Well now, let me tell you a bit about this fancy watch company called Audemars Piguet. I reckon not many folks know much about ’em, but it’s a story worth tellin’. This Audemars Piguet, they’re from way over in Switzerland, a place that’s got all them snow-capped mountains and cold weather. This company, it got started way back in the year 1875, right in the Valle de Joux, which is a little ol’ valley out there in the middle of nowhere, but that’s where the magic happened. It was founded by two fellas, Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet. These two knew each other from when they were just young whippersnappers, but they didn’t get together again ’til later, around 1874. Then they decided to start makin’ watches that would be somethin’ special. They called their company Audemars Piguet, after their own names, and that’s how it all began.
Now, after a few years of workin’ hard, in 1881, they gave their business an official name – Audemars Piguet & Cie. I reckon that just means the same thing, but makes it sound a bit fancier, don’t it? Well, in that time, watches weren’t like the ones we got today. No sir, back then, it was a real job to make a watch. They had to put all their know-how and skill into each one, and folks started to take notice. Over the years, Audemars Piguet became known for their fine craftsmanship, and that’s still true today, ’cause people all over the world want their watches.
Now, I gotta tell you somethin’ real interestin’ here, somethin’ that’ll make you look twice. You see, Audemars Piguet didn’t just stick to makin’ regular ol’ watches. Nope, in 1892, they went and did somethin’ no one had done before – they made the world’s first wristwatch that could repeat the minutes. You know, when the watch chimes and tells ya what time it is without lookin’ at it. It was a real fancy piece of work, and it was made for a man named Louis Brandt, the head of Omega. In fact, Omega went ahead and used Audemars Piguet’s special design to put together their own version of this fancy minute-repeating wristwatch. Now that’s real top-shelf stuff.
But it don’t stop there. Over the years, Audemars Piguet came up with some more fancy watch designs. They got the Royal Oak collection, which is a real favorite of rich folks all over the world. I reckon you might’ve seen it on some celebrity’s wrist or maybe even in a magazine, all shiny and gold. They also got the Royal Oak Offshore and the Royal Oak Concept, which are all part of their lineup. And don’t forget the Millenary and Jules Audemars collections – them are a bit more classic and refined.
Now, for a while, folks here in China didn’t know much about Audemars Piguet, but that’s changed. In recent years, they’ve been opening up new stores all over the place. The first AP House in Mainland China was opened right in Shanghai, at Qiantan Taikoo Li. It’s all shiny and new, and folks from all over come to see what Audemars Piguet has to offer. I reckon they’re tryin’ to bring that Swiss luxury to the big city folks here, and it’s workin’ pretty well, too. There’s been a lotta talk about this fancy watch company in the news.
So, if you ever get the chance to see one of these watches up close, take a minute and appreciate the fine work that’s gone into makin’ it. Audemars Piguet didn’t just start out tryin’ to make a quick buck. Nope, they were focused on makin’ watches that would last, that would stand the test of time, and here we are, all these years later, still talkin’ about ’em.
Well, that’s about all I got to say about Audemars Piguet and their history, but it sure is somethin’ to think about, don’t ya think? They’ve been around a long time and ain’t goin’ nowhere anytime soon. So, if you ever see one of their watches, you can say you know a little bit about where it came from and how it all started way back in 1875.
Tags：[Audemars Piguet, luxury watches, Swiss watchmaking, history of Audemars Piguet, AP House, Shanghai, Royal Oak, wristwatches, luxury timepieces, Swiss craftsmanship]
