Audemars Piguet
Audemars Piguet expands its Code 11.59 Supersonnerie offerings
Audemars Piguet
Audemars Piguet expands its Code 11.59 Supersonnerie offerings
Code 11.59 Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie
The “Supersonnerie” debuted in 2015’s Royal Oak Concept collection and distinguishes itself from conventional sonneries by featuring gongs mounted on a sound board instead of the main plate of the movement, behind a caseback with openings. The effect is sharpened clarity and expanded volume, hence the “super” moniker. At the same time, three gongs and hammers (“carillon”) are used in place of the traditional dual-gong setup, so that the quarter hours can be sounded with three successive notes (high, middle and low) instead of two.
Driven by the manual-wind cal. 2956 that is a symphony of 498 parts, the Code 11.59 Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie will sound the time over a minimum 48 hours of power reserve, with a selector that allows the wearer to choose between grand strike (hour and quarter hours), small strike (hours only), or horror of horrors, silent mode.
The new timepieces feature black rubber-coated straps with matching gold stitching, calfskin lining and gold AP folding clasp.
Code 11.59 Minute Repeater Supersonnerie
Audemars Piguet’s Supersonnerie know-how also finds its way into a minute repeater, in a round-faced pink gold case with an octagonal caseband made of black ceramic. A first for this complication is the smoked sapphire crystal dial that offers a peek into the workings of the manual-wind cal. 2953 offers a power reserve of 72 hours.
Turning the watch over reveals a solid caseback with apertures, a defining feature of the manufacture’s Supersonnerie technology. The gongs and hammers cannot be seen, but the trade-off is focus on better and louder sound — something which has seen a measure of degradation in the transition from the pocket watch minute repeater to its wristwatch implementation, especially in meeting the demand for enhanced water resistance.
Tech Specs
Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Grande Sonnerie Supersonnerie
Movement: Manual-wind cal. 2956; 498 parts; 3Hz; power reserve 48 hours
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, grand sonnerie and petite sonnerie carillon Supersonnerie
Case: 41mm x 13.5mm; 18K pink gold, white gold or yellow gold; black ceramic caseband; water resistant to 20m
Strap: Black rubber-coated strap with matching gold coloured stitching, 18k gold AP folding clasp
Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Minute Repeater Supersonnerie
Movement: Manual-wind cal. 2953; 362 parts; 3Hz; power reserve 72 hours
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, minute repeater Supersonnerie
Case: 41mm x 13.6mm; 18K pink gold; black ceramic caseband; water resistant to 20m
Strap: Black rubber-coated strap with 18K pink gold AP folding clasp