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Since 2015, Audemars Piguet’s Research and Development (RD) series has showcased groundbreaking advancements in watchmaking, blending technical innovation with timeless design. Each creation is a testament to the Manufacture’s pursuit of excellence.
Culminating seven years of research and development and drawing upon human talent across various disciplines, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Universelle pays tribute to the Grande Complication.
In this episode of AP talks, Sébastian Vivas, Raphaël Balestra, Lucas Raggi, Giulio Papi and Anne-Gaëlle Quinet provide insight into the making of AP’s most complicated watch, explaining the complications, precision and miniaturisation that went into the creation.
An exceptional timepiece, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Ultra Complication Universelle RD#4 features the Manufacture Calibre 1000. It comprises 1140 components and is endowed with 40 functions, including a Grande Sonnerie, a Supersonnerie, minute repeater, tourbillon, flyback, chronograph, split-seconds chronograph, astronomical moon, moon phases and large date.
The “Universelle” is like the quest for the Holy Grail with so much expertise in such a small volume! We dreamed about it for 100 years, we thought about it for 20 years, and it took us 7 years to achieve.
François-Henry Bennahmias
Audemars Piguet’s Chief Executive Officer from 2012 to 2023
In 2022, Audemars Piguet unveiled its latest research and development breakthrough (RD#3) with the Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Extra-Thin to celebrate the iconic collection's jubilee. This 39 mm stainless steel anniversary model, measuring 8.1 mm in thickness, represents the first “Jumbo” in history to be equipped with a selfwinding flying tourbillon. It is powered by the Manufacture’s new selfwinding ultra-thin flying tourbillon movement, Calibre 2968, measuring just 3.4 mm thick and adorned with a novel combination of traditional and contemporary hand-crafted decorations.
Audemars Piguet’s engineers and watchmakers took on numerous challenges in order to accommodate this complication – previously reserved for 41 mm diameters – into the smaller volume of a “Jumbo.” Given the extra-thin nature of the form language, this selfwinding flying tourbillon had to be creatively rethought to reduce the thickness required to house this complication by repositioning certain components. The tourbillon cage is crafted in titanium and equipped for the first time with a peripheral drive. The combination of these two elements makes the distribution of energy to the tourbillon more fluid, while lightening and refining this regulating organ.
Audemars Piguet engineers also redesigned the mechanism's architecture to provide optimum visibility of the tourbillon. Calibre 2968 features a new escapement to accentuate its aesthetic details while revealing part of its inner workings. The geometry and positioning of the balance wheel arms have notably been revised to make the watch’s beating heart even more perceptible. The movement's technical design results in the flying tourbillon being placed at the dial level, for a greater visual experience.
Pushing the boundaries of feasibility, this model will be complemented in September by a second 37 mm version for the slimmer wrists, enriched with a dial of a different hue.
This extra-thin 37 mm anniversary Royal Oak, powered by Calibre 2968, embodies the Manufacture's first ever selfwinding flying tourbillon offered in a 37 mm diameter. Endowed with a new plum Petite Tapisserie dial and an innovative escapement system, this stainless steel timepiece blends technical feats with meticulous aesthetic.
The Royal Oak RD#2, introduced in 2018, marks a new watchmaking record. With a movement of 2.89 mm in thickness and a case of 6.3 mm in height, the Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin has become the world’s thinnest automatic perpetual calendar wristwatch.
To achieve this remarkable thinness, the perpetual calendar’s functions have been merged onto one single level instead of 3.
This led to the development of two pioneering and patented innovations: the end-of-the-month cam has been integrated to the date wheel, while the month cam has been combined to the month wheel. The geometry of each component has also been optimised from the onset, reducing adjustment and assembly time.
This creation paves the way for a new generation of complicated watches balancing refined aesthetics, optimum ergonomics, technical complexity, ancestral savoir-faire and contemporary lifestyle.
Presented in 2015, The Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie prototype, known as RD#1, revolutionised the case construction of traditional minute repeaters. Audemars Piguet’s patented Supersonnerie technology resulted from 8 years of development in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) and a host of experts, including musicians.
Inspired by the sonic power of older minute repeater watches as well as by the harmony of musical instruments, a dedicated community of watchmakers, technicians, academics and musicians reviewed the case construction to produce a new chiming technology.
The Supersonnerie’s exceptional acoustic power, sound quality and harmonic tone are granted by patented gongs, case construction and striking regulator. The gongs are not attached to the mainplate, but to a new device acting as soundboard, which prevents sound absorption and boosts amplification. The redesigned striking regulator eliminates unwanted noise thanks to its more flexible anchor system. This innovative Supersonnerie technology also provides a sharper tempo.
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Culminating seven years of research and development and drawing upon human talent across various disciplines, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Universelle pays tribute to the Grande Complication.
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