Audemars Piguet marks 150 years with a monumental new reference book: The Watch – Stories and Savoir Faire

If you’ve ever wanted to peek inside the beating heart of fine Swiss watchmaking, Audemars Piguet’s new book is your ticket. Titled The Watch – Stories and Savoir Faire, this nearly 600-page tome from the Le Brassus manufacture and French publisher Flammarion arrives just in time for the brand’s 150th anniversary.

An immersive and beautifully illustrated journey into the world of high horology, it celebrates the people, passion, and precision that have defined Audemars Piguet since 1875.

This large-format collector’s volume, however, isn’t just for connoisseurs. Designed to appeal to curious newcomers, seasoned watch lovers, and industry professionals alike, it blends technical knowledge with storytelling flair. Through photographs, interviews, and illustrations, readers get to explore every part of a watch — from the dial and case to the intricate complications that make Audemars Piguet a benchmark in mechanical excellence.

A dozen writers and over 40 contributors — including artisans, designers, engineers, and historians — lent their voices to the project, creating a work that feels as collaborative and layered as the craft it showcases.

“It’s exactly what I would have given my friends when I first discovered watchmaking,” says Sebastian Vivas, Audemars Piguet’s director of heritage and museum. “Not only as an introduction to mechanical watches, but as a resource to accompany them on their journey in the field.”

Each chapter shines a light on the artistry behind the craft, filled with fascinating trivia and human stories. Readers will learn, for instance, that the term “zapon” comes from a varnish once made by an American company in the early 1900s — now a staple term in ateliers worldwide. This blend of historical curiosity and hands-on insight captures exactly what makes the book special: It’s educational, but never dry; technical, yet poetic.

A labour of love released at the same time as Flammarion’s own 150th anniversary, the book is described by the watch brand’s CEO Ilaria Resta as “a tribute to the generations who have shaped haute horlogerie and the history of Audemars Piguet for 150 years”.

With its mix of photography, archival documents, and expert commentary, The Watch – Stories and Savoir Faire is not just a chronicle but a tactile experience — the kind you’ll want to flip through over coffee, pausing at every gleaming gear and hand-engraved bridge. And it’s currently available worldwide and on Amazon.