Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet presents six new references of its Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding and Selfwinding Chronograph in 41mm that have been created for the first time in stainless steel.
Four models come entirely in steel, while the other two combine a black ceramic case middle with a steel bezel, lugs and case back. In addition to this new material, these timepieces feature a new aesthetic that emphasises both ergonomics and legibility as well as introducing new dials with a pattern that has been specifically created for the collection.
The six new Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet references come in three timeless shades that reinforce the collection’s elegant and intricate aesthetic. The Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50 colour is an iconic feature of the Royal Oak collection and makes its appearance on two new Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet references. Two references are dressed in a mysterious green, leaning towards a khaki colour, with an inner bezel in the same tone. Finally, two models have a luminous aesthetic in tones of beige. Each dial tone is paired with a matching rubber strap decorated with a textile pattern and lined with calf leather.
This new evolution in the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collection continues to stand at the crossroads between technical modernity and ancestral craftsmanship.
A Contemporary Collection
Since its launch in 2019, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collection has been available primarily in 18-carat white or pink gold. In 2021 and 2022, the manufacture integrated a black or blue ceramic case middle on certain gold models, giving them a highly contemporary design.
This year, stainless steel makes its debut in the collection. Already present in other collections, steel is far less malleable than gold. The manufacture was able to draw upon its machining and finishing expertise to design and produce the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet cases in this new material.
Featuring a complex architecture composed of stylised tumbled lugs, an ultra-thin bezel and an octagonal case middle, the case of the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet is one of the most complicated ever made by the manufacturer.
Combining cutting-edge technology and ancestral traditions, the industrialisation of the case and the hand-finishing of its components require arduous programming, dedicated tools and highly specialised human skills.
The designers, engineers and artisans have therefore pushed the limits of their know-how even further to create these steel elements. In keeping with Audemars Piguet tradition, the stainless-steel components alternate between polished and satin-finished surfaces, playing with the light and providing captivating visual contrast.
Dial Design
These six new 41mm references inaugurate a brand-new stamped dial with a pattern specially developed for the occasion. Made up of concentric circles that create a unique structure, this ripple pattern has a texture that has never been seen before on a Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet dial and enhances legibility. Developed by Audemars Piguet in collaboration with Swiss guilloché craftsman Yann von Kaenel, this motif provides a new signature design to the collection.
Aesthetic and Ergonomic Evolution
These new Code 11.59 models introduce a new design evolution into the collection and put an emphasis on comfort and readability. Firstly, new elongated hour-markers replace the Arabic numerals that have been present in the collection since its launch. Designed in 18-carat white gold, the hour-markers and hands are flattened, faceted and polished, creating a visual contrast with the new dial pattern with its intense dark tones. To enhance the legibility, the hour-markers and hands have been coated with Super LumiNova so they can be seen in the dark.
Encircled by an ultra-thin bezel, the inner bezel has also evolved. Audemars Piguet’s designers have reduced the steepness of its angle to reduce the difference in height with the dial. It has also been widened and given a smoother bevel for added visual impact. The new designs include a more detailed seconds scale, reinforcing the precision and modern style of the timepieces. The typography of the numerals has also been adapted.
The final changes to the collection concern the crown and the buckle. The crown is now more rounded with shallower, yet more pronounced indentations than on previous models. It is made of stainless steel and the two beige models have black ceramic caps. The bracelet’s buckle, whether pin or folding, swaps the long engraved Audemars Piguet signature for the AP monogram.