Le Brassus, February 2023 – Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet is delighted to present a new Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon fitted with a smoked green enamelled aventurine dial. This new contemporary two-tone model is housed in an 18-carat pink gold case with a black ceramic middle case. This new iteration will be launched in June exclusively in South-East Asia, with further availability in other countries as of August 2023.
Diving into the depths of the dial
Following the release of the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon edition with a black aventurine dial in 2020, the Manufacture returns to this model with a smoked green enamelled aventurine dial adorned with pink gold accents. The various techniques that come into play to create this dial give an incredible impression of depth and light that draws the eye into the flying tourbillon cage at 6 o’clock.
This illusion of depth is created by the Manufacture’s dial makers who start by covering the gold dial with a blend of crushed aventurine glass and enamel. Each enamel dial is unique thanks to the organic nature of its materials, as well as its hand manufacturing technique and distinctive time in the kiln. A very thin layer of glass sand is mixed with water and applied by hand on the crushed aventurine glass, before being heated to over 800oC in a dedicated oven. The procedure is repeated multiple times to achieve remarkable transparency, depth and light. Each cooking session requires different temperatures and times.
The dial is then housed under a complex double-curved sapphire crystal which perfectly integrates the curvature of the extra-thin bezel and intensifies the play of light.
A contemporary two-tone aesthetic
The new timepiece comes in a 41 mm 18-carat pink gold case with a black ceramic case middle that highlights the deep green colour of the enamelled aventurine dial.
The pink gold case is adorned with an alternation of satin-brushed and polished surfaces, highlighting the watch’s multifaceted architecture, while the black ceramic case middle brings a highly contemporary look to this classical complication. Only a small team of finishing experts have the necessary experience to decorate such a complex case that also weaves together an extra-thin bezel, a round caseback and highly stylised lugs. To further match with the case’s colour, the openworked oscillating weight, made of 22-carat pink gold, is visible through the sapphire caseback.
The beauty of the black ceramic middle case lies in its technicity, with each model requiring specific manufacturing and hand-finishing processes. With its contemporary design, black ceramic provides a blank canvas for the traditional skills of the Manufacture’s craftspeople. Each component is pre-polished and pre-satin-brushed before being painstakingly hand-finished with the brand’s trademark alternation of satin brushing and polished chamfers, offering a fascinating interplay with the light that illuminates the watch’s dark green aesthetic.
This contemporary aesthetic with its two-toned case and dark green enamelled aventurine dial is enhanced by the addition of a black textured rubber-coated strap lined with calfskin leather.
Prestigious flying tourbillon
This new timepiece is powered by the Selfwinding Calibre 2950, which combines a flying tourbillon at six o’clock with a subtle pink gold-toned balance wheel and a central rotor. Since it was developed in the 1920s, the flying tourbillon has been a symbol of watchmaking excellence and art. Today, Audemars Piguet is amongst the few watchmakers trained to perfect this mechanism.
Audemars Piguet’s first flying tourbillon wristwatch made its appearance in 2018 in the Royal Oak Concept collection. The Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet represents the Manufacture’s second collection to host this prestigious mechanism.
“Born in Le Brassus, raised around the world.”
Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon / 41 mm Technical Specifications
Ref. 26396NR.OO.D002KB.01
Functions
- Flying tourbillon, hours and minutes.
Case
- Black ceramic case middle, 18-carat pink gold bezel, lugs and crown, glareproofed double curved sapphire crystal, glareproofed sapphire and pink gold caseback, water resistant to 30 m.
- Case thickness: 11.8 mm
Dial
- Smoked green enamelled aventurine dial, pink gold hour-markers and hands.
Strap
- Black textured rubber-coated strap with calfskin inner lining, 18-carat pink gold AP folding clasp.
Movement Specifications
- Selfwinding Calibre 2950
- Total diameter 31.5 mm (13 ¾ lignes)
- Total thickness 6.2 mm
- Number of jewels 27
- Number of parts 270
- Minimum power reserve guaranteed 65 h
- Frequency of balance wheel 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations/hour)
About Audemars Piguet
Audemars Piguet is the oldest fine watchmaking manufacturer still in the hands of its founding families (Audemars and Piguet). Based in Le Brassus since 1875, the company has nurtured generations of talented craftspeople who have continuously developed new skills and techniques, broadening their savoir-faire to set rule-breaking trends. In the Vallée de Joux, at the heart of the Swiss Jura, Audemars Piguet has created numerous masterpieces, testament to the Manufacture’s ancestral savoir-faire and forward-thinking spirit. Sharing its passion and savoir-faire with watch enthusiasts worldwide through the language of emotions, Audemars Piguet has established enriching exchanges among fields of creative practices and fostered an inspired community. Born in Le Brassus, raised around the world. — www.audemarspiguet.com