Since 2015, Audemars Piguet has advanced haute horlogerie with a series of innovations, starting with the Supersonnerie technology (RD#1). An ultra-thin perpetual calendar movement (RD#2) followed in 2018, and an oscillator with increased amplitude (RD#3) was unveiled last year.
The Le Brassus-based watchmaker had bigger plans than a trilogy. The three ingenious mechanisms are incorporated into RD#4 or Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Universelle, which pays tribute to a pocket watch with 26 functions and 19 complications from 1899.
The number of functions has been increased to 40, including 23 complications, for the brand's very first ultra-complicated self-winding wristwatch powered by Calibre 1000.
"The Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Universelle is our quest to the Holy Grail with an incredible amount of savoir-faire fitted into a very small volume! We dreamt about it for 100 years, thought about it for 20 years and took seven years to bring it to life," said CEO François-Henry Bennahmias.
After its establishment in 1875, Audemars Piguet created L'Universelle at the turn of the century. At a Sotheby's auction in 1993, a British collector acquired the ultra-complicated pocket watch, which returned to Le Brassus for restoration 19 years later.
In 2016, the Swiss brand bought back L'Universelle, which is now one of the Grande Complications showcased at Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet.
The development of the wristwatch version is considered ergonomic and simple for everyday use.
The contemporary Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet is characterised by a double curved sapphire crystal, extra-thin bezel, stylised lugs, octagonal case middle and round caseback.
Both the design codes and ergonomic curvature have been retained in the 42mm multifaceted case of Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Universelle. Proportions, however, have been slightly adapted to fit the Calibre 1000 composed of over 1,100 components.
One of the major technical developments was reducing the number of pushers and correctors to three of each, to easily use the multiple functions. Without resorting to minuscule tools, the system facilitates correction through discreet push-pieces integrated into the case's left side. While the top one starts the minute repeater function, two other pushers correct the day and Moon indications.
On the right side, three crowns with coaxial pushers allow the wearer to wind the watch, set the time and date, and select the chiming mode (Grande Sonnerie, Petite Sonnerie or silence mode).
The patented Supersonnerie technology (RD#1) provides powerful acoustics plus a sharper tempo. Aesthetically, its construction has been revised to reveal the beauty of the mechanism, usually hidden on the caseback side by the technology's resonance chamber.
The resulting double caseback system comprises an extra-thin cover and a 0.6mm sapphire crystal soundboard, on which the gongs are mounted. Sound amplification is boosted by air flowing through apertures on the side of this "secret" cover, which has been hollowed out to retain as little material as possible to reduce the case's general thickness.
Just under a crown at 3 o'clock on the back side, a lever opens the pivoting cover for a view of the platinum oscillating weight and the integrated split-seconds mechanism.
At 6 o'clock, the pulsating cage reveals the large amplitude oscillator, which premiered in the RD#3 Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Extra-Thin models.
The new mechanical movement also builds on the patented innovations of Calibre 5133, which drives the Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin RD#2 prototype. The perpetual calendar functions are merged onto one single level with a large date at 12 o'clock and the year indication at 4 o'clock.
Here, the ergonomic crown-pusher changes the month in sync with the year, and resets the flyback chronograph's mechanism. At 2 o'clock, another supercrown starts and stops the flyback chronograph.
An innovative instant-jump system conveys a more realistic depiction of the Moon at 8 o'clock. Two concentric discs, on which six different lunar positions are printed, combine to form 10 images faithfully representing the transitory waxing and waning stages between the New and Full Moon.
"This new ultra-complication 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. To achieve the highest level of reliability, while also keeping the thickness of our calibres to the minimum, we believe that a 'mechanical function with an ergonomic focus' opens a new path for Audemars Piguet and the watch industry as a whole," said Giulio Papi, technical director at the second manufacturing site in Le Locle.
Audemars Piguet's engineering feat is captured in four variations in an 18-carat white or pink gold case.
Two versions boast a two-tone architectural dial with gold openworked bridges that give a glimpse of the ultra-complicated Calibre 1000 and its refined hand-finished components.
