AP's Code 11.59 Gets Stone Dials in Gold Obsidian and Onyx, and They're Actually Pretty Convincing

Audemars Piguet has added two new references to the Code 11.59 Selfwinding 38 mm family, and both lean hard into the stone dial trend that's been running through the industry for a couple of years now. One uses gold obsidian, the other black onyx. Neither is a surprise move for AP right now, but the execution here is worth a closer look.

The two watches sit in the same 38 mm case format AP has been pushing for the Code 11.59, and they're both in precious metal. That already tells you who these are aimed at before you even get to the dials themselves.

What's Actually New Here

The first reference pairs a yellow gold case with a gold obsidian dial. Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass, and the gold variety gets its name from the warm, shimmering mineral inclusions that catch light across the dark surface. It reads dark from a distance, but up close it's genuinely lively. That contrast is the whole point.

The second reference goes in a cooler direction: a pink gold case with a mirror-polished black onyx dial. Onyx is denser, flatter in character, and much more uniform than obsidian. AP adds baguette-cut diamond hour markers here, which pushes it firmly into dressy jewellery-watch territory. The combination of the reflective stone and the pink gold is deliberately luxurious, not subtle.

The Case and Movement

Both watches use the existing Code 11.59 Selfwinding 38 mm architecture, which means the distinctive round case-in-a-cushion construction and the layered, almost architectural dial surround that AP has been refining since the line launched. The movement is AP's in-house selfwinding calibre, nothing new there but well-proven and reliable.

The 38 mm size is worth noting. It's not a small watch, but it's deliberately more refined than the 41 mm Code 11.59 that tends to get more attention. AP has clearly decided the 38 mm is the right vehicle for precious stone dials, and that logic holds up. You want a watch that wears elegantly on the wrist if you're going to put obsidian or onyx on the dial.

Who These Are For

Be honest with yourself here. These are not everyday watches. They're not meant to be. If you're drawn to the stone dial category and you want something from a maker with genuine credibility in high-end finishing, AP is a reasonable answer. The Code 11.59 has had a complicated reception since its launch, but the brand has steadily improved the collection's standing, and references like these, where the dial is clearly the hero, play to its strengths in material and craft.

• Gold obsidian dial with yellow gold case: dark, textured, mineral inclusions give it warmth
• Black onyx dial with pink gold case: polished, uniform, baguette diamond markers
• Both in the 38 mm Code 11.59 Selfwinding case
• Precious metal cases throughout, no steel option in this pair
• Part of a broader AP release that also includes new Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie references

How It Compares

Stone dials are everywhere right now. Vacheron, Jaeger, Cartier, you name it. What AP brings that some others don't is a case design with enough visual weight to hold its own against a bold dial. The Code 11.59's layered construction and polished-versus-brushed surface play actually complements a stone dial better than a simpler case would. The onyx version especially benefits from that, because the case detail keeps it from looking too flat overall.

Pricing hasn't been confirmed across the board, but these are precious metal references from AP, so you're firmly in the territory where these are bought because you want them, not because you're weighing alternatives on a spreadsheet.

If the stone dial moment speaks to you and you've been waiting for AP to offer something in the 38 mm Code 11.59 format, this is your answer. The gold obsidian in particular is one of the more convincing uses of the material I've seen in this cycle. Worth seeing in person before you decide.