Audemars Piguet has introduced five new references across the Royal Oak and Code 11.59 collections, focusing the release on mechanical chiming and mineral surfaces. Three of these pieces feature the manufacture's Supersonnerie minute repeater complication, while two compact additions explore natural stone dials. The selection highlights how high complication and material discipline continue to anchor modern Swiss watchmaking.
The core of the release rests on the Supersonnerie architecture that Audemars Piguet spent nearly a decade developing before its introduction in 2016. Traditional minute repeaters attach their chiming gongs directly to the movement mainplate, an arrangement that absorbs vibrations and limits acoustic projection. The Supersonnerie routes these components differently, fixing patented gongs to a dedicated soundboard that acts like the body of a classical string instrument.
All three new chiming watches run on Calibre 2953, a hand-wound movement introduced in 2019 that delivers 72 hours of power reserve. The calibre positions a small seconds subdial at 6 o'clock and carries forward the engineering of earlier calibres 2937 and 2874SS. The resulting strike produces clear chime tones and sustained volume across the case.
The Acoustic Architecture of Audemars
Two of the chiming executions sit inside 42 mm Royal Oak cases, retaining the octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet geometry established by the model. One pairs a lightweight titanium case with a smoked green sunburst dial. Titanium has a lower density than noble metals, making it an effective acoustic medium for chiming complications.
The companion Royal Oak introduces pink gold to the Supersonnerie line for the first time, matched with a rich brown Grande Tapisserie dial pattern. Gold dampens sound differently than titanium, altering the resonance of the chime while adding physical presence on the wrist.
The third minute repeater takes form within Code 11.59. Cased in 18-carat white gold, the watch features a fully polished case middle that catches light along its octagonal profile. A smoked sapphire dial reveals the movement components beneath, offering visual depth to accompany the mechanical strike.
Stone and Surface in Modern Watchmaking
Alongside the chiming references, Audemars Piguet expanded the Code 11.59 line with two 38 mm references fitted with natural stone dials. Watchmakers turned to hard minerals during the 1970s, cutting wafer-thin sections of stone to create dials with organic patterns. These two pieces bring that mid-century material practice into contemporary proportions.
One reference features an 18-carat pink-gold case framed around a black onyx dial. Diamond hour markers punctuate the dark surface, giving the face a clean, restrained presence. Onyx requires delicate handling during fabrication, as any micro-fracture during cutting ruins the entire slice.
The second 38 mm execution pairs yellow gold with a gold obsidian dial. Natural mineral veins run through the volcanic glass, shifting in tone as light moves across the crystal. Both stone models house the automatic Calibre 5909, providing a 60-hour power reserve for everyday wear.
Mechanical watchmaking thrives when technical ambition meets material curiosity. By pairing internal acoustic soundboards with natural mineral dials, these five references ground complex horology in physical, tactile reality.
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