In 1881, the company was officially registered as “Audemars Piguet & Cie.” This marked the beginning of its formal branding as a luxury watchmaker, which was focused on high-quality craftsmanship and intricate complications.
Audemars Piguet made history by creating the first wristwatch equipped with a minute repeater mechanism. This innovation showcased the brand’s commitment to pioneering advancements in watchmaking and set a precedent for future developments. In 1899, Audemars Piguet produced the Universelle, one of the most complicated watches of its time. This piece featured multiple complications and strengthened the brand’s reputation for creating intricate timepieces.
Continuing its tradition of miniaturisation, Audemars Piguet launched the world’s smallest five-minute repeater wristwatch in 1921. This watch featured a movement measuring only seven lignes (15.8 mm) in diameter. In 1934, Audemars Piguet introduced the first skeleton watch, which allowed wearers to see the intricate workings of the movement through an open dial. This design innovation highlighted the brand’s artistry and technical prowess.
The introduction of the Royal Oak marked a turning point for Audemars Piguet. Designed by Gérald Genta, this watch was the first luxury sports watch made from stainless steel and featured an octagonal bezel. Its unconventional design challenged traditional notions of luxury watches and set new trends in the industry. Audemars Piguet continued to innovate with the creation of an ultra-thin automatic tourbillon wristwatch in 1986. This model was only 5.3 mm thick and showcased the brand’s dedication to pushing technical boundaries.
Interesting Facts About Audemars Piguet
- Audemars Piguet is situated in a region famous for watchmaking—the Swiss village of Le Brassus in the Vallee de Joux. The place is also famous for many prestigious brands of watches.
- The first workshop of Audemars Piguet was located above a bakery.
- Audemars Piguet is a family-run business and is still controlled and owned by the descendants of its founders.
- Every watch made for the Audemars Piguet brand is handmade, which takes many months to create.
- The flagship model of the brand is called the Royal Oak, which was created in 1972. The idea for this watch was seeded by a German retailer, Dirk Wettengel, for offshore yacht racing. The first customer of Royal Oak was the Shah of Iran, Muhammad Reza Pahlavi.
- The original name of Royal Oak was “Safari,” as suggested by Gerald Genta.
- The Royal Oak with a stainless-steel body and a distinctive octagonal shape has been the best-selling watch for Audemars Piguet over time. In fact, it helped the company to be saved from bankruptcy.
- Royal Oak was designed by Gerald Genta, a famous designer with working experience at Omega and Universal Geneve in a day. It had the familiar octagonal case and exposed mounting screws.
- Besides luxury watches, Audemars Piguet also manufactures jewellery and a few other high-end products.
- Audemars Piguet is the sponsor of several sporting events. These include skiing, golfing, and sailing.
- Audemars Piguet is known for its in-house museum in Le Brassus, which has a collection of more than 500 vintage timepieces.
- The first flagship store of Audemars Piguet was opened in 2016 on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
- Audemars Piguet is among the big three Swiss watch brands, along with Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin.
- The Hallowed Reference 5516 was the first perpetual calendar wristwatch by Audemars Piguet and introduced in 1948. However, it was only in 1955 that Audemars Piguet could come out with perpetual calendar wristwatches with an indicator for leap year.
- The screws used in Audemars Piguet watches were made of white gold, which enhanced the exclusivity of the watches.
- Audemars Piguet uses high-quality materials like black ceramic to make watches.
- Other luxury brands such as Bulgari, Cartier, and Tiffany & Co. use the movements developed by Audemars Piguet.
- Audemars Piguet made the first skeleton watch in 1928 and the thinnest pocket watch in 1925.
Finally
The Audemars Piguet logo reflects changes in design aesthetics and key milestones in the brand’s history. From its humble beginnings in 1875 to its status as a luxury icon today, each iteration of the logo has captured the essence of Audemars Piguet’s commitment to excellence and innovation in horology.