The partnership between Audemars Piguet and the Montreux Jazz Festival stems from a natural evolution extending the Manufacture’s ongoing collaboration and strong relationship with the Montreux Jazz Festival.
Since 2010, the Manufacture joined the Claude Nobs Foundation and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) in the Montreux Jazz Digital Project. This massive project enabled the digitalisation, restoration and preservation of the Festival’s entire sound archives, acknowledged by UNESCO as part of its “Memory of the World.” This collection contains more than 5,000 hours of concert recordings. Quincy Jones has described this unique collection as “the most important testimonial to the history of music, covering jazz, blues and rock.”
“We are delighted to pursue a common history, which began years ago,” commented Mathieu Jaton, Chief Executive Officer of the Montreux Jazz Festival. “As Global Partner, Audemars Piguet will accompany us all year long, in Switzerland and throughout the world.”
This partnership extends to all the Festival’s entities, including the Montreux Jazz Café restaurants, the Montreux Jazz Festival Japan and the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation. The Foundation supports tomorrow’s artists notably through the Montreux Jazz Academy and the Montreux Jazz Talent Awards.
This new collaboration testifies as well to Audemars Piguet and the Montreux Jazz Festival’s shared passion for excellence and the creation of emotions. Music is the universal language of emotions. It touches the hearts of all beyond age categories and genres and provides an endless source of inspiration. In this quest, the Manufacture defies conventions to share its love of Haute Horlogerie through human experience.
This partnership with the Montreux Jazz Festival extends Audemars Piguet’s long-standing attachment to the world of music. In 2005, on the occasion of Jay-Z’s 10th Roc-A-Fella Records anniversary, Audemars Piguet and Jay-Z collaborated on a limited edition of the Royal Oak Offshore. In 2009, the Manufacture presented the Millenary Quincy Jones limited edition, a watch also symbolising the larger collaboration between Audemars Piguet and the internationally-renown musical producer and director on Project Q, which raised awareness on young people’s need for self-expression and self-fulfilment.
“At last,” sings François-Henry Bennahmias, Audemars Piguet’s Chief Executive Officer, fascinated by music, paying tribute to Etta James, “my love has come along.” “At last … I found a dream that I could speak to. A dream that I can call my own.” Adding music to its strategy, Audemars Piguet announces the development of new projects in the coming year.
