Throughout its history, Audemars Piguet has experimented with new materials and forms to create avant-garde aesthetics. It is thanks to the meticulous work of artisans that materials have been ennobled and given a place in the world of watchmaking.

Gold, a noble metal per excellence, has been at the heart of civilisations since ancient times. Rare, brilliant, non-corrosive, and biocompatible, gold embodies wealth, success and the brilliance of the sun. The tools used to shape, engrave and set gold do not require extremely hard metals or sophisticated machinery, but are based on ancient manual craftsmanship.

Since the company's inception, Audemars Piguet's artisans have used this precious metal to create refined timepieces that seamlessly blend timeless elegance with enduring precision.

Introduced in the 1910s, stainless steel became the metal of choice for sports watches a few decades later. However, in the field of Haute Horlogerie, this metal remained rare until 1972 when Audemars Piguet launched the Royal Oak 5402 in response to changing lifestyles.

Its complex design and hand-finishing elevated steel to the status of a noble material, opening up new horizons for the entire industry.

Since the early 2000s, Audemars Piguet has been experimenting with ceramic, a lightweight, high-tech material that is resistant to wear and scratches. Although the exact composition of the ceramic at Audemars Piguet remains a closely guarded secret, it is partly made of Zirconium Oxide powder that is combined with a special binder. Its homogeneous colour is only achieved once the material has been sintered at temperatures above 1,000°C.

Each component is then pre-polished and pre-satin finished. Lines, angles and bezels are meticulously finished by hand to create the Manufacture's signature alternation of polished and satin-brushed surfaces. This meticulous process brings out the uniqueness of the material and its colour, exploiting all its subtleties.