The New 38mm AP Code 11.59 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon in Sand Gold

Marking a first for the recently introduced 38mm iteration of Code 11.59, Audemars Piguet equips its most compact reference with an automatic flying tourbillon. Not just any tourbillon, mind you, but AP’s ultra-thin calibre 2968, aka RD#3. Representing the best of both worlds, the new Code 11.59 Tourbillon fuses a state-of-the-art movement with a graceful sand gold case sparkling with diamonds.

Tourbillon complications were relatively rare in Audemars Piguet’s historical repertoire until 1986 when it launched the calibre 2870, the world’s first automatic serially produced tourbillon. One of the lightest of its kind thanks to its titanium cage, calibre 2870 weighed just 0.123g and was also one of the thinnest (4.8mm) until it was surpassed by Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo in 2018.

Celebrating the Royal Oak’s 50^th anniversary in 2022, AP produced an automatic flying tourbillon to fit inside the 39mm case (height of just 8.1mm) of the Royal Oak “Jumbo”. Five years in the making, the technical solutions required to create the ultra-thin calibre 2968 movement were part of AP’s third Research & Development project (RD#3). Just a few months after the launch of the Jumbo, AP equipped an even smaller 37mm Royal Oak with its extra-thin flying tourbillon movement.

The 38mm case of the new Code 11.59 model has a thickness of 9.6mm and is crafted in 18k sand gold. The multifaceted case architecture, with its highly stylised lugs, slim bezel, octagonal case middle and crown, scintillates with the light of 235 brilliant-cut diamonds. Given the different geometries of the case, the diamonds are cut in different sizes and expertly set. While the diamonds add sparkle, the non-set areas of the case are satin-brushed and polished, again emphasising the dynamic architecture.

Designed by Swiss guilloché craftsman Yann von Kaenel, the original dial design comprises a series of embossed concentric circles punctuated with tiny holes, producing an attractive basketweave pattern. Obtained by PVD, the warm sandy-coloured dial matches the hue of the applied 18k sand gold indices, which are faceted and polished to attract the light. The semi-openworked sand gold hour and minute hands have a touch of luminescence at their tips. With its circular snailed decoration, the raised flange hosts the minutes on top and the markers on its slope.

A round gold-framed aperture at 6 o’clock exposes the one-minute flying tourbillon beating at a 3Hz frequency. The position of the balance wheel arms allows the tourbillon to be at the same level as the dial. The sapphire crystal on the caseback reveals the openworked bridges of calibre 2968, the 22k gold rotor and the traits tirés finish applied to the mainplate and bridges in lieu of traditional Côtes de Genève.

Matching the warm sand gold case, the beige alligator strap has a triple-folding clasp set with 42 brilliant-cut diamonds. The price of the Code 11.59 Flying Tourbillon 38mm is EUR 188,300. More information at audemarspiguet.com.