While we won’t predict with absolute certainty that AP will leave the BFM (Bâtiment des Forces Motrices) with one or more prizes at the GPHG, the odds are high. Just look at the categories where the brand is present: Women, Women’s Complication, Men’s Complication, Chronograph, Sport, and Iconic. The only two major categories where AP is absent are Men’s and Tourbillon. The maison clearly had a shot in the Men’s category. For the Tourbillon, they would have needed to enter their latest RD#5, but the piece arrived too late for the selection schedule.
Each Brand in Its Own Territory
For the rest, AP played it safe. The brand no longer competes in the jewelry category. While it has sometimes made a splash there (remember the Diamond Punk), High Jewelry is not the core business of the Brassus manufacture. That ground is left to industry leaders like Chopard, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Piaget. Each to their own territory.
A Well-Measured Bet on the Chronograph
In the Sport category, AP put forward its quintessential sports watch: the Royal Oak Offshore. Introduced in 1993, the model continues its muscular and refined path. The current trend is not entirely favorable: even reduced to 43mm, the "ROO" is slightly out of step with collectors who, driven by the vintage wave, prefer watches no larger than 40mm.
Nonetheless, the approach remains consistent: in the absence of Richard Mille and TAG Heuer, if a client wants a modern, robust, and in-house chronograph, which brand remains in the running at the GPHG? Audemars Piguet! The logic is similar in the Chronograph category, where AP presents a 43mm Royal Oak Concept against more classical (Andersen, Angelus) or smaller competitors (Louis Moinet at 40mm, Ming at 41mm).
The Royal Oak Reigns
Elsewhere, the traditional Royal Oak once again dominates. It holds 3 of the 6 selected models: a Mini in the Women’s category, and two QPs (Men’s Complication and Iconic). But the competition will be tougher. In Women’s, the Mini, a quartz watch, must contend with heavyweights like Voutilainen, or Vuitton, who will benefit from the trend for watches with date windows, or Piaget, riding the wave of mineral dials. The Mini Frosted’s victory is far from assured.
Similarly, in the Sport category, it faces rivals like Chopard with an 8Hz piece, and jury favorites Laurent Ferrier and Parmigiani Fleurier. The same opponents and situation apply in the Complication category. This raises the persistent question: why hasn’t Audemars Piguet set itself apart in these categories with its Code 11.59?
The Code Advantage
The “Code,” as it’s nicknamed, had a rocky start. Upon release, the design was misunderstood. It remains a minority in AP sales. But the manufacture is committed and keeps it in its collections.
Today, the Code 11.59 has its rightful place in the celebrations of AP’s 150th anniversary. The brand has stayed the course with discipline and common sense. The Code 11.59 is a complex, subtle watch. It offers AP collectors who want to stand out an alternative to the Royal Oak.
The Code 11.59 could have been a compelling contender in categories beyond “Women’s Complication.” Next year, why not enter it in the “Artistic Crafts” category? The response might be that it’s not its territory. But that’s precisely why it should venture there. After all, that’s what Audemars Piguet has been doing for 150 years.
