Audemars Piguet is up there, even in the already elevated world of ‘haute horlogerie’ and the Swiss Alps. Le Brassus in the high valley of Joux is the birthplace and still the place of hand-crafting AP watches as Tim Sayler, Chief Marketing Officer of the brand is proud and precise in pointing out to us. And pride, precision and a strong sense of place are some of the key ingredients we talk, as we discuss what has made this brand and how it stays up there in the firmament of desired objects – despite the meteoric rise of first industrial quartz watches and now smart watches. Or because of it.
We will also talk about:
- how a hostile environment, boredom and a complicated way can guide success
- what keeps AP up there in the cold and remote valley of Joux
- who pays a fortune for a watch when time can be told precisely by your phone
- why complications, constraints and pulling back can be a great way to grow
Above Tim Sayler framed by the watch on his wrist which is of the same iconic ‘Royal Oak’ line featured in his advertisements. The copy reads ‘To Break The Rules You must First Master Them’ and the photography is by Dan Holdsworth (valley of Joux). These watches are ‘skeletonized’ -ie hand-carved – out of one block of metal, as Tim explains. ‘Obsessively complex’, indeed. – Enjoy the podcast!
CLICK THE PLAY BUTTON to hear the interview. Further reading below.
AP headquarters and museum in Le Brassus and the valley of Joux
You can subscribe to our podcasts on iTunes, Android , Stitcher or to our blog for new post notifications by clicking the button in the sidebar –>
FURTHER READING:
For more insights what drives the success of Ueber-Brands, read our book “Rethinking Prestige Branding – Secrets of the Ueberbrands” as well as further case-studies on this blog.
Here is a link to the AP website, the backstory on the photography of Le Brassus used by AP by Dan Holdsworth and an article on the spectacular architecture of the AP watch museum (see pictures above).
Want to compare and contrast the AP story with that of lifestyle watch maker Shinola? Then listen to our interview with Shinola CMO Bridget Russo here.
Ueber-Brands™ 