Today, Audemars Piguet is considered one of the most prestigious watchmakers in the world. It is a long way from the little enterprise set up by 23-year-old Jules Audemars and 21-year-old Edward-August Piguet in 1889. The two watchmakers were dedicated to their craft, producing all components in-house and assembling each watch by hand. The results were flawless timepieces in demand by jewellery houses such as Tiffany & Co.
Nearly a century after they began, Audemars Piguet debuted what was to become their signature watch, the “Royal Oak”. Designed by Gerald Genta, it has an octagonal shape, steel edges and hexagonal screws were uniquely powerful and elegant. Named after the hollowed-out tree where King Charles II hid to escape his pursuers, the Royal Oak sports watch has been reincarnated in various guises. One of the latest and most popular in the Middle East is the diamond-studded Royal Oak Offshore Ladies’ Chronograph (pictured on left).
