Behind the scenes: exploring Audemars Piguet’s role in supporting Montreux Jazz Festival’s legendary stage for musicians
There are moments in life when you stumble upon something so unexpectedly perfect that it recalibrates your understanding of what an experience can be. For me, that revelation came on a warm July evening beside Lake Geneva, where the Montreux Jazz Festival was unfolding in all its understated Swiss magnificence.
We’d arrived with the usual festival expectations, invited by Audemars Piguet—good music, decent wine, perhaps a memorable Instagram story or two. What Tatler discovered was something far more profound: a place where the boundaries between performer and audience dissolve entirely, where the lake itself becomes part of the orchestra and where every note seems to carry the weight of five decades of musical history.
The AP Lounge at Montreux Jazz Festival (Photo: courtesy of Audemars Piguet)
The festival’s main stage, built over the water, creates an almost mythical setting. As British indie pop band London Grammar took to the platform that evening, lead vocalist Hannah Reid’s voice seemed to merge with the gentle lapping of waves below. Behind us, the Alps provided a dramatic backdrop that no concert hall could rival. There’s something profoundly moving about experiencing live music in such proximity to natural grandeur—it strips away the artifice and leaves you with pure, unadulterated emotion.
Later, as Australian alternative dance group Rüfüs du Sol’s electronic soundscapes washed over us, we found ourselves alongside hundreds of strangers, all of us united in a kind of collective trance. The music felt less like a performance and more like a shared meditation, each synthesised note echoing off the mountains and returning to us transformed.
But Montreux’s magic extends far beyond its headline acts. Throughout my stay, I became increasingly aware of the festival’s deeper currents—particularly the role played by Audemars Piguet through its APxMusic initiative. This isn’t just corporate sponsorship; it’s cultural stewardship.
The AP Lounge at Montreux Jazz Festival (Photo: courtesy of Audemars Piguet)
The Swiss watchmaker’s involvement in Montreux reads like a love letter to both music and craftsmanship. Its APxMusic programme has quietly revolutionised how we think about the intersection of luxury and culture. Take its “180” mini-series, which saw artists like The Lyonz creating original compositions in alpine settings above the town. Or consider its commitment to preserving Montreux Jazz Festival’s legendary archives—decades of recordings from artists like Nina Simone, Miles Davis and Prince, now digitised and recognised by Unesco.
Then there’s Parallel, APxMusic’s most intriguing venture. This invitation-only event has become the stuff of legend among music insiders—secret venues, carefully curated line ups featuring artists like Korean DJ Peggy Gou and Black Coffee, and an atmosphere of creative intimacy that feels almost conspiratorial. It’s luxury redefined: it’s not about exclusion, but about creating space for genuine artistic connection.
What struck us most about Audemars Piguet’s approach is how seamlessly it integrates with Montreux’s own philosophy. Both the festival and the watchmaker share an obsession with precision, a respect for tradition and an unwavering commitment to pushing boundaries. In an age of increasingly corporate festival experiences, this feels refreshingly authentic.
See also: From Hong Kong to Macau: Rolex GMT‑Master exhibition connects time zones in style
Audemars Piguet Parallel is a APxMusic initiative (Photo: courtesy of Audemars Piguet)
Standing there by the lake, watching the last notes of the evening dissolve into the air, we understood why the Montreux Jazz Festival has endured while so many other festivals have faded. It’s not about scale or spectacle—it’s about creating moments that feel genuinely transformative: the kind of moments that stay with you long after the music stops, that recalibrate your understanding of what live music can achieve.
These are the experiences that remind us why we seek out live music in the first place—not just to hear songs we know but to be part of something larger than ourselves. In Montreux, surrounded by mountains and history and the quiet excellence of Swiss hospitality, that transformation feels not just possible but inevitable. Some places simply change you. This is one of them.
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