Audemars Piguet returned to Watches & Wonders this year. The return to the fair signals a realignment under CEO Ilaria Resta, who has been setting the strategic direction since François-Henry Bennahmias' departure in 2023. Following a series of new releases in early February, the Atelier des Établisseurs is the most unusual new model AP will unveil at the fair.
The concept
The Atelier des Établisseurs (Attestation of the Establishers) draws on an organizational principle that has shaped watchmaking in the Vallée de Joux since the 18th century: the Établissage system. Back then, Établisseurs coordinated the work of specialized workshops, each producing only a few components – wheels, bridges, screws. Audemars Piguet itself functioned as such an Établisseur in its early decades before the manufacture gradually internalized all production steps in the 20th century. What AP understands by this name today is not a nostalgic byproduct. The atelier is housed in the brand's historic headquarters, which also contains the Audemars Piguet Museum, and collaborates with artisans both within and outside the manufacture: enamelers, engravers, gem cutters, and jewelers.
Each watch is produced in a very limited edition and assembled, regulated, and cased by a single watchmaker – just like the original Établisseures. The strategic context is clear: AP is further positioning itself in the haute horlogerie segment, which is defined by rare, handcrafted techniques rather than volume. At the same time, the atelier creates a structure to preserve skills that are threatened with extinction due to a lack of demand. (Read also: Masters of Time – Six Independent Visionaries of Modern Haute Horlogerie )
AP Atelier des Établisseurs: Haute Horlogerie rethought
Établisseurs Galets – Jewelry, Stone and Watchmaking. The first model, called Galets (Pebbles), takes its inspiration from the landscape of Lac de Joux. The 18-karat yellow gold case follows an oval, organic shape; the dial is made of natural stone, without hour markers. The bracelet consists of pebble-shaped links of varying silhouettes, connected by ball-joint gold links, which may be set with stones or engraved. The watch is powered by the Calibre 3098, derived from the ultra-thin Calibre 3090, which debuted in 1999 as Audemars Piguet's first entirely in-house developed manufacture movement . Its adaptation to the pebble shape of the case makes this movement technically remarkable: the bridges were hand-grained, a decorative technique now among the rarest in haute horlogerie. The Calibre 3098 comprises 141 components, offers a power reserve of at least 48 hours , and operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz). Five variations with different stone combinations will be released in 2026. Behind the watch are over a dozen named specialists: two watchmakers, two jewelers, a stone cutter, a dial maker, a case designer, and a fisherwoman.
Établisseurs Nomade – Skeletonized caliber, three carrying options
The Nomade model draws inspiration from the tradition of versatile travel watches. The case measures 68 × 42 millimeters and offers three positions: worn closed (like a pocket watch), open as a regular wristwatch, or as a pendant on a supplied 40-centimeter titanium or gold chain. A discreet double pusher allows the inner titanium case to glide into the outer case along a guide. At its heart is the Calibre 7501 , based on the ultra-thin Calibre 7121 introduced in 2022. It has been hand-skeletonized using a jeweler's saw, a fine saw used in watchmaking for generations.
The bridges also serve as hour markers. Hand-skeletonizing, which includes the precise beveling and polishing of all internal angles, is one of the most demanding techniques in watchmaking and has been practiced at Audemars Piguet since the 1930s. The Calibre 7501 comprises 149 individual parts, has a power reserve of at least 65 hours , and operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz). Five variants are planned for 2026.
Établisseurs Peacock – Secret Watch with auto mechanism
The most spectacular of the three creations is the Peacock, a secret watch in the classic haute horlogerie tradition. When closed, the 18-karat white gold case displays a finely engraved beetle. At the touch of a button, the wings and head of the peacock motif unfold mechanically, revealing an enamel dial, hand-engraved to depict a peacock's tail. The sweeping hour appears in a window at 12 o'clock. The hand-wound caliber 3098.2 powers the timepiece.
The automaton mechanism that executes the opening action was designed by Giulio Papi, one of the most renowned specialists in complex mechanical constructions in the Vallée de Joux. The bracelet consists of spring-shaped links of 18-karat gold, hollowed out and engraved, connected by ball joints. Jewelers, enamelers, engravers, and watchmakers collaborated on this model. Three variations will be available in 2027.
What the studio means
The Atelier des Établisseurs is not a special project in the traditional sense. It is an institutionalized structure that will regularly produce new timepieces at Audemars Piguet – each in very limited quantities, always with the aim of showcasing artisanal techniques that are not feasible on an industrial scale. This distinguishes it from classic manufacture collections like the Royal Oak , as well as from typical special edition series. Whether the concept will be sustainable in the long term depends on two questions. First: Will AP find enough buyers willing to pay for watches where craftsmanship takes center stage and the brand name deliberately recedes into the background? The Peacock model, for example, functions as a secret watch more according to the principles of jewelry design than those of a classic complication watch. Second: Will Audemars Piguet succeed in retaining the named artisans in the manufacture long-term? The transparency with which AP lists the participants is unusual for the industry and seems like a conscious decision to establish these individuals as part of the brand narrative.
This article first published in WatchTime.net
Images: Courtesy brand
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