Review
Crown comfort provides a detailed, hands-on review of the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59, specifically the 41mm white gold three-hander with a black lacquered dial. This post offers a balanced perspective on a collection that generated significant debate upon its release, focusing on its unique positioning between dress and sports watches.
Friends,
there has been a lot of debate and negative comments about the new Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 collection, but frankly not that many posts with a detailed look at the watch.
I had the privilege to handle the 3-hander Code 11.59 in the 41mm white gold case and black lacquered dial.
What is very obvious to me is that AP tried to go a different route. The watch is not really a classic dress watch nor a sports watch. For a dress watch the case is quite bold and large but then still made of white gold.
The automatic movement is a true highlight of the watch. Perfectly finished and of great design and attention to detail.
It seems to be aimed for the business casual attire perhaps. The case is well finished and has a lot of different surfaces and shapes and with that provides a lot of interesting looks.
The dial and hands on the other hand are kept very simplistic, almost like a Nomos Bauhaus design.
With that the relatively large watch appears quite “empty” on the dial and the shiny black together with the thin hands make it quite hard to read time.
On the other hand, I do like simple watches and from the Code 11.59 my preference would actually go to this time-only version.
I’m still wondering a bit with what other watches this one is competing with or if it actually stands quite unique and created a new niche of “casual, but not sport nor dress” watches.
So in summary.
What I liked:
Where I see potential for improvements:
Many thanks to AP for giving me the opportunity to handle the Code 11.59
CC
I “played” with one today and kind of liked it. Besides, the sales lady in the Rome boutique received a really good trainning on presenting it. Really hard to capture in a pic, though.
The case is very well made but in my opinion, the dial is totally uninspiring.
It’s the aesthetic that younger people, artists, famous people and non-purists go for.
Namely the change in styles. Many office environments, which 10 years ago would be suit and tie are turning a lot more casual and I suppose this results in lower sales of classical dress watches. So I recon AP tried to capture this demographic. And while a RO can certainly work in such an environment, too, I guess the customer base may be people who already have an RO but who at the same time see no point in having more, yet may still be interested in another AP - pure speculation on my side of
My favourite is the one with the blue dial! If that was without date I had ordered it already ... Regards, Hans
The case is interesting, but the dials leave a lot to be desired. I’m really not feeling this whole line. But, I guess we have to wait to see how it ages and how they will improve upon it.
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