Audemars Piguet Acquires Historic “Grosse Pièce” Pocket Watch at Sotheby’s Auction
With 19 complications, the piece ties with the legendary “Universelle” of 1899 as the most complicate pocket watch ever created by the Maison.
Summary
- Audemars Piguet acquires the historic “Grosse Pièce” pocket watch at Sotheby’s auction during its 150th anniversary
- Crafted in 18k gold, the piece features 19 complications, including a celestial chart of London’s night sky
Audemars Piguet has acquired one of its most historically significant timepieces, the S. Smith & Son Astronomical Watch, better known as the “Grosse Pièce.” Commissioned in 1914 and completed in 1921, this ultra‑complicated pocket watch was auctioned at Sotheby’s Important Watches sale in New York on Monday, as part of the Olmsted Complications Collection. Its return to Le Brassus coincides with Audemars Piguet’s 150th anniversary, underscoring the brand’s dedication to preserving horological heritage and celebrating the artistry of watchmaking.
Crafted in 18-carat yellow gold, the “Grosse Pièce” is a unique technical marvel, holding the distinction of being the most comprehensive astronomical timepiece ever created by Audemars Piguet. It’s tied with the legendary “Universelle” of 1899 as the most complicated Audemars Piguet pocket watch ever produced, featuring an extraordinary 19 complications. These complexities include a minute repeater, grande and petite sonnerie, chronograph, perpetual calendar, moon phases, equation of time and the Maison’s only tourbillon in a pocket watch from that era. Notably, it’s also among the earliest watches to feature a celestial chart , depicting the night sky over London with 315 stars and various constellations alongside sidereal time.
After its delivery in 1921, the “Grosse Pièce” remained hidden from public view for decades, existing only in archival notes and rare photographs until the 1990s. Its acquisition by Audemars Piguet will allow this revered timepiece, a “living testament” to the établissage system of the Vallée de Joux, to be studied and shared globally.
Following a multi-year world tour to select AP Houses and special events, the “Grosse Pièce” will ultimately be permanently exhibited at the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet in Le Brassus. Sebastian Vivas, Director of Heritage and Museum, described the timepiece’s reappearance as a “historic moment for collectors and enthusiasts” and emphasized the delight in welcoming it to the AP Heritage Collection.
