Class is in session for Audemars Piguet, with the revered Swiss watch manufacturer paying no heed to the Watches & Wonders timeline and dropping their first semester releases for the year over a month early.
Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet
Introduced in 2019, Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet represented the manifestation of the watch manufacturer’s desire to do something different. Now, the Code 11.59 range has introduced a new entry-level model. Well, entry-level by Audemars Piguet’s ‘steel for the price of gold’ standards. Previously, timepieces within the Code 11.59 range were primarily available in white or rose gold. Now, the range debuts the use of stainless steel, which appears on four of the six new releases. All six models are 41mm and feature basketweave guilloché dials, with three of them simple time-only pieces and the other three chronographs. Priced from approx. $40,000AUD, they’re a bargain by AP standards.
Model: Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet
Case size: 41mm
Movement: Selfwinding Calibre 4302, Selfwinding Calibre 4401
Code 11.59 Ultra-Complication Universelle
She’s complicated. A veritable feat of mechanical engineering, the Code 11.59 Ultra-Complication Universelle is deserving of its name. Housing 40 (!) functions including 23 complications within a single movement — the selfwinding calibre 1000 — composed of over 1100 components, this watch truly does it all. Does it need to? Probably not, but we like it anyway. Among some of the standout complications are a Grande Sonnerie Supersonnerie, a minute repeater, a perpetual calendar, a split-seconds flyback chronograph, and a flying tourbillon. The result of seven years of work by some of the most prestigious Swiss watchmakers in the game, the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Ultra-Complication Universelle is able to house its numerous complications within a 42mm case, and is designed to be used without the need for tools or adjustments. Despite its overall contemporary design, it draws inspiration from the Audemars Piguet L’Universelle pocket watch created in 1899.
Model: Code 11.59 Ultra-Complication Universelle
Case size: 42mm
Movement: Selfwinding Calibre 1000
Royal Oak Selfwinding with Turquoise Dial
Coming soon to an Instagram feed near you. Naturally, an Audemars Piguet drop wouldn’t be complete without a Royal Oak (or four). This one is likely to be the standout of the pack; crafted from yellow gold and illuminated by a natural turquoise dial, it exudes a jewellery-like aesthetic. With a 37mm case, it’s ideally sized for smaller wrists.
Model: Royal Oak Selfwinding with Turquoise Dial
Case size: 37mm
Movement: Selfwinding Calibre 5900
Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph
The Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, with this iteration inspired by the original 1993, albeit with some modern updates. Taking on a monochromatic appearance, it’s crafted from black ceramic and features a black Petite Tapisserie dial.
Model: Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph
Case size: 42mm
Movement: Selfwinding Calibre 4404
Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph
Sitting within the futuristic, high-tech Royal Oak Concept range, this release takes modernity to new heights with a sporty contemporary aesthetic. A three-dimensional titanium case plays with textures and light, while the timepiece introduces the first interchangeable strap of the collection. The micro-mechanics of the new calibre 4407 are visible through the sapphire glass caseback, showcasing the advanced split-seconds mechanism inserted within the ball bearing.
Model: Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph
Case size: 43mm
Movement: Selfwinding Calibre 4407
Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin with Blue-Grained Dial
The original skinny legend. Inspired by a 1992 model used to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Royal Oak, this iteration features a new blue-grained dial. Sitting impossibly close to the wrist thanks to the ultra-thin calibre 7121 introduced last year, the striking dial texture of the new Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin was created through a hand-stamping process, followed by blue-toned PVD treatment with a translucent coating that results in a rich hue that glistens in the light. Made with white gold, it’s a limited-edition model and features an exhibition caseback.
Model: Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin with Blue-Grained Dial
Case size: 39mm
Movement: Selfwinding Calibre 7121
Words by AR Staff
