Audemars Piguet 150th Anniversary: Landmark Releases for a Horological Legacy

Source: Audemars Piguet

Few names in haute horlogerie resonate like Audemars Piguet. For 150 years, the Manufacture from the Vallée de Joux has defined watchmaking excellence through mechanical mastery and daring design. Founded in 1875 by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet, the maison has remained family-owned while revolutionizing the craft with world firsts, iconic collections, and uncompromising artistry.

This year, the Audemars Piguet 150th anniversary is not only a celebration of heritage but a bold statement of the future — marked by a suite of landmark watch releases that push boundaries of size, functionality, and aesthetic daring.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar 38 mm

The Royal Oak perpetual calendar has long been one of AP’s most coveted complications. For the 150th anniversary, the maison unveils the first-ever 38 mm Royal Oak perpetual calendar, offering a refined size without compromise in complexity.

• Crafted in stainless steel with a pale blue Grande Tapisserie dial, and in 18-carat pink gold with a beige dial, the new model balances elegance and technical prowess.

• Functions include day, date, month, leap year, moonphase, and hours/minutes, with the week indicator removed for a cleaner layout.

• Its reduced case size broadens accessibility, particularly for collectors who prefer more wearable proportions.

By miniaturizing one of its most famous calibres, AP demonstrates a commitment to innovation in form as much as in function.

Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar 38 mm

The Code 11.59 perpetual calendar 38 mm extends this milestone to AP’s youngest flagship line. With its bold case architecture and contemporary design, the Code 11.59 has always symbolized forward-thinking.

• Available in 18-carat pink gold with a green sunburst guilloché dial, it embodies the maison’s balance of tradition and modernity.

• Powered by the all-new Calibre 7138, it represents a technical breakthrough in usability.

Calibre 7138: Crown-Only Perpetual Calendar Movement

One of the most exciting debuts of the anniversary collection is the Calibre 7138. Traditionally, perpetual calendars require pushers on the case to adjust different functions. AP has re-engineered the complication so that all settings are now adjusted via the crown alone.

This user-friendly leap simplifies interaction without sacrificing precision, making it a landmark not only for the maison but for modern horology. Collectors have praised the ingenuity — and hinted it may shape the future of complications across the industry.

Source: Audemars Piguet

Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked — 150th Anniversary Limited Edition

For connoisseurs, the jewel of the lineup may be the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked 150th Anniversary Edition. Limited to just 150 pieces worldwide, it embodies exclusivity, collectibility, and technical drama.

• Featuring the outgoing Calibre 5135, this openworked marvel exposes the intricate heart of the perpetual calendar.

• Materials such as titanium and Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG) highlight AP’s daring use of cutting-edge technology alongside artisanal finishing.

• Each piece is a wearable sculpture, both a farewell and a forward-looking manifesto.

Code 11.59 Flying Tourbillon with Stone Dials

Beyond calendars, Audemars Piguet elevates aesthetics with the Code 11.59 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon, presented with natural stone dials featuring malachite, sodalite, and ruby root.

• These dials, paired with gold cases, showcase AP’s craftsmanship in merging rare materials with technical virtuosity.

• The flying tourbillon itself highlights the maison’s expertise in ultra-thin mechanics and visual spectacle.

The result is a striking marriage of jewellery-like elegance and high complication.

Other Audemars Piguet 150th Anniversary Novelties

The maison’s sesquicentennial isn’t limited to perpetual calendars and tourbillons. The wider Audemars Piguet 2025 novelties include:

• Royal Oak Offshore chronographs in bold ceramic executions, extending AP’s sport-luxury DNA.

• A 150th anniversary soundtrack collaboration with artists like Mark Ronson and RAYE, connecting haute horlogerie with contemporary culture.

• New boutique experiences and cultural partnerships designed to immerse collectors in AP’s evolving narrative.

Audemars Piguet 150th Anniversary

1. Balancing Heritage and Innovation — From the 1892 minute repeater to the 1972 Royal Oak, AP has always looked forward. These novelties honour that legacy while embracing 21st-century demands.

2. Wearability & Inclusivity — With 38 mm perpetual calendars, AP acknowledges the call for more versatile, gender-neutral proportions.

3. Technical Evolution — The Calibre 7138 crown-only setting redefines convenience in complicated watchmaking.

4. Collector Value — Limited editions, such as the Openworked Royal Oak, create enduring desirability.

5. Cultural Relevance — By weaving music, design, and lifestyle collaborations into its anniversary, AP proves that horology resonates beyond the wrist.

The Audemars Piguet 150th anniversary watches are more than commemorative novelties. They are signposts of where haute horlogerie is heading: more wearable, more intuitive, more daring — without losing sight of tradition.

As the maison closes one chapter of its history and looks to the next century, it affirms that true mastery of time isn’t about resisting change — it’s about shaping it.

The Uncommon Breed

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