Introducing New Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie

Photo: Audermars Piguet

Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet unveiled the first Grande Sonnerie watch in 1994. Each year since the brand brought back the complication in 2020, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet series has been featured in a trilogy.

Photo: Monochrome / Yellow gold Grande Sonnerie pocket watch with sapphire dial and caseback crafted by Philippe Dufour for Audemars Piguet in 1987

Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie are the three new versions the watchmaker introduced for the year 2023. They all feature a brand-new sapphire dial and a black ceramic casing center.

Photo: Audemars Piguet

Moreover, these three extremely complicated wristwatches, which come in 18K pink, yellow, and white gold, are driven by the recently created movement 2956. The Code 11.59 series also marks the debut of the yellow-gold version.

Technical Features

• Case

The 41mm casings, offered in 18k pink, white, and yellow gold, sport a 13.5mm thickness and high-tech black ceramic casing centers.

The deep stylized lugs, extra-slim bezel, and octagonal case core, which are distinguishing features of the case structure, are embellished with brushed and polished finishings.

Photo: Audemars Piguet

Furthermore, the Grande Sonnerie Supersonnerie line features black ceramic for the first time. Besides, the Code 11.59 piece has never been made in yellow gold.

• Dial 

For the first time in history, AP is adding a clear sapphire crystal dial to its line this year. As a result, the watch’s movement serves as its face. Sophisticated polishing methods have also been used to hand-embellish a semi-matte black opaline internal bezel in the tiniest of details.

Photo: Audemars Piguet

Below the sapphire crystal dial, the movement has been rebuilt to display itself in all its splendor. This was accomplished by deconstructing the arches at 4 and 6 o’clock, removing the railroad track, and swapping out the round graining design for “traits tires.”

Photo: Audemars Piguet

In addition, the 3D dial contains hands, hour markings, and the tiny seconds indicator that all complement the casing’s black and golden color scheme. Lastly, a galvanic method is used to create the dial’s black highlights.

• Caliber 2956

The mechanical wound caliber 2956 movement powers the 3 new watches in the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie series. It includes the proprietary Supersonnerie innovation and the Grande Sonnerie intricacy featuring chimes, both of which were first seen in the Royal Oak Concept line in 2015. Moreover, there are 498 parts in the movement.

Photo: Audemars Piguet

A timepiece with Grande Sonnerie does more than just play the traditional minute repeater’s hours, quarters, and minutes at the user’s command. However, it can also automatically chime the hours and quarters, much like a clock tower.

Furthermore, a selector on the watch allows the user to select from the Grande Sonnerie (hours and quarters), Petite Sonnerie (hours alone), as well as Silence (totally mute). Rather than using two gongs, the Grande Sonnerie Supersonnerie has a chime featuring three gongs plus hammers. This enables it to beat the quarter hours with 3 consecutive sounds, including high, middle, and low.

Photo: Audemars Piguet

The 8 years of combined study with the Innovation and Research Center of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) produced the trademarked technology. Together, they reinvented the case’s appearance and created innovative new tech. In order to optimize the transmission of sound, the gongs are not joined to the core plate but rather to a new mechanism that serves as a soundboard.

Lastly, the trilogy watches are donned on straps with complementing gold threading, calfskin inside, and black rubber coating.