Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars

Audemars Piguet is most famous for their high-quality sports watches such as the Royal Oak and the Offshore. However, with the Jules Audemars collection, the manufacturer proves they are just as capable of making elegant pieces. This collection is named after and dedicated to one of the company's founders. Jules Louis Audemars began developing highly complicated watch movements in his parents' house all the way back in 1875. After pairing up with Edward Auguste Piguet, these designs formed the groundwork for the great reputation Audemars Piguet continues to enjoy to this day.

Dress watches in the Jules Audemars collection stand out thanks to their precious materials and craftsmanship of the highest quality . When not admiring the intricate complications, the eye is drawn to the masterful finishing on the movements, dials, and cases.

With the exception of a few models with stainless steel or platinum cases, the majority of the watches in this series are made of white, yellow, or rose gold, and some even feature diamond embellishments. Their surfaces are meticulously polished and satin-brushed. Most of the dials are silver-plated and feature decorative engraving. The white or rose gold numerals and indices are applied with the greatest care. With sizes ranging from 27 to 46 mm, this collection offers timepieces for both men and women.

All of the movements are produced in-house and come with complications like a tourbillon, perpetual calendar, second time zone, moon phase display, sonnerie, jumping hour hand, power reserve indicator, or chronograph function. The movements also have beautiful finishes, and some are even skeletonized.

One of the stars of the Jules Audemars collection is the Grande Complication. The automatic in-house caliber 2885 provides this 42-mm watch with its split-seconds chronograph, perpetual calendar, moon phase display, and minute repeater. All this mastery comes at a price, of course. Be sure to set aside about 416,000 USD for the version with a white dial and yellow gold case. Examples with a platinum case cost around 553,000 USD, while those with a skeletonized dial demand up to 866,000 USD.

The tourbillon is generally considered the pinnacle of watchmaking and appears on many models in the Jules Audemars collection. For example, the Minute Repeater Tourbillon Chronograph combines a tourbillon with a minute repeater and a chronograph. This 43-mm platinum timepiece with a skeletonized dial and the manual caliber 2874 costs 537,000 USD. Models without a minute repeater are markedly less expensive. You can purchase a standard Tourbillon Chronograph for just over 98,000 USD. If you prefer the skeletonized Tourbillon Chronograph Openworked or the Chronograph Tourbillon with 279 diamonds, be prepared to spend around 254,000 USD.

There are also three-hand models with tourbillons. Their prices range from 88,300 USD for standard models with a silver-plated dial and rose or white gold case to about 535,000 USD for the Tourbillon Openworked with a skeletonized dial and finely decorated movement.

Sonnerie and minute repeaters are some other popular complications. Watches with these functions can relay the time acoustically using chimes. This includes the Grande Sonnerie Carillon. Its chime system sounds every hour on the hour as well as every quarter hour. A power reserve indicator also shows when the manual caliber 2945 needs to be wound. Make sure you have about 205,000 USD on hand for one of these timepieces. Unlike the Sonnerie, the chimes in watches with minute repeaters only ring on demand. The Jules Audemars Minute Repeater has a flat button on the side of its 43-mm platinum case to operate this function. This watch is currently offered as a three-hand piece with a small seconds dial. You can also find earlier models with a minute hand, jumping hour display, and a small seconds dial. Regardless of which version you choose, plan on spending around 355,000 USD if you choose this model.

A second time zone, as seen in the Jules Audemars Dual Time, is a practical function for any frequent traveler. In addition to the central hour and minute hands, this watch displays a second time zone via a subdial at 6 o'clock. Another subdial at 7 o'clock serves as a day/night display, while a third contains the current date and power reserve display so you'll always know when your watch needs winding. Stainless steel models cost around 14,000 USD, while those in white or rose gold cost 30,300 USD.

The Jules Audemars Perpetual Calendar pays homage to the first Audemars Piguet watch with a perpetual calendar from 1978. It comes with four subdials at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock, which display the date, day, month including the leap year, and moon phase, respectively. Thanks to the ultra flat caliber 2120 and the equally flat perpetual calendar module, this watch is only 9-mm thick despite all its functionality. Prices for standard models with a rose gold case and a silver or brown dial sit around 45,400 USD. If you prefer the limited edition 30th Anniversary model with a blue dial and platinum case, prices climb to about 123,000 USD.

The Equation of Time takes things one step further. This watch features the same perpetual calendar, including moon phase and leap year displays; however, this small technological wonder is also able to display the times for sunrise and sunset as well as the equation of time. This allows the wearer to determine exactly when the sun will reach its highest point in the sky. Depending on if you choose a gold or platinum case and a solid or skeletonized dial, expect prices of between 41,900 and 58,200 USD for the Jules Audemars Equation of Time.

The Jules Audemars collection has something to offer for anyone on the search for a simple and elegant dress watch. Fans of especially flat watches will find just what they are looking for with the Jules Audemars Extra-Thin. This two-hand timepiece in 18-karat white or rose gold is only 6.7 mm thick. One of these flat timepieces costs between 14,000 and 23,300 USD. However, prices for models embellished with diamonds rise to around 33,800 USD.

Ranging from 27 to 36 mm in diameter, the Jules Audemars Small Seconds is best suited to more delicate wrists. It is available in rose or white gold, and some models feature diamonds on the dial and bezel. The manual caliber 3090 powers these timepieces and provides them with their small seconds dials at 6 o'clock. There are no other complications to be found in this series. Plan to spend about 16,300 USD for a simple model and about 21,000 USD for one with diamonds.