Independence and innovation have long been part of the Audemars Piguet story, stretching right back to its Le Brassus beginnings in 1875. That’s why its latest initiative, unveiled at Watches and Wonders 2026, feels like a deliberate – and welcome – return to first principles. The altogether unexpected Atelier des Établisseurs is less a collection and more of a philosophy, one that reactivates the deeply collaborative roots of Swiss watchmaking while embracing its most contemporary creative freedom.
The name itself is telling. The établissage system, which defined horology in the Vallée de Joux during the 18th century, relied on a network of specialised artisans with each producing components that were later assembled by an établisseur into a complete watch. It was a decentralised, somewhat ad hoc system, shaped as much by geography and connections as by ingenuity. And in many ways, it was the model upon which Audemars Piguet was founded.
With this newly-launched Atelier des Établisseurs, the brand revisits that spirit as a living methodology, without even a hint of nostalgia clouding its crystal-clear vision. Operating from within the historic Musée Atelier in Le Brassus, the project brings together engravers, enamellers, lapidarists and watchmakers, alongside designers and engineers, to produce highly limited, often unique timepieces. Operating at scale isn’t even a consideration; the atelier’s rare crafts, many of them at risk of disappearing, are given space and time to evolve organically in dialogue with modern horology.
The result? The atelier’s first output is a trio of debut pieces that are as much objet d’art as instruments of time – and Ilaria Resta, credited on each piece with ‘Project Initiation’, is clearly making her creative mark here too. Kicking off with the Établisseurs Galets, this time-only piece draws directly from the landscape of the Vallée de Joux, its fluid bracelet echoing water-worn pebbles from the Lac de Joux. Each link is individually shaped and stone-set, creating an organic, ergonomic form that begs to be handled.
Powered by a reworked ultra-thin calibre, shaped specifically for the naturalistic case it’s enclosed in, it’s a confluence where jewellery and watchmaking combine.
More architectural in concept, the Établisseurs Nomade explores versatility. Designed to shift between pocket watch, desk object and pendant, it pairs skeletonised mechanics with faceted metal and stone. Its openworked movement is painstakingly hand-executed and blurs the line between function and form as both architecture and display.
Then there’s the Établisseurs Peacock, a theatrical nod to the tradition of secret watches. Closed, it resembles a sculptural beetle but once activated it transforms into a peacock, revealing an intricately enamelled dial with a dragging hour display at 12 o’ clock. It is many-layered, expressive and unapologetically decorative – a true work of horological adornment.
The Atelier des Établisseurs seems to shy away from revisiting Audemars Piguet’s past while still managing to reactivate its founding values. In an era defined by industrial precision, the Maison’s new atelier shifts the focus to something slower, rarer and more collaborative, where the true luxury lies. The magic is to be found not just in the finished watch, but in the many hands that bring it to life.
