Editor’s pick — Accessory quick take: key highlight (movement/specs for watches, materials/finish, limited run, pricing tier) in 1–2 lines.
On this week’s episode of The Business of Watches, we sit down with Ilaria Resta, the Chief Executive Officer of Audemars Piguet. Among the strategically important years in the brand’s 150-year history, 2025 may rank among the most significant. Not only did it mark a century-and-a-half anniversary, it demanded a strong and determined leader to navigate through a mille feuille of challenges. Amid U.S. tariffs, record gold prices, an extremely strong Swiss franc, and an overall downturn in market demand, Resta and her team from Le Brassus grew sales by double digits, up 12% as of the end of October compared to the year before, according to the brand. That’s more than CHF 2.3 billion in sales, according to analyst estimates.
Audemars Piguet RD#5 (Photo Credit Mark Kauzlarich)
That’s no small achievement considering the extraordinary headwinds facing the industry. Overall, Swiss watch exports are set to decline for the second year in a row in 2025. Under Resta’s leadership, AP is bucking the trend and then some. In this episode, we talk about the notable product releases from AP this year, including its innovative perpetual calendar and the highly wearable, groundbreaking RD#5; how she intends to manage production; the evolution of the brand; and possible changes to model lines. A long-time senior executive in the consumer goods industry, Resta discusses what makes the watch industry unique and what it needs to do to appeal to the next generation of clients.
We hope you enjoy our conversation with Ilaria Resta. Be sure to leave any thoughts or questions in the comments section, and we’ll do our best to respond.
Want to subscribe so you never miss an episode? This new show is being published to the original Hodinkee Podcasts feed, so you can subscribe wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or TuneIn.
Show Notes
3:50 Audemars Piguet at Dubai Watch Week
5:27 AP Perpetual Calendars in 38mm
7:50 Book round-up featuring Audemars Piguet The Watch
9:10 Swiss Watch Exports
11:52 Royal Oak Offshore
15:30 Audemars Piguet says CEO Staying (BoF)
17:33 AP Certified Pre-Owned
19:30 Dubai Watch Week CEO Roundtable
22:25 A Plea For Proportionality (Hodinkee)
Source: www.hodinkee.com — original article published 2025-12-24 16:00:00.
Read the full story on www.hodinkee.com → [source_url]
