A pioneering figure in Swiss watch design and the first woman to reinterpret Audemars Piguet’s legendary Royal Oak, Jacqueline Dimier died on 7 November 2026, aged 87. Her talent, her boldness and her profoundly modern vision of watchmaking helped to bring about a lasting transformation in the industry’s aesthetic codes, and those of Audemars Piguet.
Jacqueline Dimier passed away just before turning 88 (Audemars Piguet)
She taught me everything. She possessed a rare elegance. A unique taste for luxury
Emmanuel Gueit, former designer at Audemars Piguet
Swiss watchmaking has lost one of its most remarkable creative figures. Jacqueline Dimier, born in 1938, passed away on 7 November, just days before her 88th birthday. Her name will remain inextricably linked to the history of Audemars Piguet and the emancipation of women’s watch design.
At a time when watch design was almost exclusively a male domain, Jacqueline Dimier brought a unique sensibility to the field, combining architectural precision, elegance and boldness. Trained in graphic design, she cut her teeth in jewellery before collaborating with several major watchmaking houses, notably Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Rolex. She joined Rolex in 1968, before moving to Audemars Piguet on 6 January 1975 (until 1999). She was hired as a designer and, for 24 years, was responsible for the majority of the brand’s models.
An Avant-Garde Woman in a Male-Dominated World
The 1977 Royal Oak 8638. Jacqueline Dimier has reimagined the proportions of Gérald Genta’s iconic model in a ladies’ version (Audemars Piguet)
Gerald Genta is, of course, often cited as the father of the Royal Oak, but it was Jacqueline Dimier who brought the Royal Oak to life
Emmanuel Gueit, former designer at Audemars Piguet
Her name was cemented in history in 1976, when she took over the project for the first ladies’ Royal Oak, four years after Gérald Genta’s revolutionary creation. According to Audemars Piguet’s records, ‘The beginnings of the ladies’ Royal Oak predate Jacqueline Dimier’s arrival. The archives contain an anonymous gouache, probably drawn by Jean-Fred Meylan, with a pencil annotation indicating that it dates from 1973.”
Far from simply miniaturising the men’s model, she reimagined its proportions, preserved its striking visual impact and asserted that a ladies’ watch could be sporty, architectural and crafted from steel – defying the conventions of the time.
A Legacy That Extends Far Beyond the Royal Oak
The Audemars Piguet Bambou model from the 1980s in yellow gold (Sabi Watches)
Many models were created thanks to her, including the Bambou, which is now highly sought-after
Emmanuel Gueit, former designer at Audemars Piguet
When contacted, Emmanuel Gueit, a former designer at Audemars Piguet who worked alongside her for thirteen years, recalls: “She was one of my three mentors. She taught me everything. She possessed a rare elegance and a unique sense of luxury. Working with her was pure joy; she was like a mother to me. She showed me how to work with the manufacture’s craftspeople and the industrial aspects of design. She was an imposing woman, yet down-to-earth at the same time. Gerald Genta is, of course, often cited as the father of the Royal Oak, but it was Jacqueline Dimier who brought the Royal Oak to life. Many models were created thanks to her, including the Bambou, which is highly sought-after today.’
For more than two decades, she designed hundreds of models for Audemars Piguet, helping to define the manufacture’s aesthetic identity. In particular, she played a key role in designing the ultra-thin automatic perpetual calendar watch launched in 1978, another of the maison’s major achievements.
Her visionary outlook also extended to the world of jewellery, where she freely explored the boundaries between watches, jewellery and works of art. This approach resonates particularly strongly today, as Audemars Piguet has just unveiled its new Royal Oak Joaillerie collection, fifty years after the first ladies’ version of the model was introduced.
Jacqueline Dimier leaves behind a legacy that extends far beyond her creations.
Under the leadership of Ilaria Resta, CEO of Audemars Piguet, this watchmaking method—which enjoyed its golden age during the 19th century—is being brought back into the spotlight. At Watches and Wonders Geneva on Tuesday, the brand exclusively unveiled its three new timepieces from the “Atelier des Etablisseurs” project.
With the publication of the “2025 Sustainability Report”, Audemars Piguet has clearly set out its sustainability objectives, which the brand has supported with several commitments, including the phasing out of ruby sourcing and the allocation of 2% of its turnover to its two Foundations. Luxury Tribune was able to conduct an exclusive on-camera interview with Ilaria Resta, the brand’s CEO, about these developments.
