[Interview] Jasmine Audemars, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Audemars Piguet

Modern "Break the Rules" CODE 11.59

　This fall, Audemars Piguet held the "More Than Watches" exhibition at Tokyo Midtown. We spoke to Jasmine Audemars, the company's president, who came all the way from Switzerland to attend the opening, about "More Than Watches."

Jasmine Audemars
Born in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1941. Great-grandson of Jules-Louis Audemars, one of the founders of Audemars Piguet. One of the few "real maisons" where the founding family is still involved in management. At the age of 16, he left Le Brassus to study at school in Lausanne and then Geneva, majoring in economics and economic history. He then began his career as a journalist. In 70, he became deputy editor of the daily newspaper that was the precursor to Le Temps, and in 80, he became editor-in-chief. In 87, he joined Audemars Piguet's board of directors, and in 92, he succeeded his father as chairman of the board.

"Audemars Piguet's watchmaking is based on exceptional craftsmanship. We believe that craftsmanship and art are closely related. That's why when the idea of ​​partnering with Art Basel came up, we gave it serious thought."

　Since 2013, the company has been a global associate partner of Art Basel. Its support of young artists is noteworthy. Rather than simply supporting artists, the artists also understand Audemars Piguet’s cultural and geographical origins, and together they collaborate to create artworks and spaces to exhibit them.

"To collaborate with artists, we first invite them to our headquarters in Le Brassus. Over the course of a few days, they will discover the surrounding mountains, valleys and forests, and see and express Audemars Piguet through their lens."

　For a company whose philosophy is to "break the rules," discoveries made through art provide inspiration and inspiration not found in the watch industry. What does she mean by "rules"? She explains that "rules" are philosophies, guidelines for finding your own path, and at the same time, an independent spirit. "The Royal Oak, released in 1972, was the first to 'break the rules' at the time." As the company has always proclaimed, "breaking the rules without conformity." At a time when gold dress watches were the standard, the large-diameter Royal Oak in stainless steel was the very definition of "breaking the rules." However, the finish of the exterior and movement, honed by the craftsmanship of the Vallée de Joux, gave it a brilliance that was hard to believe was made of steel.

"In that sense, the CODE11 59, which was released in 2019, can be said to be a modern-day 'breaking the rules,'" she explains. There has always been a certain number of customers interested in classic round watches. At the same time, there is always a demand for contemporary designs. The CODE11 59 combines these two elements.

"We've applied the exceptional hairline and polishing techniques we've cultivated to the Royal Oak to this watch. Just like the Royal Oak was once 'unconventional,' this is a fascinating and wonderful challenge."