Edward Auguste Piguet (1853–1919) was a Swiss watchmaker and entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder of the luxury watch manufacture Audemars Piguet. Born on May 19, 1853, in Le Brassus, within the Vallée de Joux, Piguet descended from a long lineage of family artisans whose history in the region dates back to the 13th century. His family had been active in the local horological trade for generations; notably, his great-grandfather, Abraham Isaac Piguet, was a master watchmaker whose 1769 apprenticeship masterpiece was passed down through the family.
Piguet received formal training as a watchmaker, specializing in the regulation of movements. In 1875, he reunited with his childhood friend, Jules Louis Audemars, in their hometown of Le Brassus. The two young men established a partnership that combined their distinct skills: Audemars focused on the production and technical design of complex movements, while Piguet assumed responsibility for the commercial and management aspects of the enterprise. This division of labor allowed the business to thrive, and in 1881, they officially registered their firm as Audemars Piguet & Cie.
As the business visionary, Piguet was instrumental in establishing the brand’s international distribution network. He traveled extensively to open sales branches in major global centers, including Geneva, Berlin, London, Paris, and New York. Under his leadership, the company focused on the production of high-quality, handcrafted timepieces with significant complications, such as the Grand Complication pocket watch presented at the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris. Piguet’s commercial acumen helped elevate the manufacture into a prominent position within the haute horlogerie industry, catering to a clientele of elite collectors and connoisseurs.
In addition to his professional achievements, Piguet married Emilie Anna Reymond, with whom he had a son, Paul Edward Piguet. He remained a central figure in the Le Brassus community throughout his life. Following his death on October 7, 1919, the management of the company passed to the next generation of the founding families. Today, Edward Auguste Piguet is remembered for his role in transforming a small regional workshop into a globally recognized institution that remains one of the few independent, family-owned prestige watch manufacturers in Switzerland.