Dec 19, 2023 - Business

Luxury swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet to add 105 jobs in Raleigh

Zachery Eanes

Employees of Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet check a wristwatch. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images

Audemars Piguet, a luxury watchmaker based in Switzerland, is moving its North American Service Center to Raleigh.

The move by the watchmaker will create 105 jobs, Wake County's economic development agency said Tuesday.

Why it matters: The watch company will lease 63,000 square feet of space in the new Raleigh Iron Works development — which Wake County Economic Development said was the largest lease in Raleigh this year by a company new to the market.

While manufacturing jobs expansions have stayed consistent, expansions from companies that typically lease office space have slowed down due to rising interest rates and remote work trends.

Details: Audemars Piguet will invest $22 million into the service center, where watchmakers will do maintenance and repair work. Quality control engineers as well as finance and HR positions will also be based there, Kyle Touchstone, director of Raleigh Economic Development, told Axios.

No state incentives were involved in landing the expansion, according to David Rhoades, a spokesperson for the N.C. Department of Commerce.
It will, however, be eligible for local incentives from Wake County and Raleigh, Touchstone noted.
Audemars Piguet currently has a North American Service Center located in Clearwater, Florida, near Tampa.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details.

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Luxury swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet to add 105 jobs in Raleigh

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