Audemars Piguet unveils tourbillon and perpetual calendar
Audemars Piguet new collection
The new collection Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet stands for its genetic code.
On the brink of tomorrow, 11.59 is ahead of the game. Boldly embedding an octagonal middle-case within a round case, Audemars Piguet cuts through the timeline of its long history of form and design experimentations.
The upper part of the openworked lugs is welded to the extra-thin bezel, while the lower part leans delicately against the caseback in perfect alignment.
The case has been conceived to adjust to different wrist sizes, making it comfortable for all to wear despite its 41 mm diameter.
Satin-brushed, bevelled and polished, the bezel, lugs and case present high complexity finishing techniques usually found on calibres. We bring you a sneak peek at the two interesting watches in the Code 11.59 collection…
Tourbillon Openworked
This model houses a unique hand-wound tourbillon openworked movement, calibre 2948, which conveys extreme complexity and depth.
The contrast created between the 18-carat pink gold case and the dark openworked rhodium German silver mainplate and PVD bridges, exclusively designed for this collection, accentuates the movement’s artistry and 3-D effect. The gold-toned balance wheel adds a subtle touch.
With 70 hand-polished V angles, the hand finishing on this 4.97 mm thick movement pushes the openworking art to new heights.
Perpetual Calendar
An astronomical watch par excellence, this perpetual calendar model features a dark blue aventurine dial and sub-dials recalling a star-lit sky.
Aventurine glass was created in the 17th century thanks to a chance manipulation (“all’avventura”) in a Murano glass factory when copper filings were dropped into cooling molten glass, creating a constellation of sparkling particles.
Today, this glass is obtained by introducing black copper oxide and cobalt that give the blue colour to the glass. The pink gold case, hands and applied hour-markers enrich the deep blue sparkling constellation of the aventurine dial.
The dial’s starry particles resonate with the moon indication at 6 o’clock.
A photographic image of the moon is reproduced through laser engraving and applied on an aventurine disc that subtly matches the design of the dial.
The astronomical moon serves to diminish the daily display error.
Thanks to this function, adjustment is required once every 122 years and 108 days.
This model houses a self-winding Manufacture calibre 5134 optimised with the collection’s signature openworked weight in 22-carat gold.
A perpetual calendar automatically adjusts short months, and adds a day to February each leap year. If worn permanently, it will require an adjustment in 2100 only.
In addition to providing the astronomical moon indication at 6 o’clock, the perpetual calendar indicates the day number and week day at 3 and 9 o’clock respectively, the month at 12 o’clock, the week numbers on the lacquered blue inner bezel, as well as the hours and minutes.
