Michael Friedman – Historian, Audemars Piguet

Audemars Piguet began crafting innovative and complicated watches in 1875 in Le Brassus, Switzerland, within the Vallée de Joux. The Vallée de Joux is one of the pillars of the entire Swiss Watchmaking Industry, with horological roots going back approximately 275 years and knowledge of the metallurgical arts even centuries prior. For the founders of Audemars Piguet, Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet, as well as other vital Le Brassus watchmakers like Louis-Elysee Piguet, there was a distinct sense of pride and responsibility as inheritors of the great Vallée de Joux watchmaking traditions that preceded them. This sense of lineage and heritage was essential – in other parts of the world, traditional watchmaking was losing out to increased industrialization and mechanization. For Audemars Piguet, it has always been and will continue to be a carefully considered and strategic balance between the preservation of traditional methods and the tactful adoption of emerging technologies. This evenings lecture at the HSNY will focus on the evolution of the industry within this unique mountainous & scenic region, with a detailed focus on Audemars Piguet.