Watch maisons share why celebrating an anniversary is more than ceremonial

While nostalgia has its place, Resta prefers to focus on delivering excellence. “At Audemars Piguet, our heritage isn’t just a tale of the past. It’s a journey that continues to shape our present. For this anniversary, we want to ensure our storytelling remains authentic and intimately connected to who we are.”

It’s no surprise that Audemars Piguet chose to celebrate its people in its 150th campaign. “Our employees embody the spirit of Audemars Piguet. They are the hands, minds and hearts behind every timepiece and story. By spotlighting them, we honour the people who bring our legacy to life every single day, ensuring our history stays meaningful and reflects our enduring heritage.”

Donguy adds that it’s vital not to be swept away by excitement and lose sight of the brand’s DNA. “It represents a permanent source of inspiration for our designers and craftsmen. It’s not about repeating past creations but drawing from that unique legacy and expressing it with a modern, contemporary vision.”

Marietta agrees: “We’re not interested in doing one-to-one reissues for the sake of it. What matters is understanding the intent behind a historical piece—why it existed, what it stood for—and then translating that into something that speaks to today’s collectors. A strong legacy should inspire, not limit.”

Read more: Sébastian Vivas of Audemars Piguet: “We may be 150 years old, but we’re still young at heart”

Illuminating the past can be challenging in an age of ever-shortening attention spans. But Donguy believes it’s a duty Vacheron Constantin must uphold. “Mastering and preserving our crafts is crucial. Centuries-old techniques are used on modern pieces with very contemporary designs to match today’s tastes. The permanent challenge, for our designers, artisans and engineers, is to shape future creations firmly anchored in today’s world—while maintaining a meaningful link to our heritage.”

Sébastien Vivas, heritage and museum director at Audemars Piguet, notes that legacy fosters a sense of belonging. “We need to preserve that creativity, that respect for the hard work of our predecessors. Preserving our craft doesn’t mean things have to stay the same. The tension between man and machine, handmade and technological, has existed since the beginning. We’re always looking for the perfect balance between traditional know-how and innovation.”

See also: Father-and-son team Jean-Claude and Pierre Biver on juggling work and family

At its core, an anniversary may be little more than a timely reminder of a maison’s DNA—especially in an age of short memory. But it can also be a chance to build on what came before and improve it. With vintage watches enjoying renewed affection, maisons can mine the past for inspiration that feels both familiar and fresh.

“The 222 is no ordinary number. It’s a legendary timepiece, a symbol of an era, and a watershed moment in Vacheron Constantin’s history. The original 222, launched in 1977, was an elegant sports watch—an oxymoron at a time when such pieces were typically professional tools for athletes,” says Donguy.

“Its design principles guided the redesign of the Historiques 222, re-launched in 2022. We deliberately kept the original design and proportions, focusing instead on modern updates like an improved automatic movement, now visible through a sapphire caseback. The bracelet, though, marks the most notable evolution: incredibly thin and supple, it adapts seamlessly to any wrist for a true second-skin feel.”

For its 150th anniversary, Audemars Piguet chose to revisit one of its most emblematic complications: the perpetual calendar. The manufacture has spent years refining it, achieving record-breaking feats such as the Calibre 5133—one of the thinnest self-winding perpetual calendar movements, measuring just 2.89mm high.

That movement is the basis for the new Calibre 7138, which is groundbreaking in its own right for allowing all calendar adjustments via the crown. Powering both Royal Oak and Code 11.59 models in 41mm, it marks a welcome evolution in managing astronomical functions on the wrist.

“The magic lies in the watch’s seamless blend of technical complexity and simplicity of use,” says Resta.

Read more: How Patek Philippe ensures its watches last for generations

Zenith’s Calibre 135 is another example of the relentless pursuit of chronometric excellence. First developed in 1949, the movement won over 200 chronometry prizes, including five consecutive firsts at the Neuchâtel Observatory from 1950 to 1954.

For its 160th anniversary, Zenith honours it with the new 39mm G.F.J.—named after founder Georges Favre-Jacot. Building on the original, the new version features an extended power reserve—an enhancement highly prized by today’s collectors.

“The 135 is a legendary movement in the world of chronometry, so we approached it with a lot of respect. The idea wasn’t to completely rework it, but to adapt and showcase it for the needs of today’s collectors. 

“We did just that by significantly improving the power reserve. Housing it in the G.F.J. and using platinum and lapis lazuli for their discreet elegance felt like the right setting for such a historically important calibre,” says Marietta.

These milestones offer more than moments of reflection. They open doors to reinvention and renewal. By revisiting the past with intention, these manufactures prove that true innovation doesn’t discard heritage. It builds on it, layer by layer, generation by generation. The result? Timepieces that don’t just mark time but meaningfully celebrate it.

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