Audemars Piguet has kicked off November with a bang—or chime, rather—unveiling three new Minute Repeater Supersonnerie watches and two new Code 11.59 timepieces.
The trio of chiming watches builds upon the Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie that the Swiss watchmaker unveiled in 2016 after nearly a decade of development. It had a remarkably loud and clear chime thanks to an innovative construction that enhanced acoustic performance. The newcomers have the same underlying architecture but introduce fresh materials and aesthetics.
All three are powered by the Calibre 2953—introduced in 2019 as a direct evolution of the earlier Caliber 2937 and the Calibre 2874SS that graced the first Supersonnerie—with a small seconds counter at 6 o’clock and a power reserve of 72 hours. They also have the game-changing Supersonnerie technology in which patented gongs are anchored to a bespoke soundboard rather than directly to the mainplate, enhancing clarity, volume, and tone.
The Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie in titanium.
Audemars Piguet
The first two are Royal Oaks with 42 mm cases and all of the model’s defining signatures, like the octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet. One pairs a titanium case with a smoked green sunburst dial (Ref. 26591TI.OO.1252TI.08, priced at 351,100 Swiss francs), the other combines a pink-gold case with a brown Grande Tapisserie dial (Ref. 26591OR.OO.1252OR.01, priced at 391,400 francs). The latter is the first pink-gold Royal Oak in the line, AP says.
The Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie in pink gold.
Audemars Piguet
The third chiming watch is a Code 11.59 (Ref. 26395BC.OO.D009CR.01, priced at 325,000 francs) featuring a white-gold case with a fully polished middle and a smoked sapphire dial with a translucent quality that highlights the inner workings.
The Code 11.59 with onyx dial.
Audemars Piguet
The other new Code 11.59 watches both showcase 38 mm cases and natural stone dials. AP, along with fellow avant-garde maisons Rolex and Piaget, has put stones and minerals on watch faces since the ‘70s, but has ramped up the output as modern collectors have jumped aboard the trend. This time around, AP has chosen to spotlight two dark stones.
The Code 11.59 with obsidian dial.
Audemars Piguet
One watch pairs a yellow-gold case with a gold obsidian dial (Ref. 77410BA.OO.A604CR.01, priced at $57,500); the other (Ref. 77410OR.OO.A001CR.01, priced at $68,500) features a pink-gold case and a black onyx dial with diamond hour markers. Both are powered by the Calibre 5909, which offers a 60-hour power reserve.
Not a bad way to start the month, AP.
Authors
Rachel Cormack
Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…