At Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet, the past, present, and future co-mingle in illuminating fashion
Contrary to the notion of the stuffy museum, Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet is a fascinating space where you can immerse yourself in the universe of Audemars Piguet, one of the Holy Trinity of the Swiss watches.
The living museum in Le Brassus, Switzerland, fully expresses the manufacture’s boundless creativity in the art and science of watchmaking, housed in an impressive modern building flanked by a traditional Swiss house and the leafy Risoud Forest.
For anyone wanting to know more about Audemars Piguet beyond the Royal Oaks, there is no better place to start. Entry is by appointment only, and like most of its watches, there is a long waiting list.
For those lucky enough to secure a slot, you’d be pleased to know that it is conveniently located next to the 50-room Hôtel des Horlogers, the Audemars Piguet-owned hotel where visitors from near and far can rest their weary heads in an environment that beautifully echoes the idyllic surroundings.
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Designed by the renowned Bjarke Ingels Group, which also undertook the task of designing the hotel next door, the museum is a spiral building perfectly integrated into the rolling landscape; its shape was inspired by the coiling of the balance spring of a watch movement. Fulfilling the Swiss Minergie’s requirements for energy efficiency and good construction, it won numerous awards, including the Kyoto Design Awards for Environment Design of the Year in 2021.
There are more than watches to discover in its inner sanctum. It also holds a treasure trove of knowledge and skills that include the grand complication and metier d’art workshops, the latter occupied by artisans responsible for the magnificent Diamond Punk high jewellery timepiece festooned with more than 4,000 diamonds, among other divine creations.
See also: Newly retired CEO François-Henry Bennahmias reflects upon his 29-year journey with Audemars Piguet