To close its big 150th anniversary year with a bang, Audemars Piguet has put together the “150 Years of Refined Elegance” exhibition to trace one of its most exacting and poetic disciplines: The art of miniaturisation. Presented at AP House Singapore, the showcase brings together historic, vintage, and contemporary timepieces to reveal how scale reduction has continually expanded its creative possibilities—particularly in women’s watchmaking.
Miniaturisation has long been more than a technical exercise for Audemars Piguet. As wristwatches replaced pocket watches in the early 20th century, shrinking watch sizes demanded radical innovation in the construction, accuracy, and even acoustics of movements. Early milestones in the brand’s history demonstrate how precision at the smallest scale became a defining signature of the Manufacture: From on-demand chiming calibres barely 18mm in diameter to ultra-thin mechanisms measuring just over a millimetre in height.
Related article: Buccellati Brings Its “The Prince Of Goldsmiths” Retrospective To Shanghai
The exhibition, which spans from the 1920s to present day, guides visitors through the brand’s design evolution chronologically. Art Deco creations from the 1920s and 1930s reflect the age’s appetite for geometry, colour contrast, and decorative artistry, while mid-century watches signal a shift towards a more streamlined elegance, organic forms, and richly textured bracelets. The 1970s showcase the creative leadership of Jacqueline Dimier, under whose hands Audemars Piguet’s feminine designs — including one of the first sport watches for women, the 29mm Royal Oak Reference 8683, and compact interpretations of the Royal Oak Offshore—gained confidence with each redefining sport-luxury for women. The late 20th century marked a period of freedom, when miniature calibres breathed life into playful haute joaillerie watches shaped as fantastical objects, mirroring fashion’s growing influence on luxury.
Related article: Rado & Ji Chang-wook Unveil New Bangkok Boutique and Limited-Edition Timepiece
The journey concludes in the present day, where miniaturisation underpins high complications, from ultra-small tourbillons to the brand’s newly introduced trio of Perpetual Calendars: The Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar in pink gold, the Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar in pink gold, and the Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar in stainless steel. Together, these timepieces tell a cohesive story: That refinement, at Audemars Piguet, has always meant a mastery of the smallest details.
“150 Years of Refined Elegance”, at AP House Singapore, Raffles Singapore (Bar and Billiard Room), is open from 11am to 8pm daily. Book your visit here.