At its release in 2019, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet created lots of buzz – some of it for the wrong reasons, with the design being panned as uninspiring. But Audemars Piguet (AP) stuck with the model and swiftly tweaked the formula, resulting in watches that were better received, including the recent Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Starwheel.

Now the base models have received a facelift that does away with the plain dials of the originals, replacing them with a finely-patterned stamped dial. Available as either a chronograph or three-hander, the new Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet is also in stainless steel, making it (slightly) more accessible.

Initial thoughts

The redesigned Code 11.59 is certainly more appealing than the original, with the dial giving it a level of visual detail absent from its predecessor. Fans of the original will like the new Code 11.59, and those on the fence will probably be persuaded as well. But anyone who disliked the original will not be swayed since it is essentially the same watch but in new attire.

Although the dials are stamped, they offer a surprising level of detail. The pattern is intricate enough that I thought they were engraved with a CNC machine when I first saw them.

The “smoked beige” dial

And the one in blue

To go with the new dial are redesigned hands and hour markers. Gone are the plain baton hands and markers with Arabic quarters, they have been replaced by baton hands and markers with more detail. The markers are facetted while the hands are partially open worked, and both feature luminous filling.

Though slightly more modern than before, the new hands and markers are still slightly retro from a distance. I would have preferred a more pronounced, contemporary design to go with the distinctly modern case.

The new Code 11.59 makes it debut with a fairly compact line-up of just six references made up of two models, each in three dial colours.

While the blue and green dials are pleasing, they are quite conventional. The “smoked beige” dial, on the other hand, stands out for being unusual yet handsome. Plus it is the only variant with a ceramic case middle; the rest are entirely steel.

Starting at CHF21,000 for the three-hander and CHF29,000 for the chronograph, the new Code 11.59 is the most affordable mechanical AP watch. The Code 11.59 compares well against equivalent offerings from Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin – basically the best in terms of industrial-luxury – both in terms of pricing as well as quality. But the design will likely continue to be polarising, though not quite as drastically as before.

The new Code 11.59 line up. Image – Audemars Piguet

Stamped guilloche

AP recruited Yann von Kaenel, the guillocheur who runs Décors Guillochés in Neuchatel, for the production of the new dials. Specialising in traditional engine turning, Mr von Kaenel created the dies for the stamping process via traditional methods, namely engraving via a hand-operated straight-line engine.

His traditional guilloche dies are then used to stamp the serially-produced dials of the Code 11.59, explaining the unexpectedly fine patterning that resembles a basketweave. According to AP, this level of detail would not be possible with stamping that relies on a conventionally produced die.

The stamped dials are then treated to create the resulting colours. The blue and green dials are achieved with PVD, increasingly the treatment of choice for metallic finishes. Notably, the blue dial is exactly the same shade “bleu nuit, nuage 50” (which translates as “night blue, cloud 50”) as found on the classic Royal Oak “Jumbo” ref. 16202.

But the standout “smoke beige”, on the other hand, is done with galvanic treatment, first to create the base colour and then with an additional step for the dark shading on the edges.

Stamped guilloche aside, a few other details about the dial are noteworthy. While the case is now steel, the new dials still feature hour markers and hands in 18k white gold.

And the date display has a disc in a complementary colour so that it isn’t too distracting. That said, the three-hand model outlines the date with a frame, making it more prominent, perhaps unnecessarily so.

Finally, the redesign also adds a second scale graduated in fractions of a second, giving the face a slightly more functional, instrument-like appearance that goes well with the case styling.

A first in steel

In a first for the model, the new offerings are entirely in steel, save for the “smoked beige” that gets a fancier combination of steel and ceramic. This gives the new models an easy lightness on the wrist.

The rest of the watch is identical to the earlier Code 11.59 models, save for the crown. It’s been redesigned to have softer edges, as well as shallower but more numerous fluting for better grip.

The case retains the sandwich-like construction that characterises the model. It’s essentially a bezel and back containing an octagonal case middle. This modular approach allows for easy variation in the case materials, as done with the “smoked beige” models that features a black ceramic middle.

And the case continues to incorporate the novel lug construction where the open-worked lugs are only welded to be bezel and gently rest on the case back. The complex approach to the case results in an impressively nuanced finish with lots of contrasting surfaces and detail, but one which also brings lots of dust trapped in obscure crevices.

The steel-and-ceramic case of the “smoked beige” dial

Mechanically the new Code 11.59 models are unchanged. The three-hand is still powered by the cal. 4302, while the chronograph contains the cal. 4401.

Both are derived from the same basic architecture that underpins AP’s latest-generation workhorse movement for its larger-diameter watches. They have all the features expected of a modern, high-end calibre, including a free-sprung balance and a long, 70-hour power reserve.

The cal. 4401 chronograph movement

Key facts and price

Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding 41 mm
Ref. 15210ST.OO.A343KB.01 (blue)
Ref. 15210ST.OO.A056KB.01 (green)
Ref. 15210QT.OO.A064KB.01 (smoked beige)

Diameter: 41 mm
Height: 10.7 mm
Material: Steel; or black ceramic and steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 4302
Functions: Hours, minutes, centre seconds and date
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 70 hours

Strap: Rubber-backed leather strap with pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: At AP Houses and boutiques
Price: CHF21,000 for blue or green dials, CHF23,000 for smoked beige (prices exclude taxes)

Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Chronograph 41 mm
Ref. 26393ST.OO.A343KB.01 (bleu nuit, nuage 50)
Ref. 26393ST.OO.A056KB.01 (green)
Ref. 26393QT.OO.A064KB.01 (smoked beige)

Diameter: 41 mm
Height: 12.6 mm
Material: Steel; or black ceramic and steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 4401
Functions: Flyback chronograph, hours, minutes, small seconds, and date
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 70 hours

Strap: Rubber-backed leather strap with pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: At AP Houses and boutiques
Price: CHF29,000 for blue or green; CHF31,000 for smoked beige (prices exclude taxes)

For more, visit Audemarspiguet.com.

Audemars Piguet (AP) just revealed its new launches for the year and one of the highlights is a new version of the classic Royal Oak “Jumbo”. Harking back to the uncommon “Tuscan” dial from three decades ago, the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Ultra-Thin in white gold boasts a grained blue dial.

Initial thoughts

At a distance, the new “Jumbo” looks like an average Royal Oak with its white metal case and blue dial. But on the hand, it is evidently different. It is still thin and elegant but wonderfully weighty thanks to the gold case and bracelet. Granted, the quintessential Royal Oak is a steel “Jumbo” but the white gold case leaves this feeling a bit more refined and sophisticated.

And then there’s the dial. With its granular surface, it is recognisably different from the average Royal Oak – and also easily beautiful. The PVD treatment gives it a gorgeous metallic blue that combines with the texture to catch the light nicely.

Although it is not a limited edition, this feels special, mostly due to the fact that it’s the only white gold “Jumbo” in the catalogue. There is another white metal “Jumbo” in the line up – the platinum model exclusive to AP Houses – but it has a green dial that feels a bit too fashionable. This grained blue dial, however, feels more like a classic.

The standard steel “Jumbo” is already an excellent watch, combining the perfect proportions of the original Royal Oak with the excellent cal. 7121. This version in white gold is arguably better with its discreetly patterned dial and the lustrous white gold case – but at a price of CHF65,000. It’s a substantial sum but in line with the “Jumbo” in pink or yellow gold, but this one is more special given the dial.

“Tuscan”

The grained dial is a departure from the petite tapisserie guilloche synonymous with the Royal Oak, but the stamped dial is historical, with roots in the “Tuscan” dials found on some Royal Oak models in the 1980s and 1990s.

While the origin of the nickname is lost to time, the “Tuscan” dial was reputedly the result of hand-hammering. Introduced sometime in the early 1980s, the “Tuscan” dial made its debut in AP’s round, classic perpetual calendar like the ref. 25657, but is now best known for being found in the Royal Oak perpetual calendar, like the ref. 25820 for instance. The dial was also found in the all-platinum Royal Oak “Jumbo” ref. 14802 Jubilee edition made for the model’s 30th anniversary.

The Royal Oak ref. 14802 in platinum. Image – Phillips

Now AP has replicated the “Tuscan” dial with modern techniques. The dial of the new “Jumbo” is stamped to create a “finer and brighter” grain according to AP, and then treated with PVD to give it a rich blue shade, one that’s darker than vintage “Tuscan” dials. The result is a granular surface in deep blue that sparkles at certain angles.

Texture aside, the rest of the dial is standard “Jumbo” with a printed AP logo under 12 o’clock along with the applied emblem at six. And like other current “Jumbo” models, this has date disc that matches the deep blue of the dial.

Historically, the “Tuscan” dial is most often seen Royal Oak models in white metals, though a few examples in yellow gold exist. And so the modern-day grained dial is fittingly installed in a white gold case.

This is the only white gold Royal Oak “Jumbo” in the catalogue, but it is otherwise identical to other “Jumbo” ref. 16202 models. The dimensions are classic “Jumbo” and extremely elegant: 39 mm in diameter and 8.1 mm in height. But the case and bracelet in white gold give this a luxurious heft that is absent on the steel model, but without the ostentation of the yellow or pink gold variants.

Inside is the cal. 7121 that made its first appearance last year during the Royal Oak’s 50th anniversary. It is just as thin as its predecessor, but far more user friendly. The cal. 7121 features a quick-set date, a power reserve of 55 hours (longish considering the thinness and size), and a full balance bridge that improves stability and shock resistance.

Like all Royal Oak models produced from 2023 onwards, the new “Jumbo” is kitted out with a standard oscillating weight in 22k rose gold instead of the anniversary rotor found on watches made last year

Key facts and price

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Ultra-Thin
Ref. 16202BC.OO.1240BC.02

Diameter: 39 mm
Height: 8.1 mm
Material: 18k white gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: Cal. 7121
Functions: Hours, minutes, and date
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 55 hours

Strap: 18k white gold bracelet with folding clasp

Limited edition: No
Availability: At AP Houses and boutiques
Price: CHF65,000 (excluding VAT)

For more, visit Audemarspiguet.com.

Amongst the usual Royal Oaks just debuted by Audemars Piguet (AP) is the Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 42mm Black Ceramic. It’s the very first Offshore entirely in ceramic – both the case and bracelet are ceramic, as are the pushers and crown. And like all newer Offshore 42 mm models, it’s powered by the in-house cal. 4404.

Initial thoughts

The new Offshore is a straightforward proposition – monochromatic in black and white, and mostly ceramic. It’s essentially the original Offshore in a fancier execution, both in terms of materials as well as the movement. So you appreciate the relative simplicity of the original Offshore design, this is easy to like.

Part of the appeal comes from the material. The all-black ceramic livery suits the no-frills aesthetic of the original Offshore well.

At the same time, AP excels at finishing ceramic so the case and bracelet have the same lustrous surfaces as their metal counterparts. As a result, the watch has a tangible, tactile quality that is appealing. That said, ceramic is slightly glossier than metal, so the brushed surfaces don’t have the same matte finish as the metal equivalents.

The only downside is the price – CHF70,000 before taxes. That’s almost double the model in steel and only a little less than the version in rose gold. According to AP that’s due to the difficulty of finishing the ceramic bracelet, but the price is still difficult to rationalise.

Ceramic end to end

While AP does offer Royal Oak models with a ceramic bracelet – the perpetual calendar and 34 mm model come to mind – this is the first Offshore with a ceramic bracelet. As a result, the watch is almost entirely ceramic, right down to the crown and pushers. But the exposed nuts on the bezel are white gold, while the folding clasp and case back are titanium.

Though the ceramic bracelet is novel, the design is classic Offshore. It takes after the original Offshore of 1993, with almost the same styling. The overall design is the same, as is the 42 mm case diameter.

The dial retains the petite tapisserie dial of the original model, but the position of the hour and minute registers have been inverted. Now the seconds register is at six, while the hours are at 12, as they are on other current 42 mm Offshores.

That’s a consequence of the cal. 4404 inside, which replaced the modular movements with a Jaeger-LeCoultre base in the original. The cal. 4404 is a far more sophisticated calibre than its predecessor. Amongst other things it is an integrated construction with a flyback feature. And it also incorporates the typical features of a modern movement, namely a column wheel and vertical clutch.

Key facts and price

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 42mm Black Ceramic
Ref.(26238CE.OO.1300CE.01)

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 15.3 mm
Material: Black ceramic
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. 4404
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, and flyback chronograph
Winding: Self-winding
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 70 hours

Strap: Black ceramic bracelet with titanium folding clasp

Limited edition: No
Availability: At AP boutiques and AP Houses
Price: CHF70,000 without taxes

For more, visit Audemarspiguet.com.

Audemars Piguet (AP) just launched over a dozen new models, ranging from the Royal Oak “Jumbo” with a grained dial to the first Offshore Chronograph with a ceramic bracelet. But one stands out despite being the smallest watch amongst the new launches. Dressed in yellow gold and a striking stone dial, the Royal Oak Selfwinding 37 mm Turquoise Dial is a throwback back to an earlier era when the Royal Oak was offered with a range of mineral stone dials.

Initial thoughts

Though relatively common in the 1970s and 1980s when stone dials were a thing, the turquoise-yellow gold combination is unusual today. But it has a certain timelessness so the combination remains attractive. In fact, it even feels current, a testament to the longevity of the Royal Oak design (and the current fad for robin-egg blue dials).

The watch is intrinsically attractive in its design and palette. The design is simple – almost minimalist in Royal Oak terms – but the watch has presence due to its colours. It is vibrant and loud, very much the opposite of, say the new “Jumbo” in white gold, which is decidedly low key in comparison.

One element I wish was different is the seconds hand – I would have preferred a two-hand dial as on the vintage Royal Oak models with stone dials. That simplicity would further accentuate the dial material.

The case does feel slightly small for a modern men’s watch. It is an acceptable size, but the dimensions of the model means it feels slightly smaller than it is (unlike the “Jumbo” that feels larger than its 39 mm diameter). The size, combined with the stone dial, gives it a retro feel, making it feel almost like a remake of a 1990s Royal Oak.

Still, it is a handsome, compact watch that costs CHF51,000, which is a reasonable proposition by Royal Oak standards. Naturally, the waitlist for this will be long, but it is certainly a compelling buy.

As an aside, the choice of turquoise versus any other mineral stone is almost certainly catering to the popularity of the colour, driven in large part by Patek Philippe’s limited-edition Nautilus for Tiffany & Co. It appears to be a smart move to boost the appeal of the mid-sized Royal Oak, which presumably doesn’t have the same draw as its larger or smaller counterparts.

Bringing back semiprecious stone

Mineral stone dials were popular in the two decades from the 1960s and are often found on assorted ultra-thin AP dress watches from the period, though Royal Oaks with stone dials are less common. The new Royal Oak is reminiscent of its historical counterparts, which were almost all mid-sized models with similar dimensions.

A Royal Oak ref. 14701BC from 1993 with a bloodstone dial and 36 mm case. Image – Phillips

Interestingly, while vintage Royal Oaks can be found with a variety of stone dial, turquoise is novel for the model. According to AP, the turquoise used here is slightly darker than usual and is characterised by faint veining.

Originating in Mexico – the stone was prized in ancient Mesoamerican culture – the turquoise used for the dial is processed in the usual manner for such dials. It’s first sliced into a flat disc, then polished with several techniques, the last of which is lapping with a fine abrasive paste to give it a glossy surface. Then the turquoise disc is secured to a brass base with adhesive, giving it strength and durability.

Impressively, almost all the elements on the dial are applied and secured with feet, which requires tiny holes to be drilled into the stone – a delicate process that often leads to cracks.

As is standard for the Royal Oak, the applied hour markers, hands, as well as the AP logo are solid 18k gold. Besides the solid-gold elements, the dial has a printed minute scale and discreet date at three with the date disc in a matching blue hue. As a result, the dial is  clean, allowing the natural grain of the stone to take centerstage.

The case is 18k yellow gold, an unusual metal for the current Royal Oak line-up where rose gold dominates, but a perfect fit for the dial colour and retro style of the watch.

The case design incorporates the tweaks first seen on Royal Oak 50th Anniversary models that debuted last year, including wider bevels on the edges of the case, as well as a more pronounced taper of the bracelet. These changes give the watch a slightly more defined outline.

Inside the case is the cal. 5900, one of AP’s latest-generation in-house movements. First seen last year in the Royal Oak 37 mm ref. 15550, the cal. 5900 is a compact movement with the typical features of the brand’s newest in-house calibres, namely a useful 60-hour power reserve and a free-sprung balance secured by a full bridge.

Key facts and price

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding 37 mm Turquoise Dial
Ref. 15550BA.OO.1356BA.01

Diameter: 37 mm
Height: 8.9 mm
Material: 18k yellow gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: Cal. 5900
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date
Winding: Self-winding
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 60 hours

Strap: 18k gold bracelet with folding clasp

Limited edition: No
Availability: At AP boutiques and AP Houses
Price: CHF51,000 before taxes

For more, visit Audemarspiguet.com.