A year after its official launch, Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet continues to evolve with five new Selfwinding date, hour, minute and second references; and five new Selfwinding Chronograph models. Adorned with complex lacquered dials and a palette of deep colours, these novelties offer a new contemporary twist to this timeless round watch
The new additions feature smoked lacquered dials with sunburst pattern in hues of blue, burgundy, purple, as well as light and dark grey. The dials’ artistry is enhanced by the watch’s extra-thin bezel and double curved glare-proofed sapphire crystal.
The dials’ elegant colours complement the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet’s contemporary architecture and refined decoration. Composed of an octagonal middle case, a round extra-thin bezel and stylised lugs, the unconventional case design pushes ancestral hand-finishing techniques to new heights with more details than meet the eye. Designed for both men and women, this collection also features an optimum curved ergonomics, making it comfortable for all to wear despite its 41 mm diameter.
Audemars Piguet has also enriched its Selfwinding date, hour, minute and second models as well as its Selfwinding Chronograph models with a two-tone case aesthetics juxtaposing 18-carat white and pink gold. This exclusive combination highlights the case’s multiple geometries, hand-finished to the nine, as well as the collection’s blend of age-old craftsmanship and innovative design. Each watch comes with a hand-stitched “large-square scale” alligator strap matching the dial’s colour.
The sunburst smoked burgundy lacquered dial’s red shades and rich nuances illuminate the 18-carat white gold case. The dial is complemented with 18-carat white gold hands and applied hour-markers.
Sun and ocean meet in the 18-carat pink gold model with smoked blue lacquered dial. The dial’s sunburst effect recalls underwater sunrays. The black inner bezel provides depth and intensity, while the double curved glare-proofed sapphire crystal offers a unique play of light.
Bringing together the calm stability of blue and the intensity of red, this model in purple hues suggests uncompromising elegance. The contrast between the watch’s smoked purple lacquered dial and 18-carat pink gold case is further emphasised by pink gold applied hour-markers and hands.
The Manufacture presents two Selfwinding date, hour, minute and second models; plus, two Selfwinding Chronograph models with distinctive two-tone gold cases and dials in shades of grey. The 18-carat white gold bezel, lugs and caseback are subtly enhanced by an 18-carat pink gold middle case.
These new models’ interweaving of 18-carat white and pink gold foregrounds the case’s multifaceted architecture and high-end hand-finishing techniques. The sapphire caseback also reveals the 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight matching the middle case’s colour.
Two-tone gold cases are extremely rare in the history of Audemars Piguet’s wristwatches. Out of the 550 wristwatches produced and sold between 1882 and 1969, only 8 examples combined two types of gold. The blend of white and pink gold was particularly rare, with only one wristwatch recorded in the Manufacture’s archives before 1978. Although, this combination has become more prevalent today, it remains a distinct symbol of refinement and elegance.
While the understated nuances of the light grey sunburst lacquered dial bring forward refined light, the smoked grey sunburst lacquered dial gives depth to the watch. The latter’s black inner bezel accentuates the dial’s nuances. The two models come with a matching grey or black hand-stitched “large square-scale” alligator strap.
These new Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet models are equipped with the Manufacture’s latest generation of selfwinding and selfwinding chronograph movements released last year.
The Selfwinding models house the Calibre 4302, an automatic movement with second and instant-jump date indication.
The Selfwinding Chronograph models are powered by the Calibre 4401, an integrated chronograph with column wheel and flyback function that enables to restart the chronograph without stopping and resetting it first.
Both movements are equipped with a patented setting mechanism that brings stability and precision when adjusting the watch’s functions. With a large diameter of 32 mm, these movements also present reinforced chronometry.
Visible through the watch’s caseback, these two calibres uphold fine watchmaking tradition with refined hand-finishing techniques including “traits tirés,” “Côtes de Genève,” circular graining, circular satin, and diamond-polished angles.
Additionally, the Calibre 4401 is endowed with a patented zero resetting mechanism, which ensures that each one of the counter hands is seamlessly reset to zero. It is also equipped with a vertical clutch system that prevents hands from jumping when the chronograph is started or stopped.
Calibre 4401, in a pioneering design, has been conceived to highlight functions and components usually hidden from view, such as the column wheel and the so-called “dance” of the chronograph hammers when the chronograph is reset to zero. The watch’s dedicated open-worked oscillating weight in 22-carat gold further provides an unobstructed view on the movement, which can be appreciated through the watch’s caseback.
