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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spider-Man”

The year 2021 feels like ages ago. In April of that year, Audemars Piguet, under the wonderfully maniacal vision of Francois Bennahmias, released a six-figure Royal Oak Concept tourbillon with a miniaturized sculpture of the popular Black Panther character planted at the center of the dial – and more design cues spilling onto the case.

My description of the watch is quite pedestrian compared to the reaction it garnered from the watch community. And I understood where some of the outraged watch lovers were coming from, but some of that apoplexy missed the point of the watch and the soon-to-be-ending brand stewardship of Bennahmias.
At its heart, the Audemars Piguet Black Panther Concept Tourbillon was about merging a cultural touchpoint with modern watchmaking and craftsmanship. The result was a hand-crafted sculpture of the highest detail that is best appreciated in the metal.

I was lucky enough to experience that watch for an extended period of time and came away moved by the craft rather than offended by the idea. And it hit culturally, as we saw celebrities gravitate towards the watch, whether it be Kevin Hart or NBA stars Draymond Green and Spencer Dinwiddie.
Knowing that Bennahmias is a pop-culture nut (and lover of all things film and comic book) helps to contextualize the thinking. And after a few years of sitting with the Black Panther – we now have a new contender swinging into the mix.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Spider-Man Tourbillon is the latest Marvel-comic-book-horological-crossover from the holy trinity brand. In terms of a literal explanation: The thing basically speaks for itself and in many ways continues the design decisions made on the previous launch. It is limited to 250 pieces and will come in at CHF 195,000.
That means that the base model remains the Concept collection, in the very good 42mm sizing (not-so-hot take: All AP RO Concepts should be this size). It features an internal chapter-ring-style minute readout as well as a tourbillon.The dial features alternating black PVD-coated gold hour markers and Arabic numerals that are overlaid by hands of the same material. The hands and numerals are finished in white luminescence that turns blue in the dark, in what the brand says “subtly referring to the world of Spider-Man.” And lest we forget the three-dimensional, mini sculpture of a web-slinging Spider-Man center of frame.
But where the Black Panther utilized designs derived and inspired by the Vibranium-rich mines of Wakanda, it would seem that this watch takes a webbier approach. In that vein, I won’t call this a skeletonized dial, but rather a “web dial” that appears to be partially open-worked.

The strap on the Black Panther was full purple, but Spider-Man opts for black (why it wasn’t blue, I don’t know) with red accents. For the first time on the Concept, AP is delivering an interchangeable strap system, so in addition to black and gray, there is also a black and red strap. Both feature a titanium buckle. The overall finishing of the titanium case alternates between polished and blasted surfaces, with no added engravings like the previous model. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Spider-Man Tourbillon case itself is titanium but the bezel is black ceramic.

And then there’s Peter Parker himself. The dial art finds Spider-Man mid-swing around Manhattan with one hand out of frame (ostensibly clutching some webs) while the other hand comes forward as if reaching out from a 3D movie screen, ready to shoot some – um – more webs. Now, the design form of Spidey isn’t from any big-screen adaptation of the character, but rather pulled directly from the pages of a comic book. That has always been the clear delineation of AP’s partnership with Marvel on these releases. These are Marvel comic characters, not some extension of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Excuse me for not knowing the exact artist this is inspired by (I only have room in my brain for so many forms of nerdery), but I have to say that the dynamism of the sculpture really gives a sense of motion to what is literally a frozen, lifeless image. And a hat tip to the designers of the watch, as Parker’s backside narrowly avoids the wrath of the tourbillon.

Inside this watch beats the Manufacture Calibre 2974 – a brand new movement based on the caliber 2948 which also represents a change from the 2965 caliber of the Black Panther. The open-working took the full engineering might of the AP team to reduce the movement down to only the necessary parts required to make Spidey the star of the show. In so doing, what we’re left with is Spider-Man essentially emerging from a void of black space, swinging around the tourbillon. According to AP, “The silhouette and volume of the character are first cut from a block of white gold using a CNC machine. The Super Hero’s suit is then laser-engraved to obtain the differences in texture that give it its textile appearance.”

Following this process, touch-ups and engraving-related finishing is done by hand by a single artisan. The painting is also a hand-finished step. In all, this is a 50-hour process. Utilizing the same basic case of the prior release was a great move here. If there is one single piece of consensus from the last release, it’s the overall form of the 42mm case.

There is enough experimentation with a watch like this. If there’s even one part that isn’t broken, you definitely don’t fix it. Instead, AP and the team kept it as a relatively blank canvas to allow the Spider-Man sculpture to shine.

I have not yet had the pleasure to see this one IRL, but if it’s anything like the Black Panther, these images you see here don’t do it justice.
In some ways, this is a silly collaboration – marrying comic books with the highest of high (the hautest of haute) luxury watchmaking – but maybe it’s also brave. Given the limited quantity, this is sure to enter the realm of collectibility just like its predecessor did.

But it doesn’t end there, just like it did with the Black Panther, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Spider-Man Tourbillon will also be offering a piece-unique variation of this watch up for auction to benefit the First Book and Ashoka associations. The Black Panther piece-unique sold for $5,200,000, so we will certainly be on standby for the hammer price on this one.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept 26577 Supersonnerie Titanium Ceramic Pink Gold

Audemars Piguet is famous – rightly famous – for many things; among them the Royal Oak’s instantly recognizable eight-sided bezel and distinctive overall case architecture. What’s less well known in the general watch enthusiast community, however, is that there is quite a lot more to the history of Audemars Piguet than the Royal Oak itself. In fact, for much of its history, one of the most distinctive elements of Audemars Piguet’s identity was its expertise as a complications maker. It’s a revelatory experience, if you can get there, to visit the Audemars Piguet museum, as HODINKEE did not long ago, and actually see and hear some of its historical production of minute repeaters. With the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie, Audemars Piguet’s put together a genuinely fascinating fusion of some of its newest visions of watch design, and some of its most historically – well, resonant – areas of technical mastery.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie is a pretty major step in the evolution of minute repeaters, so before getting into the nuts and bolts, let’s talk a little bit about what a minute repeater is and how it does what it does. The minute repeater’s a very old complication; what it basically does is chime the hours, quarter hours, and the number of minutes past the most recent quarter hour – generally, on two gongs that sound two different notes. In a repeater, the time rings “on demand” or whenever you want to hear it (as opposed to “in passing,” as in a grandfather clock that rings the hour without you having to do anything). To operate a minute repeater, you usually have to press a slide set into the case-band, which winds a small mainspring barrel that powers the repeater gear train (otherwise every time you operated the repeater you’d run down the mainspring barrel).
Minute repeaters are considered a “high” complication, and continue to be an acid test of real watchmaking skill, because making one that works well and sounds great is still something you can’t really automate. A repeater isn’t just a mechanism, it’s also a musical instrument, and the tempo and tone quality have to be painstakingly adjusted by hand. Getting a really great tone, a pleasing tempo, and adequate volume out of a repeater requires not just a lot of mechanical ingenuity; it also takes an understanding of casemaking, an instinctive grasp of musical metallurgy, and a great ear.

Traditionally the best repeaters were pocket watches with gold cases, which delivered on all fronts: good volume; warm, pleasing tone; stately tempo. Getting the same out of a wristwatch is exponentially more difficult. The smaller case of a wristwatch (in some instances much smaller) smaller gongs, and weaker striking force in the hammers represent seemingly unsurmountable limits on performance. So it’s all the more amazing when you actually travel to Le Brassus and visit the AP museum, as we’ve been lucky enough to do, and hear just how much volume and warmth of tone you can get out of a wristwatch – below is our video, shot at AP Le Brassus in 2014 and we’d encourage you to give it a look, before going any further, as it really demonstrates just how amazing AP’s minute repeater production has been over the years.
A lot of this knowledge was nearly lost during the 1970s and 1980s but fortunately Audemars Piguet has a significant number of pieces in its museum that offer clues to how to optimize the sound of a repeater. The investigation into the physical properties of its earlier phenomenal repeating watches was the spur behind the eight-year research program that finally culminated, last year, in the showing of a complex repeater with tourbillon and chronograph, in a Royal Oak Concept case, known as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept RD#1. This watch was shown last year but under certain restrictions, and especially notable was the dearth of really solid technical info.

As it turns out that was thanks to the fact that the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept RD#1 represented three patents pending, and since then the patents have been granted, which means Audemars Piguet can discuss the innovations in this watch in depth. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie , by the way, looks pretty much identical to the Concept RD#1 seen last year except for the coloration of the chronograph seconds hand, chronograph minutes hand, and the outer chronograph minutes track (all three orange last year, and yellow in the production piece we’re showing you now). So here we go.
The first patent has to do with the gongs. AP puts a great deal of stock in maintaining and improving classical watchmaking, so these gongs are a classical material: hardened steel. They’re also tuned in a classical fashion: by filing the point where the two wire gongs are attached to the foot, or block, that holds them; and by carefully filing down the tips of each gong to adjust the tone. The patent here is really for the manufacturing process. Whether or not a repeater is pleasing to the ear has a lot to do with the musical interval between the two gongs – the process, which we hope to hear more about later this week, has to do with being able to make the gongs so that they come to the watchmaker already very close to optimum in terms of good tone and pleasant interval.

That said, as AP’s Claudio Cavaliere was kind enough to explain to us, you can’t take the watchmaker out of the equation entirely. Making a mathematically and sonically exact gong would be possible, but the result would sound, to the human ear – and as the sound is interpreted in the auditory cortex of the brain – somewhat artificial. Since a “pleasant” tone is a subjective experience, the gongs still need to be tuned by hand.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ultra Thin Tourbillon

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 37 Double Balance Wheel Openworked

Back in 2016, the Audemars Piguet Double Balance Wheel Openworked hit the market and sent pretty big shockwaves through SIHH. It featured an entirely new caliber and a hand-finished, openworked double balance wheel mechanism (not to be confused with the double balance escapement). The watch was first released in a 41mm case that was either stainless steel or rose gold, and now the hand-finished caliber 3132 is available in a white gold case measuring 37mm. But that’s not it. Not even close. The new case also features the FROSTED GOLD TREATMENT. Yes. Things are getting crazy up in here.
As usual, Audemars Piguet is introducing a lot of new products at SIHH 2018. While doing something new with an existing movement isn’t exactly groundbreaking, it is awesome that a major brand such as AP wants to offer such a cool movement in different sizes (there is also a plain rose gold 37mm version too, in case you were wondering). This size the sweet spot for many of us, and while Frosted might not be your thing, it’s all about choices.
I think this is fantastic. A Frosted Gold watch with the double balance wheel openworked movement? Sign. Me. Up. Much like the Van Cleef and Arpels Planétarium and Romain Gauthier Insight MicropRotor Lady, this is up there as a cool ladies’ timepiece that is both beautiful and technically intriguing.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Extra-Thin RD#3, reference 26670ST.OO.1240ST.01 (if you can keep 20-character alphanumeric reference numbers in short- and long-term memory, bless you, because I can’t) landed with maybe a little less impact than it deserved when it launched last April. There are probably several reasons why. First of all, I think a lot of us were still suffering from a bit of Royal Oak overload from the announcement of the ref. 16202 Jumbo when it launched in January, along with several other models (including a non-Jumbo flying tourbillon). Secondly, the Jumbo Tourbillon RD#3 appeared in the context of a larger world in which Bulgari more or less owns the community mindshare of ultra-thin self-winding tourbillons.
As astonishing as that might have been a couple of decades ago, there is little doubt that in 2022, it’s tough to make a splash with an ultra-thin tourbillon unless you have managed to unseat Bulgari. And not only is no brand challenging them, nobody even seems inclined to try. It’s telling, though, that to set their record, Bulgari had to unseat Audemars Piguet, and moreover, an AP watch that dropped back in 1986: The AP caliber 2870 self-winding tourbillon, which reigned as the undisputed champion of ultra-thin automatic tourbillons for over three decades until Bulgari came out with the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic, in 2018. While there’s no gainsaying Bulgari’s technical achievements, AP’s new Royal Oak Tourbillon does represent what is probably the single longest lineage in horology of automatic tourbillon wristwatches.
For many years, Audemars Piguet has been using basically the same tourbillon – that is, the same cage, balance, and escapement, as well as the same upper tourbillon bridge – in all of its tourbillon watches. The bridge has a distinctive, inverted “V” shape, and the cage has three arms, with a free sprung balance fitted with poising and timing screws on its outer edge. Minus the upper bridge, this is the same tourbillon used as recently as the Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon 26730, launched in January of this year. It’s also the tourbillon used in the Code 11.59 collection’s automatic flying tourbillon chronograph. The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Extra-Thin RD#3, on the other hand, uses a new configuration for its tourbillon, and moreover places a flying tourbillon, for the first time, in a Jumbo case. The RD#3 has exactly the same dimensions as the Jumbo – 39mm x 8.1mm.
To get a flying tourbillon into the Jumbo case, AP had to develop a new tourbillon movement. The Royal Oak Flying Tourbillons introduced earlier this year use the AP caliber 2950, which is 31.5mm x 6.24mm, and it has a larger case than RD#3, at 41mm x 10.6mm. The RD#3, on the other hand, uses the caliber 2968 – a smaller movement, at 29.6mm x 3.4mm, which is considerably flatter than the 2950. For comparison, Bulgari’s caliber BVL 288, used in the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic, is 1.95mm thick, but it’s also larger in diameter than AP’s caliber 2968, at 36.60mm which is getting into smaller pocket watch caliber territory. It’s sort of like squishing a jelly donut – you can flatten it but it’s going to spread out at the same time. This means that Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic has to be a little larger in diameter, at 41mm. The AP caliber 2968 isn’t the flattest automatic tourbillon in the world, but you do have to bear in mind that unlike the BVL 288, it’s not a peripheral rotor caliber. Instead, it’s a full rotor movement, and it’s almost exactly the same size as the caliber 7121 used in the new 16202 Royal Oak, which is 29.6mm x 3.2mm. In fact, the caliber 2968 looks quite a lot like a re-engineered 7121, including the arrangement of the automatic winding train and the position and configuration of the mainspring barrel.
In order to fit the tourbillon cage into a Jumbo case, AP had to change several elements of the tourbillon cage from the classic version used in the caliber 2950 in the standard Royal Oak Selfwinding tourbillons. The caliber 2950 has an overcoil balance spring, while the newer caliber 2968 has a flat balance spring (most ultra-thin watches don’t have overcoil balance springs as the overcoil adds height). The balance in the 2968 has timing weights on the inside of the balance rim (in the 2950 they’re traditional weights on the outside of the rim) set flush with the rim. The balance arms have steps milled into them, which form a sort of recess that lets the balance spring sit closer to the balance – another height-saving measure.

One other notable difference is that while the 2950 uses conventional screws to fix the upper part of the tourbillon cage in place, the 2968 uses spline bolts, which usually take up less room than screws (although I’m not sure if this is the purpose here as I don’t have the dimensions for the bolts vs. the screws available). There are also cut-outs in the pillars of the tourbillon cage, which provide extra clearance for the balance rim, allowing AP to use a larger balance (this is also one of the benefits of the internal flat-rim weights). Finally, the tourbillon cage is driven via gear teeth on its outer edge. This is a so-called peripherally driven tourbillon. A traditional tourbillon carriage is driven via a pinion on the underside of the cage. Driving the cage directly from its edge produces a savings in height as well. As we’ve said, the caliber 2968 is not the world’s flattest automatic tourbillon, but at 3.4mm thick, it’s pretty damned flat for a full rotor automatic tourbillon – to get any thinner than that you have to start using either a micro-rotor or a peripheral rotor. Before Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo automatic tourbillon came along, the thinnest automatic tourbillon (after the AP 2870) was the Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Thin Automatic 5377, whose movement has a peripheral rotor and is 3mm thick (and again, it’s very wide at 36.10mm). Looked at in context, AP’s ability to make a full rotor automatic flying tourbillon which is only 0.4mm thicker than a much wider recent record-holder with a peripheral rotor starts to look a lot more interesting. And aesthetically? What can I tell you, it’s a Jumbo, 39mm x 8.1mm, with that lovely Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50 dial. The only classic Jumbo element missing from the RD#3 Jumbo Tourbillon is the AP logo at six o’clock, but it seems a reasonable thing to lose if you’re going to have an open dial flying tourbillon. If you like the Jumbo, you’re probably going to like the Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Extra-Thin RD#3, unless the idea of an open dial flying tourbillon is just not your brand of vodka. Comparing ultra-thin automatic tourbillons can be a little tricky – it helps to know the history of the complication and it also helps to understand that a full rotor movement compared to a peripheral rotor movement is fair on one hand, but on the other hand it’s also a little bit of an apples-to-oranges comparison. Seen from that perspective, RD#3 is a beautiful, very well-thought-out piece of contemporary watchmaking.

Audemars Piguet’s Most Complicated Watch Ever

Four years in, it’s clear the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet isn’t going anywhere. Sarah introduced us to yesterday’s new lineup of time-only and chronograph models, but this one’s a little more complicated. Okay, a lot more complicated.

This is the new Code 11.59 Universelle RD#4. AP says its latest research and development watch is its first ultra-complicated automatic wristwatch: The Code 11.59 Universelle features the new AP Calibre 1000, which incorporates 40 functions, including 23 complications and 17 “technical devices.” It’s a stunning combination of much of the R&D we’ve seen trickling out of AP since 2015 when it introduced the RD#1, and the most complicated watch to ever come from the brand.

Among the 23 complications are a Grand Sonnerie Supersonnerie, minute repeater, perpetual calendar, split-seconds flyback chronograph, and flying tourbillon. AP says the RD#4 took over seven years of development and incorporates the previous three R&D innovations – the Supersonnerie from RD#1, the ultra-thin perpetual calendar from RD#2, and the flying tourbillon from last year’s RD#3. The Calibre 1000 has 1,155 components – impressively, it fits this in a Code 11.59 case that measures 42mm in diameter and 15.5mm in thickness. It sounds, dare I say – wearable?
Okay, 23 complications is cool and all, but how one puts these various tricks to use might be your next logical question. For this too, AP has an answer: crowns and pushers have been completely rethought and reworked to make the ultra-complicated RD#4 intuitive, or at least as intuitive as 40 functions can be. There are three pushers on the left side of the midcase: the first operates the minute repeater (with an engraved musical note to remind you of its symphonic purpose), while the bottom two correct the day and date.

Meanwhile, two rotating “supercrowns” at two and four o’clock operate the flyback split-seconds chronograph as you might expect, but the coaxial pushers allow for the selection of the chiming mode (that’s grande sonnerie, petite sonnerie, or silence), and for forward and backward correction of the month. Each supercrown returns to its neutral position after it’s rotated in either direction. No correctors or tools are needed to operate any of the watch’s functions.
Next, AP didn’t just take that Supersonnerie it developed back in 2015 and slap it into a Code 11.59 case. No, it’s been revised and updated so the mechanism can be put on full display. AP developed a new double caseback system that comprises a “secret” extra-thin cover and a new soundboard that’s just 0.6mm thick and crafted entirely of sapphire crystal, on which the gongs are mounted. Meanwhile, the “secret” cover features a series of apertures on the side to let air through and boost the sound.
As for the perpetual calendar, AP built on the RD#2’s perpetual calendar, which merged the perpetual calendar functions onto a single plane. For the user, operation has been simplified with those pushers and “supercrowns” on the case. A two-digit window at four o’clock even indicates the year, replacing the traditional leap year display.

The semi-Gregorian calendar thus advances day, date, and year automatically, even taking into account the 100-year leap year corrections – this means no manual adjustment is required before the year 2400. (Traditional perpetual calendars require manual correction every 100 years because they skip the leap year when the century year is divisible by 100 but not by 400, but this semi-Gregorian perpetual automatically skips the leap year every 100 years, meaning it only needs manual correction every 400 years – so yeah, you and your heirs can take a few centuries off).
The flying tourbillon uses the mechanism AP debuted in the RD#3 in 2022, while the flyback split-seconds chronograph uses a dedicated swivel clutch to ensure the chronograph doesn’t stutter when it starts.

Four variations of the Code 11.59 Universelle will be introduced by AP in 2023. The first two references will feature white gold cases with either a black galvanic gold dial or opaline beige PVD gold dial. The other two references will use either a pink gold or white gold case and feature open-worked dials to put the Calibre 1000 on full display. Of course, the case has been reworked compared to the typical Code 11.59, but at 42mm it’s only 1mm larger.

The RD#4 project was conceived and led by legendary watchmaker Guilio Papi, and the pieces are produced at AP’s headquarters in Le Brassus and AP’s complications center in Le Locle at APRP (Audemars Piguet Renaud et Papi), which was founded by Papi and his partner Dominique Renaud – AP first acquired a stake in Reunaud et Papi in 1992.

Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Minute Repeater Supersonnerie

Besides the Universelle grand complication, Audemars Piguet has another ace up its sleeve when it comes to its line of round watches. Originally launched a blue enamel dial, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Minute Repeater Supersonnerie gains sharper aesthetics with a smoked sapphire dial and a pink gold case.
A big part of the appeal of a repeater is the mystifying mass of racks and levers that drive the chiming mechanism and are most often hidden under the dial. Unveiling their secret is sometimes best done with the direct approach of not having a solid dial.

A clear sapphire dials is arguably perfect it for a repeater, because the complication is usually constructed on the movement’s dial side. Unlike other frontal complications such as perpetual calendars, chiming complications are highly interactive – the racks are set in motion during the chiming sequence in a mechanical dance, all while the chimes sound, a performance that elevates the appeal of the complication.
And for the Code 11.59 specifically, the tinted sapphire dial works especially well. Matched with high-contrast pink gold, it is an ideal complement for the case design as it blends an otherwise classical complication with contemporary livery that matches the modern styling of the case.

As a result, the new repeater is one of the most appealing watches in the Code 11.59 range, with an intrinsic appeal that few of its brethren possesess.
While retaining the same case design, the new repeater gets a more modern set of materials. While the previous iterations of the model were entirely in 18k white gold, this has a two-tone construction with the case middle in black ceramic sandwiched by a rose gold bezel and case back. But of course the highlight of the design is the sapphire dial, a livelier and more vivid presentation of the complication than its predecessor with an enamel dial.

Besides offering a partial glimpse into the mechanism below, the sapphire dial also catches the light, changing its appearance at various angles. The dial design is streamlined with the pared-back indices and hands. The hour markers now omit the applied numerals at the quarters found on the original model, instead relying on simple applied batons for the hours and minutes.

Characteristic of the Code 11.59 design, the dial is encircled by an inner bezel with printed minute numerals. This ring serves to frame the movement, which is noticeably smaller than the case diameter in part to accommodate the octagonal case middle.
Despite the modern aesthetics, the movement inside has been in AP’s stable for a long time. Debuted some three decades ago in its original form, the cal. 2953 is based on a traditional, manual-wind repeater movement and is evolved from the cal. 2907 found in the Jules Audemars repeater from over a decade ago. The classical construction means its requires extra care when operating the repeater, unlike the user-friendly Universelle that’s powers by a latest-generation calibre.

One detail worth noting is the space visible under the dial at six o’clock, which is explained by the fact that the calibre can accommodate a tourbillon, an added mechanism that is found in other iterations of the movement, like that in the Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie.

Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding

Four long years have passed and the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding is still the new kid on the block, but it has grown out of its weird-looking bald baby phase. The core of the watch remains the same as what AP released in 2019; the Selfwinding houses the 4302 movement, and the Selfwinding Chronograph, the 4401. But it is growing into a more appealing toddler whose parents are dressing it up in smart new outfits.
These refreshes to the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding are about color and detail. On the three-handed watch, the blue dial has a gray inner bezel, the green inner bezel is the same tone as the watch, and the smoked beige goes black toward its outer edge.

On the chronograph models, the blue has two-tone blue and gray counters at three and nine o’clock and a gray small seconds counter at six o’clock. The green is mostly monochromatic, with rhodium plating on the counters. The smoked beige chronograph is accented with various tones of black.
Two obvious changes: the Arabic numerals that have been on every three-handed model since the launch of the Code 11.59 are gone and have been replaced with hour markers in white gold which are thicker and have more definition than on earlier models. The date window has migrated from 4:30 to 3:00.

In both the three-handed and the chronograph, the inner bevel has been widened and smoothed, and the seconds scale is more detailed, for better precision and more modern styling.
Pricing for the new steel Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding will sit at CHF 21,000 for either of the full-steel three-handers (with the blue or green dials) and CHF 23,000 for the partially ceramic-cased beige iteration. For the chronographs, we’re looking at CHF 29,000 for the blue or green full-steel versions and CHF 31,000 for the beige with the ceramic mid-case.
We will not fully rehash the arguments made when Audemars Piguet released the Code 11.59 in 2019 and the watch world exploded. In a nutshell, some people hated the watch. Some people who hated the watch were upset that it was not the Royal Oak and some people merely hated it on its own terms. Other people liked it!
My sense was that skeptics were never too terribly disappointed about what was inside of this thing, they just thought it was funny looking. As you can see for yourself below, that very first white three-handed Code 11.59 did indeed resemble Daniel Wellington. But the designs have improved and continue to do so with these latest steel iterations.
I guess I prefer the lacquer, personally. What I’d really like is to see those new hour markers on the lacquer and also that new date window location, and given AP’s propensity for iteration I am sure eventually I will.

That said, the stainless probably looks better with these colors. What does stainless add to this collection, other than making it cheaper? It makes it more sporty and less luxe, but then stainless is also a vibe, a little less showy and more under the radar.
I had the odd experience of seeing a Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding before I really knew what a Royal Oak was, and honestly, at the time, what I liked about the watches was the deep color of the lacquer dial and the diamonds on the dial of the other one I saw. But in retrospect — and I could not have known this at the time, was too new to the game to know or care — likely much of what I liked about those dials is the way that they looked under this specially designed crown, with all its arching and angling, much discussed when the watch launched.

To me, the Code 11.59 is a great-looking watch with lots of beautiful details and now that AP has had more time with it, and is working with more materials and more colors, it is putting out something that rivals its more famous sibling.
I’m not saying that no one is allowed to dislike the Code 11.59, nor am I arguing that it’s the world’s greatest watch, or better than the Royal Oak. All I’m saying, and I would hardly be the first to do so, is that if you have been loving, wearing, coveting, worshipping, whatever it is that you as a watch lover do with the Royal Oak (b. 1972), if you are truly honest with yourself, you cannot separate that relationship from how you look at the new 11.59 (b. 2019).

I wish that I could have somehow rented out space in my brain for a real watch lover to have the experience of seeing an 11.59 in real life before seeing a Royal Oak in real life. Oh well, hindsight is 2020. And years from now when the 11.59 is just as beloved as the Royal Oak I have no reason not to suspect this that phrase will be employed, and I will be able to tell my story to the point 0002% of people in the world who would find it remotely interesting. People get ready.

Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie

It’s been ten days since Audemars Piguet unveiled its mindblowing Code 11.59 By Audemars Piguet Ultra-Complication Universelle RD#4. The watch introduced a new movement that is nothing short of stunning. Add the ingenious usability and the friendly size, and the watch became one of the undisputed highlights of this new watch year. But it did something else too: it put the Code 11.59 collection in a different light for many watch fans. We did not cover the remaining complicated Code 11.59 models in all the AP madness. With all the dust clouds gone, let’s look at them now and see what they add to the Code 11.59 collection.

A little over a week has passed, and that beige-dialed Code 11.59 By Audemars Piguet Ultra-Complication Universelle RD#4 has not left my mind. It perfectly showed the design potential of the Code 11.59 collection, and I have not forgotten that it is a technical and functional masterpiece too. But the different light that I was hinting at was the shifting perception of the Code 11.59 collection. When the line debuted in 2019, many people criticized it as bland and low-effort. Four years on, we have seen versatility in design solutions that have won over some of the critics who hated the initial design. Another three complicated models show more versatility and different faces. Time to find out more.
The Code 11.59 By Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie
The first new model is actually a trio. The Code 11.59 Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie comes in three different variations — white gold, yellow gold, and pink gold. It features the characteristic three-layer case construction with open-worked lugs. The case measures a modest 41mm wide and 13.5mm thick. As you can see in the picture, the middle layer, modeled after the octagonal shape of the Royal Oak, is black ceramic. It makes all three watches two-tone gold and black ceramic pieces. While that is impressive in its own right, it’s not where the true magic is. It’s all in the Audemars Piguet Calibre 2956, visible through the sapphire dial. We have seen some amazing dials used for the Code 11.59, but this is the first time that Audemars Piguet has given the watch a sapphire dial. As a result, you get a great view of the manual-winding 498-part movement. Each open-worked dial is enclosed by a semi-matte black opaline inner bezel that features the 60-minute numerals. The actual minute track with the applied gold hour markers with black metalized centers seems to be hovering above the movement. The brand logo also seems to hover above the spectacular movement, as does the small seconds indicator, executed in gold above a black ring at 6 o’clock.
The in-house Audemars Piguet Calibre 2956
As mentioned, the watch is powered by the brand’s in-house Calibre 2956. This movement combines a Grand Sonnerie complication with a carillon and the brand’s patented Supersonnerie technology. As many of you will know, a Grande Sonnerie mechanism strikes the hours and every quarter-hour in passing without any involvement of the wearer. Additionally, it strikes the hours, quarters, and minutes on command, just as a traditional minute repeater would do. The wearer of this spectacular piece can also opt for either a grand strike (hour and quarter hours) or a small strike (hours only). Lastly, you can switch to silent mode so that the movement does not make any sound. Audemars Piguet also equipped the watch with a carillon, meaning the movement features three gongs and hammers instead of the usual two. It allows for striking the quarter hour with a high, middle, and low note instead of the usual two notes. Finally, the watch features the brand’s patented Supersonnerie mechanism that enhances the acoustic performance and improves the overall sound quality. The movement operates at 21,600vph and has a 48-hour power reserve.
Three different versions of these one-of-a-kind Code 11.59 timepieces
As mentioned, there are three different versions. All of them are unique pieces, so only one will be made of each. All three come with a black rubber-coated strap with matching gold-colored stitching and a gold folding clasp. The price for these pieces is on request. Or maybe it is better to say that they were on request because, with one made of each, it won’t be a surprise if they have all sold by now. The sapphire crystal dial adds a spectacular visual dimension to an impressive watch. It allows for another great display of the technical wizardry that Audemars Piguet is capable of. Additionally, it proves that great things happen if the brand refrains from using the much-debated Code 11.59 font. It’s hard to fault the design of these three pieces by just looking at them and reading about the technical mastery within.
The Code 11.59 By Audemars Piguet Flying Tourbillon with a smoked green aventurine dial
A second introduction that does use the font mentioned above is the new Code 11.59 Flying Tourbillon with a smoked green aventurine dial. The Code 11.59 Flying Tourbillon was part of the introduction collection that Audemars Piguet launched back in 2019. It featured a black Grand Feu enamel dial. The brand released the same watch a year later with black aventurine enamel and blue gradient aventurine enamel dials. Essentially, the dial makers covered the gold dials with a blend of crushed aventurine glass and Grand Feu enamel. The results were a lot more spectacular than the initial release from a year before. The brand decided to take this new version one step further. The gold dial is covered with a mix of crushed green aventurine glass and enamel for this new piece. The effect is stunning, especially with the two-tone pink gold and black ceramic case. It is an absolute showstopper, although I would have loved seeing the 3, 9, and 12 numerals make way for regular hour markers. We have seen that it works miracles for other models.
The in-house Audemars Piguet Calibre 2950
Inside the 41 × 11.8mm case, you will find the automatic in-house Calibre 2950. This is the same movement that powered the previous models. It beats at 21,600vph and provides 65 hours of power reserve and a flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock. The movement is visible through the sapphire window on the case back, and you can get a nice unobstructed view of the tourbillon mechanism on the dial side. As the flying tourbillon is cantilevered from the bottom, no bridges block the view, which adds to the visual power. But I must say, that green smoky dial is the absolute star of the show. If only…
The Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Minute Repeater with a smoked sapphire dial
If only AP’s designers had chosen to replace the 12, 3, and 9 numerals with hour markers as they have done for the last new model. The Code 11.59 Minute Repeater with a smoked sapphire dial perfectly shows that the Code 11.59 does not need the numerals. For me, that proof came with the stunning Code 11.59 Perpetual Calendar that was part of the initial collection from 2019. That watch immediately showed that we don’t need the numerals, and the new Minute Repeater version is further validation of that. Whereas the 2019 model did have the numerals, this new version gloriously leaves them out. This new Minute Repeater has the same two-tone case executed in pink gold and black ceramic as the previous models. The case is 41mm in diameter and 13.6mm thick and holds the hand-wound Calibre 2953. You can see the movement through the brilliant smoky sapphire dial. The tinted sapphire is dark enough to give the feeling of an actual dial, but it is light enough to unveil the magic of the movement both in its technical wizardry and stunning finish. Pink gold hour and minute markers grace the sapphire dial, giving it enough character to make it instantly recognizable without the numerals.
The in-house Audemars Piguet Calibre 2953
A small seconds indicator is neatly placed at 6 o’clock with a black circle underneath that provides some extra contrast. The manual-winding in-house Calibre 2953 operates at 21,600vph and has a 72-hour power reserve. The minute-repeater movement also features the patented Supersonnerie mechanism that I mentioned before. The mechanism enhances the acoustic quality of the sound. In a traditional chiming movement, gongs are fixed to the movement’s mainplate. The Supersonnerie mechanism changes that by positioning the gongs on a separate soundboard. That optimizes the vibrations, and they are not transmitted to the mainplate, thus improving the sound quality, tone, and resonance.
While the movement is a beauty and a wonder to see in action, the dial is the main attraction for me. It perfectly demonstrates that the Code 11.59 watches do not need the numerals that have caused so much discussion. It is proven by all the new releases, both complicated and not complicated, that were released a little over a week ago. Audemars Piguet can easily leave them out, and doing so will drastically improve the Code 11.59 collection. Overall, the positive feedback on the pieces that don’t feature them has been overwhelmingly good — so good that some of the greatest cynics have taken a liking to the new Code 11.59 models.

Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Ultra Complication Universelle

Kicking off 2023 in an impressive manner, Audemars Piguet recently debuted a vast collection of luxury timepieces that give collectors and enthusiasts a look at the brand’s innovative future as an industry leader. Among all the exclusive and desirable Royal Oak models unveiled, the haute horologists at Audemars Piguet were most proud to evolve its line of Code 11.59 models with an all-new design and technological improvements. Audemars Piguet is excited to present the new Code 11.59 Universelle as the ultimate ultra-complication within its collection of exceptional timepieces.
The Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Ultra Complication Universelle continues its legacy of featuring a traditional circular-shaped case design, crafting the 42mm construction from 18k white gold. The partially-exposed black dial includes black counters applied with matching white gold markers and hands, using its breathtaking Tourbillon as the star of the show. A glare-proof sapphire backcase offers a clear view of the intricate complication, with the ability to change its look with an additional white gold-covered backcase. Standing out as a formal dress watch designed to turn heads, Audemars Piguet fits the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Ultra Complication Universelle with a Black alligator strap and an 18k white gold AP folding clasp.
The Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Ultra Complication Universelle is powered by Audemars Piguet’s new in-house Calibre 1000, paying tribute to its legacy of high complications in this new creation that incorporates 40 different functions, including 23 complications.
To celebrate its push towards the future of time-telling, Audemars Piguet’s newest movement offers a new depiction of lunar cycles. Using two concentric disks, six different moon positions are printed to represent transitory stages between the new and full moon. The movement is now also attached with gongs on its sapphire crystal, which utilizes its “secret” backase to boost sound amplification while the watch is worn.
Although pricing is yet to be officially released by Audemars Piguet, collectors interested in acquiring the Code 11.59 Universelle are invited to visit their local authorized dealer to plan an appointment.
Four years in, it’s clear the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet isn’t going anywhere. Sarah introduced us to yesterday’s new lineup of time-only and chronograph models, but this one’s a little more complicated. Okay, a lot more complicated.

This is the new Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Ultra Complication Universelle RD#4. AP says its latest research and development watch is its first ultra-complicated automatic wristwatch: The Code 11.59 Universelle features the new AP Calibre 1000, which incorporates 40 functions, including 23 complications and 17 “technical devices.” It’s a stunning combination of much of the R&D we’ve seen trickling out of AP since 2015 when it introduced the RD#1, and the most complicated watch to ever come from the brand.