On 29 May, Audemars Piguet officially inaugurated its new boutique at 12, Place de la Fusterie in Geneva. Open since 6 March, the new showcase has already received a number of visitors and is the twelfth and largest Audemars Piguet boutique to date, spread over 300m² and including 250m² of sales space.

Audemars Piguet invited friends, partners, clients and a few members of the press to attend an outstanding evening to mark the official opening of its new boutique. After the traditional cutting of the tape, Jasmine Audemars, Chairman of the AP Board of Directors, Georges-Henri Meylan, CEO, and Nicolas Kappenberger, General Manager Swiss market, revealed the exceptional architectural surroundings—a blend of high-tech style and contemporary baroque features. Housed in a listed building dating back to 1715 that was previously home to the famous Baroque Bar, the boutique has successfully preserved the structure of the original interior, with its high ceilings and arches. The goal was to subtly incorporate Audemars Piguet visual identity guidelines without detracting from the unique ambience of the building. The result is a warm, well-lit interior that truly exceeds expectations. The chosen colours and materials clearly reflect the Audemars Piguet approach, with an emphasis on natural products such as wenge, glass, natural wood, stone and fabrics; the dominant colour is green, in keeping with the Audemars Piguet identity, blended with metallic grey, pearly white and brown. The overall effect conveys the brand’s core values of tradition, excellence and innovation. Tradition is reflected in the choice of natural, noble materials and allusions to the Joux Valley through the use of natural-wood parquet flooring and Jura stone, always with a dominant green hue. Pictures of the Jura Valley decorate the walls and fixtures. The Manufacture also reveals its roots through a number of period tools, old photographs, collector’s pieces and history books on Audemars Piguet and the art of watchmaking. The impressive layout, high-quality materials and flawless finishing all suggest excellence, while innovation is apparent in the blend of tradition and modernity, with classic materials such as wenge mixing with state-of-the-art technology such as “active glass” lit by LEDs.

Those attending the inauguration were given the chance to immerse themselves in the world of fine watchmaking: the Brassus Manufacture’s finest pieces were on show; mannequins were “dressed” in projected light reflecting the latest brand creations for women; dishes in keeping with the theme of each collection were served to the tune of lively music; and an auction quickly kindled everyone’s enthusiasm. Audemars Piguet sold the first “Rhône-Fusterie” Royal Oak Offshore in the collection to the highest bidder and gave the proceeds to the Little Dreams Foundation (set up in 2000 by Phil and Orianne Collins), which works to help talented able-bodied and disabled youngsters achieve their dreams in the arts and sports. The Little Dreams Band ran through its extensive repertoire from the boutique’s mezzanine.

Celebrations continued late into the night at the B Club, just below the boutique, where the beautiful, talented Anggun gave a private concert, enchanting her audience and bringing to a close a hugely successful evening that suggests a bright future for the new Audemars Piguet boutique.

Royal Oak Offshore “Rhône-Fusterie” chronograph

Reference:
26108ST.OO.D066CR.01
Stainless-steel case
Limited series of 500 numbered watches

Movement: Self-winding 3126/3840 calibre

Case and bezel: Back engraved with the inscription Rhône-Fusterie and Royal Oak Offshore – Limited Edition; water-resistant to 100 metres

Push-pieces and crown: Rubber-moulded stainless steel

Dial: Red with exclusive “Méga Tapisserie” motif; white counters and white luminescent hour-markers

Strap: Red crocodile leather; AP stainless-steel folding clasp

Functions: Hours and minutes; small seconds at half past the hour; central stopwatch with second hand, 30-minute and 12-hour counters; tachometric scale on bezel; date

Source: Audemars Piguet