If Art Basel, scores of supercars, an annual F1 race, and ritzy residential complexes branded by the world’s most elite automotive marques hadn’t already established Miami as a hub of prosperity and luxury, then the arrival of a new “AP House” should do the trick.
High-horology brand Audemars Piguet just opened its new Miami Beach flagship retail outlet—the second in the U.S. following a location in New York City’s Meatpacking District.
According to the 150-year-old Swiss brand, the opulent outpost aims to provide an experience for clientele that would do right by AP founders Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet, who often invited customers into their homes. The idea is to eschew a traditional, transaction-based storefront in favor of a more carefully curated and inviting atmosphere.
Instead of glass displays brimming with five-figure timepieces, the 7,300-square-foot Miami AP House’s interior flows more like the that of a fine modern home, featuring a lounge area with a warm, earthy palette, bespoke sectionals, and chairs with funky seat forms. Guests can head to the listening corner and spin a hand-selected record, admire contemporary ceramics by Brazilian artist Sallisa Rosa and artworks on-loan from the Wilde Gallery in Geneva, or catch some beachy breezes an the outdoor terrace.
As for watches, AP House will also feature a “micro-museum of the brand’s finest timepieces”—think the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar or perhaps the sleek new Neo Frame with its “jumping hour” movement. To drive home AP House’s distinction from traditional shops, very few actual watches can be seen in these images.
Joining locations in Atlanta, Bangkok, Barcelona, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Milan, Mexico City, Munich, Shanghai, Singapore, Seoul, and Tokyo, AP House Miami is open now—while not explicitly required, appointments are recommended.
