Over 1100 Parts Were Assembled One By One By A Single Watchmaker Into This Unique Ultra-Complicated Watch

Meet the Ultimate Ultra-Complication.

@CODE 11.59 BY @AUDEMARS PIGUET ULTRA-COMPLICATION UNIVERSELLE

A feat of engineering and fine watchmaking.

Audemars Piguet pays tribute to its legacy of high complications in this new creation that incorporates 40 different functions, including 23 complications. This luxury timepiece is Audemars Piguet‘s very first ultra-complicated selfwinding wristwatch (RD4) designed with ergonomics and contemporary usage in mind to offer unprecedented comfort and simplicity of use.

“We dreamt about it for 100 years, thought about it for 20 years and took seven years to bring it to life.” – François-Henry Bennahmias, CEO of Audemars Piguet,.

The Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Universelle, also known as RD4, is the culmination of several decades of research, design and manufacturing of many different types of complicated mechanisms that have put ergonomics at the forefront of the process.

An architectured dial variation of the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Universelle offers a glimpse of the refined hand-finished components of Calibre 1000 and emphasises the dial’s multifaceted geometries.

@CODE 11.59 BY AUDEMARS PIGUET ULTRA-COMPLICATION UNIVERSELLE

A vibrant human adventure.

“Our engineers, designers, watchmakers, and craftspeople are the heads, hands, and soul of the new Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Universelle. 7 years of uncompromising work led them to bring this ultra-complicated timepiece to the light of day.” – Audemars Piguet.

The Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Ultra-Complication Universelle (RD4) combines, in a 42 mm case only, some of the most prestigious horological complications among which a Grande Sonnerie Supersonnerie with, for the first time, an open caseback, a perpetual calendar with a new depiction of the lunar cycle and a 2-digits year indication, a split-seconds flyback chronograph and a flying tourbillon.

The flyback mechanism restarts the chronograph without stopping it first, while the split-seconds hand enables the measurement of intermediate time intervals. This classic complication marries precision, synchrony and ease of use.

Escapement
To optimise the flow of energy and prevent the watch from stopping when all functions are working, the Calibre 1000 relies on a new oscillator with increased amplitude premiered in 2022 on the two RD#3 Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Extra-Thin models. The energy of the base movement has also been increased to feed the different functions and prolong the autonomy of the watch when not on the wrist.

The Perpetual Calendar
The Perpetual calendar functions have been organised to take as little space as possible. Calibre 1000 builds on the Calibre 5133 and the release of the Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin RD#2 prototype, which merged the perpetual calendar functions onto one single level. The end-of-the-month cam has been similarly integrated to the date wheel, while the month cam has been combined to the month wheel. Additional calendar functions include a large date and a year indication.

@CODE 11.59 BY AUDEMARS PIGUET ULTRA-COMPLICATION UNIVERSELLE

Grande Sonnerie Supersonnerie
In Calibre 1000 the gongs are now attached to the 0.6mm sapphire crystal membrane acting as a soundboard, while the caseback can be opened by an extra-thin “secret” cover, which also features apertures on the side to let air through and boost sound amplification when the watch sits on the wrist.

Moon Phase
An innovative astronomical moon system conveys a more realistic depiction of the lunar cycle. Two concentric discs, on which six different moon positions are printed, combine to form ten images faithfully representing the transitory stages between the New and Full Moon.

@CODE 11.59 BY AUDEMARS PIGUET ULTRA-COMPLICATION UNIVERSELLE

An intuitive ‘Super-crown’
The crown enables the forwards or backwards correction of the month and automatically returns to its neutral position after a rotation in either direction. This ease of use hides highly technical mechanical devices located in both the crown and the movement, as well as a complex security system preventing misuse.

The luxury Manufacture has created a contemporary double curved sapphire crystal, whose tense, arched profile plays with depth, perspective and light for a unique optic experience. While its internal surface is shaped like a dome, it is vertically curved from 6 to 12 o’clock.

The calendar functions have been organised to take as little space as possible. Calibre 1000 builds on the Calibre 5133 and the release of the Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin RD#2 prototype, which merged the perpetual calendar functions onto one single level. The end-of-the-month cam has been similarly integrated to the date wheel, while the month cam has been combined to the month wheel. Additional calendar functions include a large date and a year indication.

@CODE 11.59 BY AUDEMARS PIGUET ULTRA-COMPLICATION UNIVERSELLE