To the beat of time

How Swiss watch brand Audemars Piguet played a crucial part in preserving 55 years of stand-out performances at the Montreux Jazz Festival

- 

AT THEIR HEART, watchmaking and music are anchored by the same two elements: timekeeping and rhythm. Before the invention of the dial, the sound of bells was used to measure the passage of time. And prior to the widespread adoption of recorded sound, Swiss watchmakers Audemars Piguet were demonstrating incredible skill when it came to integrating beautiful melodic chimes into their timepieces.

In the modern era, the watch brand is very much part of the music world. They have cultivated close relationships with musicians and vice versa. Jay-Z was a fan of the prestigious watchmaker long before he had any sort of professional link with the company, even name-dropping them in his lyrics on multiple occasions for the first time in 2002's 'Show You How'. Several other rappers have followed suit, including Rick Ross in 2010's 'B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)' and Kendrick Lamar.

François-Henry Bennahmias, Audemars Piguet's CEO, credits Jay-Z for introducing the music world to the watch brand: "I met Jay for the first time in 2001," he says, "and that day, he told me one day we would make this together. That opened up a whole new world for us." Sure enough, in 2005, they worked with Jay-Z on a limited edition of their iconic Royal Oak watch to mark the 10th anniversary of Roc-AFella Records.