The Swiss luxury watch manufacturer presents 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.
Drawing on the rare skills and creativity of artisans from diverse backgrounds, the Atelier des Établisseurs reminds us that collaboration has been at the heart of the watchmaking world for centuries.
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 workshops, 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,” said Ilaria Resta, Chief Executive Officer, Audemars Piguet.
“It also brings new life to our watchmaking heritage and to the preservation of rare traditional skills within our industry.”
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 At
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