SimplyAbuDhabi XLI

F ans of the Code 11.59 core collection will be delighted to learn that six new references of its Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Self-winding and Self-winding Chronograph in 41 mm - have been created for the very first time in stainless steel. Four models come entirely in steel, while the other two combine a black ceramic case middle with a steel bezel, lugs and case back. In addition to this new material, these timepieces feature a new aesthetic that emphasizes both ergonomics and legibility, as well as introducing new dials with a pattern that has been specifically created for the collection. This new evolution in the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collection continues to stand at the crossroads between technical modernity and ancestral craftsmanship. Since its launch in 2019, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collection has been available primarily in 18-carat white or pink gold. In 2021 and 2022, the manufacture integrated a black or blue ceramic case middle on certain gold models, giving them a highly contemporary design. This year, stainless steel makes its debut in the collection, with four of the six models made entirely from stainless steel and the other two coming in steel and black ceramic with beige dials, creating an elegant and aesthetic contrast. Already present in other collections, steel is far less malleable than gold. The Manufacture was able to draw upon its machining and finishing expertise to design and produce the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet cases in this new material. Featuring a complex architecture composed of stylized tumbled lugs, an ultra-thin bezel, and an octagonal case middle, the case of the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet is one of the most complicated ever made by the Manufacture. Combining cutting-edge technology and ancestral traditions, the industrialization of the case and the hand-finishing of its components require arduous programming, dedicated tools and highly specialized human skills. The designers, engineers and artisans have therefore pushed the limits of their know-how even further in order to create these steel elements. In keeping with Audemars Piguet tradition, the stainless-steel components alternate between polished and satin-finished surfaces, playing with the light and providing captivating visual contrasts. These six new 41 mm references inaugurate a brand-new embossed dial with a pattern specially developed for the occasion. Made up of concentric circles that create a unique structure, this ripple pattern has a texture that has never been seen before on a Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet dial and enhances legibility. Developed by Audemars Piguet in collaboration with Swiss guilloché craftsman Yann von Kaenel, this motif provides a new signature design to the collection. Simply Abu Dhabi | 119