These are complemented with custom artworks by artists nurtured by Audemars Piguet. For instance, the entrance hallway is adorned with an installation by Alexandre Joly that emits the woodland sounds of the nearby forest.

The automaton Whistling Walker by Francois Junod cleverly depicts the operation of a mechanical movement via a human animatronic taking a stroll. There is also a three-dimensional “family tree” showing all the important families in Vallée de Joux, including the descendants of company founders Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet.

The house where Audemars and Piguet once worked remains standing and is directly attached to the museum. Today, it serves as the restoration workshop where registers and archives dating back to the 19th century are also stored. Faithfully recreated traditional wooden worktables are placed in front of large windows where a handful of watchmakers employ rare ancestral expertise to restore some of the most complicated timepieces. 

The vaulted basement of the house holds temporary exhibitions; at the time of our visit, it was hosting La Machine Universelle by Pascal Bettex, demonstrating the complexity of assembling 1,000 components in a tiny watch. This served as a fitting prelude to the Code 11.59 Universelle RD#4, Audemars Piguet’s most complicated automatic wristwatch endowed with Calibre 1000, which was also on exhibit. The watch would go on to win the prestigious Aiguille d’Or at GPHG 2023.

The real attractions, however, are the historical time instruments. Le Brassus is nestled in the village of Vallée de Joux, one of the cradles of Swiss watchmaking, and Audemars Piguet has been one of the key drivers for its renown in this field.

Here, you will be able to fully comprehend its might as a watchmaker, which, according to Jasmine Audemars, chairwoman of the Audemars Piguet Foundation, “has always kept one foot rooted in tradition and one foot stepping into the future”. No less than 300 watches are on display, showcasing everything from feats of mechanical complications to unconventional designs.

Audemars Piguet earned admiration early on for its expertise in crafting complicated watches. For instance, more than half of the 1,625 watches it produced between 1882 and 1892 featured a chiming mechanism.

One of the highlights from around this period was the miniature brooch minute repeater created in collaboration with Tiffany in 1897. You will also bear witness to its skill in astronomical complications, achieving a milestone when it produced the first perpetual calendar wristwatch with a leap year indication in 1955.

Then there is the famous Universelle pocket watch that boasted 19 complications, 13 hands, and a whopping 1,168 components. Unveiled in 1899, this masterpiece, one of the most complicated watches made by Audemars Piguet, holds court in the heart of the museum. Today, it serves as a constant reminder, as well as a source of inspiration to the watchmakers in the grand complication atelier, of Audemars Piguet’s innovative spirit.

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A section is devoted to design where it reveals that Audemars Piguet was no prude when it came to exploring different shapes and sizes. Inspired by cultural, artistic, and architectural movements of the time, the watches had taken on various guises, whether it was a geometrical Art Deco watch case or a dramatic oval wristwatch with rope twist braid bracelet.

Miniaturisation was another specialty of Audemars Piguet, and its efforts had produced the smallest five-minute minute repeater and the thinnest pocket watch with a movement measuring only 1.32mm in height, both in 1921.

Of course, no history lesson at Audemars Piguet is complete without the Royal Oak. Our walkthrough ends at a section devoted entirely to this iconic model, with over 90 watches on display, from the original 1972 model designed by Gérald Genta to special editions custom-made for Formula One racers and Hollywood actors.

The story of the Royal Oak may be a familiar one, but here’s a quick refresher: Created to house an ultra-thin automatic movement, Genta came up with the idea of a tonneau case with an octagonal bezel secured by eight screws, offering a fresh look at the time. The engine-turned tapisserie dial was an added distinction, but its most “controversial” feature was the stainless steel material used for the case and faceted bracelet—it was marketed as a luxury watch at a time when the definition predominantly implied precious metals.

The octagonal shape was reimagined in a more muscular form in 1993 with the introduction of the Royal Oak Offshore. Measuring 42mm in diameter and a hefty 15mm in thickness, it became popular with hip-hop musicians and athletes, thus extending the Royal Oak appeal to a new audience.

Then came the Royal Oak Concept, created to commemorate the model’s 30th anniversary. The first Concept was a juggernaut at 44mm, made of alacrite, an alloy employed in aeronautics. Originally conceived as a one-off limited edition, the model now serves as an experimental canvas to push boundaries (like the Laptimer Michael Schumacher, the first wrist chronograph with alternating consecutive lap timing and flyback function) and defy expectations (such as the collaborations with Marvel).

For enthusiasts, the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet is a true haven. Regardless of whether you possess an in-depth appreciation for horology, the space captivates the senses through its harmonious blend of tradition, architectural brilliance, artistic expression, mechanical ingenuity, and immersive design.

“Our dream is to offer each visitor an unforgettable experience as well as to express the most important facets of our brand— its history, craftsmanship, passion for mechanics and design, its free spirit and, of course, its people—in the most exciting and interesting way,” said Sébastian Vivas, the heritage & museum director, in a previous interview with Tatler.

Consider it a mission well and truly accomplished.

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