Audemars Piguet’s Code 11.59 Strikes Gold
Audemars Piguet continues its embrace of the stone dial trend with two new versions of the Code 11.59 Selfwinding 38 mm. One pairs yellow gold with gold obsidian, its dark surface enlivened by shimmering mineral inclusions; the other combines pink gold with mirror-polished black onyx and baguette-cut diamond markers. Neither breaks new ground, but both put the Code 11.59’s restrained dial layout to good use, leaving the stone to do most of the work. They retain the compact dimensions of the existing 38 mm model, but dispense with the date thanks to the automatic cal. 5909. Initial thoughts Neither model is particularly surprising given Audemars Piguet’s ongoing rollout of watches with natural stone dials. The mineral-and-baguette format of the pink gold 38 mm Code 11.59, for example, mirrors that of two 41 mm models launched previously with malachite and sodalite dials. The restrained dial layout of the Code 11.59 gives the stone room to stand out, while the 38 mm case suits the dressier character of these variations. The two treatments offer different kinds of appeal. The obsidian model relies on texture and glittering gold flecks, while the onyx version is more formal, with a uniformly black surface that emphasises the baguette-cut diamond markers. At US$57,500 in yellow gold or US$68,500 in pink gold with diamond indices, however, both represent a substantial premium over the standard 38 mm models for what is essentially an aesthetic upgrade. That said, they are pri...
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