Three New Code 11.59 By Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie

One of the few brands capable of crafting such a chiming watch, Audemars Piguet’s Grande Sonnerie mechanism is a patent display of the brand’s formidable mechanical prowess. Combine that with the brand‘s patented Supersonnerie technology and a carillon, and you’re looking at a remarkable chiming machine. Proud to reveal the complexity of the movement, the latest trilogy of Code 11.59 Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie models has done away with the dial. Marking the debut of a sapphire crystal dial in the Code 11.59 collection, these three one-of-a-kind versions come in 41mm pink, yellow or white gold cases with sleek black ceramic case middles. 

Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie

Perhaps the highest complication of all, a Grande Sonnerie strikes the hours, every hour, and the number of hours and quarters on every quarter. Unlike minute repeaters that can chime the hours, quarters and minutes on demand, a Grand Sonnerie chimes the hours and quarters automatically. Naturally, the time can be chimed on request like a traditional repeater via a second crown to select the Petite Sonnerie small strike (hours only) or Silent mode. The third pusher on the case middle at 10 o’clock is to activate the minute repeater.

Audemars Piguet’s Grand Sonnerie is combined with a carillon. Instead of two gongs, this carillon complication is equipped with three gongs and hammers producing different pitches, meaning that the quarter hours can be struck with three successive notes, ranging from high, middle, and low.

The third part of this complex equation is the Supersonnerie, a mechanism developed and patented by AP over eight years (with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne) and featured inside the Royal Oak Concept RD1 of 2015. The patented case construction and gongs, which are not attached to the mainplate but to a device acting as a soundboard, improve the sound transmission on par with the volume and resonance associated with pocket watches.

Don’t miss our video and in-depth article to learn more about the secrets behind AP’s Grand Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie and the brand’s historical background in chiming watches.

Two-Tone Cases

Available in 18k pink, white or yellow gold, the 41mm cases have a thickness of 13.5mm and feature hi-tech black ceramic case middles. Signature elements of the case construction – the hollow stylised lugs, the extra-thin bezel and the octagonal case middle – are decorated with brushed and polished finishings. As the brand points out, this is the first time black ceramic has been used on the Grande Sonnerie Supersonnerie collection and the first time that a Code 11.59 watch has been crafted in yellow gold.

Sapphire crystal dial

In a departure from the three earlier versions of the watch with handcrafted enamel dials by Anita Porchet, this trilogy reveals the intrinsic complexity of the hand-wound movement powering the watch. Framed by a sapphire crystal dial, the openworked bridges reveal a fascinating landscape. To enhance the viewing pleasure, the railway minute track and the brand name on the semi-matte black opaline inner bezel have been removed, and hour markers have been incorporated on a thin flange hovering over the movement. The gold hour and minute hands indicate the applied gold hour markers with their contemporary black metallised centres. Similarly, the ring for the small seconds counter is black, and the markings and hands are gold.

The colour of each movement, which is decorated by hand with refined vertical-brushed finishings and polished bevels, matches the two-tone colour of the case. Consolidating the black and gold colour scheme, the watches come with a black rubber-coated strap with gold topstitching, a calfskin lining and a matching gold AP folding clasp.

Calibre 2956

The base for the new openworked Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie watches is manual-winding calibre 2956, which unites the traditional Grand Sonnerie complication with a carillon and AP’s patented Supersonnerie technology. Entirely assembled and decorated by hand, the 498-part movement runs at a frequency of 3Hz and delivers 48h of energy when fully wound. The caseback is sealed.

Availability & Price

The Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Grand Sonnerie Supersonnerie is available in one-off editions in white, pink or yellow gold. The price is upon request only. For more information, please visit audemarspiguet.com.