To fully appreciate the extent of Audemars Piguet’s achievement and understand why it is impossible to describe it in a few lines, one should first quote its CEO, François-Henry Bennahmias: “The Universelle is like the quest for the Holy Grail with so much expertise in such a small volume! We dreamed about it for 100 years, we thought about it for 20 years, and it took us seven years to achieve.”
Another notable element is the press release for this exceptional timepiece: while most of these documents describe watches in one or two pages, this one takes no less than 17! This is hardly surprising since the Code 11.59 Ultra-Complication Universelle RD#4 incorporates no less than 40 functions, including 23 complications, divided into three families: chronograph, perpetual calendar and acoustic.
Protected by three patents and comprising 1,140 parts, this mechanical marvel is housed in a white or pink gold case measuring just 42mm in diameter!
Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Ultra-Complication Universelle RD#4
Case: white gold, double-curved sapphire crystal, “secret” caseback opening onto the Supersonnerie sapphire membrane, water-resistant to 20m
Size: 42mm
Movement: mechanical self-winding (Caliber 1000, 64h power reserve), 1,140 components
Functions: 40 functions including hours, minutes, flyback chronograph with split-seconds function, Grande and Petite Sonnerie, minute repeater, flying tourbillon, semi-Gregorian perpetual calendar
Dial: Black counters with light gray flange, white gold applied hands and hour-markers
Bracelet: black alligator with white gold AP folding clasp, black textured rubber strap
Price: CHF 1.45 million
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