Établisseurs Galets

AUDEMARS PIGUET UNVEILS THE ATELIER DES ÉTABLISSEURS, A PROJET BLENDING CRAFTSMANSHIP WITH CREATIVE FREEDOM

Le Brassus, 14 April 2026 – Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet is proud to present the Atelier des Établisseurs, a new way for the company to create remarkable watches honouring collaboration and rare traditional crafts. By producing timepieces in very limited quantities, this new project preserves artisanal skills, while shedding light on the collaborative spirit that has driven the watchmaking industry for generations. The Atelier des Établisseurs builds on the établissage system, a work organisation in place since the end of the 18th century from which Audemars Piguet was born. This concept comes to life today with the launch of three exceptional creations that draw on the talent of artisans from diverse backgrounds and combine traditional savoir-faire, modern technology and avant-garde design.

CELEBRATING THE WATCH COMMUNITY

Launched as part of Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026, the Atelier des Établisseurs highlights talent and creativity, while preserving the artisanal skills at the heart of traditional watchmaking. This project reflects the collaborative spirit that has enabled Swiss watchmaking to thrive over the centuries.

Since the 18th century, watchmaking has developed in the Vallée de Joux according to the singular model of the établissage. Constrained by harsh weather conditions, the region’s farmers spent the long winter months inside their farms, crafting tiny watch parts. Most of them had their own workshop, which specialised in the creation of a specific component such as wheels, bridges or screws. These independent artisans were coordinated by an établisseur who was responsible for collecting all the parts needed to assemble the finished watch. During the early decades of its history, Audemars Piguet acted as an établisseur. This organisational structure evolved over the course of the 20th century, prompting the Manufacture to develop the in-house expertise required to create a complete watch while retaining its collaborative spirit.

Over the years, the brand has pushed technical boundaries and advanced traditional watchmaking by promoting the power of the collective. By forging collaborations with artisans both within and outside the Manufacture, the Atelier des Établisseurs – located in the brand’s historical house which is now home to the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet – aims to revive the creative spirit of the établissage system.

“The Atelier des Établisseurs embodies the collaborative spirit and creative research that have always formed the beating heart of Audemars Piguet. It also brings new life to our watchmaking heritage and to the preservation of rare traditional skills within our industry.”

Ilaria Resta

Chief Executive Officer, Audemars Piguet

A HUB FOR SAVOIR-FAIRE

True to the tradition of the établissage, Audemars Piguet’s dedicated team works with highly skilled artisans to shed light on ancestral savoir-faire and techniques sometimes in danger of disappearing, as they are often passed down orally. Produced in very limited numbers, the creations of the Atelier des Établisseurs reconnect with a watchmaking practice that takes the time needed to give life to exceptional timepieces.

A wide range of traditional crafts, including engraving, enamelling, skeletonisation, gemsetting and lapidary work, come together around a shared project, alongside more modern professions such as design and engineering. Every expert contributes their own skills and sensitivity, turning each watch into a unique creation.

More than reinterpretations of the past, the timepieces designed by the Atelier des Établisseurs are contemporary pieces crafted using cutting-edge techniques combined with ancestral craftsmanship. These creations promote and preserve the expertise that makes up their rich watchmaking heritage.

A TREASURE TROVE OF CREATIVE EXPRESSION

In its early years, Audemars Piguet specialised in complicated watches, produced as unique pieces or in very limited series. This approach, which went against the industrialisation trend, enabled the brand to explore many creative horizons thanks to artisanal techniques that could not be implemented in mass production. It is this spirit that the Manufacture reinforces today with the Atelier des Établisseurs.

The project fosters creative freedom by drawing on the imagination and expertise of numerous craftspeople, both within and outside Audemars Piguet, to showcase the diversity of watchmaking talent and offer watch aficionados a wide range of aesthetics. In keeping with the brand’s collaborative tradition of forging strong ties with numerous fields beyond watchmaking, the Atelier des Établisseurs encourages boldness and savoir-faire, while bringing an innovative and creative approach to design and function.

Surprising and inventive, the timepieces of the Atelier des Établisseurs blend mechanical precision, aesthetic refinement and ergonomics, striking a balance between tradition and contemporary use. These models, equipped with modern calibres that have been specially adapted, hand-decorated, finished and cased in the workshop located at the heart of the Musée Atelier in Le Brassus, combine craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology. Inspired by the diverse categories of watches that have enriched watchmaking heritage over the centuries – from miniature clocks to secret watches – these novelties pay tribute to the many artisans who have shaped the communal history of watchmaking.

“The Atelier des Établisseurs brings an old dream to life: designing, developing and finishing watches at the very heart of the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet. This ambitious project brings together the Manufacture’s artisans with a myriad of small independent workshops to create extraordinary timepieces, just as in the days of the établisseurs.”

Sébastian Vivas

Museum and Heritage Director, Audemars Piguet

FIRST MODELS ILLUSTRATING THE RICHNESS OF THE WATCHMAKING ART

To celebrate the launch of this collaborative project, the Manufacture introduces three timepieces that showcase the aesthetic and mechanical richness of its watchmaking heritage. Although each can be produced in several iterations, every Atelier des Établisseurs watch is unique due to its artisanal nature.

The first model draws direct inspiration from the natural environment of the Vallée de Joux. Named Établisseurs Galets, the timepiece evokes the stones rolled and polished by the waters of the Lac de Joux. This 18-carat yellow gold hour and minute watch is adorned with an oval dial made of natural stone, complemented by bracelet links of various shapes, also set with stones. Each bracelet link has its own silhouette. Connected by small gold ball joints, they move with the fluidity of pebbles in water. The streamlined dial has no hour-markers to give pride of place to the stone, which is contrasted by the Audemars Piguet logo and the baton hands, all crafted in yellow gold. Inspired by the 1972 Arabella model, this new timepiece is powered by Calibre 3098, which is derived from the 9-line Calibre 3090, the first movement to be developed and manufactured in-house by Audemars Piguet in 1999. Today, Calibre 3098 follows the pebble shape of the case and features bridges grained by hand – a rare and exclusive skill. The watch brings together jewellery, watchmaking and stone-cutting workmanship. It is assembled, adjusted and cased by a single watchmaker, in keeping with the foundational principle of watches made by établisseurs. Five variations offering different stone combinations will be available in 2026.

The second timepiece, Établisseurs Nomade, pays tribute to watches designed to be used in a variety of ways. Whether slipped in the pocket or placed on the table, this creation combines facetted metal – titanium or gold – with meticulously selected natural stones. Stones are fragile and require delicate craftsmanship to obtain the desired shape. The lapidarist saws, refines and polishes them slowly until they fit perfectly. The watch offers three positions: closed, open or pendulum. It comes with a specially designed chain in titanium or in gold. Calibre 7501 is the true hero of the timepiece. Based on the extra-thin Calibre 7121, which was launched in 2022, it is skeletonised using a hacksaw – a traditional fine handsaw. Playing on transparency and symmetry, the movement is punctuated with bridges that act as hour-markers to indicate the passage of time. Hand-skeletonisation is an exacting skill that only a few watchmakers have mastered. This know-how, which requires precision and patience, particularly when polishing the angles by hand, has been preserved at Audemars Piguet since the 1930s. The outer dial is made of natural stone and slips into an architectural case made of a bevelled metal mesh and facetted stones. Five variations with different combination of stones will be available in 2026.

Spectacular by nature, the Établisseurs Peacock creation pays homage to secret watches. When closed, it resembles a finely engraved white gold beetle. With a simple push, the wings and head unfold to reveal a miniature peacock crafted by hand. A finely hand-engraved translucent enamel dial appears between the wings, representing the animal’s tail. In a window, the dragging hour is displayed, powered by the Calibre 3098. Based on the historic Calibre 3090, this movement was specially conceived for this piece and finely decorated by hand with a sunburst pattern. This creation is mounted on a flexible white gold bracelet composed of dozens of hollowed-out and engraved feathered-shaped links. Jewellers, enamellers, engravers and watchmakers all contributed their skills to bring this timepiece to life. The peacock’s eyes are set with coloured gemstones to add an extra touch of refinement. Three variations will be available in 2027.

These first three creations from the Atelier des Établisseurs pay tribute to the many professions that contribute to the renown of Swiss Haute Horlogerie. They embody Audemars Piguet’s commitment to preserving savoir-faire, creative collaboration and technical innovation, ensuring that watchmaking continues to surprise and touch people’s hearts.