Cover Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon in 18K white gold with a beige embossed dial
Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon in 18K white gold with a beige embossed dial
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Openworked mechanics, natural stone and intricate dial craft give the flying tourbillon three distinctly different expressions within the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collection
The flying tourbillon has become a recurring complication within the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collection, but its execution is hardly uniform. Across three markedly different references, the Swiss manufacture pairs it with openworked architecture, natural stone and intricate dial craft, while moving between 38mm and 41mm proportions, showing how broadly Audemars Piguet has developed the collection since its introduction in 2019.
Perhaps the most mechanically expressive of the three is the 41mm Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked, the first model in the collection to combine the complication with fully openworked architecture. With no conventional dial to hide behind, the movement becomes the face of the watch. Its layered construction reveals the bridges, wheels and other components beneath, drawing the eye towards the flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock. Pink gold details running through the movement also establish a visual connection with the 18K pink gold case, contrasted by a black ceramic middle case and black inner bezel. Pink gold hands with luminescent coating complete the display.
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Above Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked
Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked
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The watch also introduces Calibre 2980, a selfwinding movement comprising 278 components and measuring 6.2mm thick. Beating at 3Hz, it provides 65 hours of power reserve. The 41mm case measures 11.8mm thick and is paired with a black rubber-coated strap lined in calfskin, reinforcing the contemporary character of the openworked construction.
Colour takes centre stage in the 38mm Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon, which comes in three vivid natural stone variations: ruby root, blue sodalite and green malachite. Sourced respectively from Tanzania, Brazil and Zambia, the stones are paired with different precious metals to bring out their individual character—ruby root with 18K white gold, blue sodalite with pink gold and malachite with yellow gold.
Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon in 18K yellow gold with a malachite dial
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Natural stone dials have a long history at Audemars Piguet, which began exploring their aesthetic potential in the 1960s. Each dial is fashioned from a wafer-thin layer of stone that must be carefully cut and polished without compromising its integrity. The material’s natural veining, tonal variations and texture also mean that no two dials are exactly alike. The colour extends beyond the dial itself as each watch is paired with a matching inner bezel and alligator strap, while the corresponding gold of the case is carried onto the hands and details around the flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock.
Just as important as the stone dials are the watches’ relatively compact proportions. At 38 mm across and 9.6 mm thick, all three are powered by Calibre 2968, the ultra-thin selfwinding flying tourbillon movement developed specifically for watches under 41 mm. First introduced in the Royal Oak RD#3 in 2022, the 3.4 mm-thick calibre uses a lightweight titanium tourbillon cage with a peripheral drive and made its Code 11.59 debut in 38mm in 2025. It runs at 3 Hz and delivers a 50-hour power reserve.
Above Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon in 18K white gold with a beige embossed dial
Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon in 18K white gold with a beige embossed dial
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The third watch once again places the focus on the dial, this time through a decorative technique developed specifically for Code 11.59. Presented in a 41mm case, the Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon features an ivory-toned version of the collection’s signature pattern, first unveiled in 2023.
Developed with Swiss guilloché artisan Yann von Kaenel, the design is built from concentric circles that are engraved and punctuated by hand before being enhanced with PVD colouring. The process gives an otherwise restrained ivory dial a pronounced sense of depth and texture.
That warmth is offset by a black external perimeter and black ceramic case middle, while the bezel, caseback and lugs are rendered in 18K white gold. Pink gold hands and hour markers provide another subtle contrast, echoed by the outer rim of the flying tourbillon aperture. At 6 o’clock is the flying tourbillon of selfwinding Calibre 2950, a 3Hz movement offering 65 hours of power reserve.
Discover more at AP House Singapore or the AP Boutique at Liat Towers.
Credits
Images: Audemars Piguet
Topics
Annabel Tan is the Editor of Watches and Jewellery at Tatler Singapore, where she covers all things luxury timepieces and fine jewellery across both print and digital platforms. She is also the Editor of Tatler GMT Singapore, a role that deepens her fascination with the ever-evolving world of watchmaking. Outside of work, she’s usually on the hunt for her next favourite watch that she can’t afford, planning her next beach getaway, or catching up on the latest Formula 1 race.
