February is upon us, and with it, Audemars Piguet has dropped new watches for 2023 ranging from some of its most affordable (well, relatively speaking) to some of its most complicated and, shall we say, far-from-affordable. Though best known for the classic hype watch, the Royal Oak, collectors also know the brand ("AP") for its high-end watchmaking. That's all on display among the new releases, and it's the aggressively sporty Royal Oak Offshore's 30th anniversary, too.
The brand recently also announced it will be following the likes of Rolex and other established brands and opening a certified pre-owned program. As for new watches, though, here are the most notable releases from Audemars Piguet for the first half of 2023.
Code 11.59 in Steel
The Audemars Piguet Code 11.59, introduced in 2019, now comes in versions that appear conceived as a relatively accessible, entry-level option — not "affordable" for most people, mind you, but relatively so within the brand's catalog. We're talking 41mm models with automatic movements, three with simple time-only functionality and three chronographs.
For the first time in the collection, four of those models are produced entirely in steel (the faceted case middles of two more are in ceramic). They also feature a new, stamped dial texture which, like the Royal Oak's "tapisserie" dial, will be a distinguishing feature of the collection going forward.
Diameter: 41mm Complications: Date Price: $25,300-$37,400
Code 11.59 Ultra-Complication Universelle
40. That's how many things this new version of the 11.59 can do. With a chronograph, multiple chiming mechanisms, a flying tourbillon and more, it's the most complicated watch AP has ever made, with the movement inside comprising no fewer than 1,155 tiny, hand-finished components.
23 of those features count as horological complications (listed out below), but suffice it to say this is how one of the most respected and prestigious Swiss watchmakers flexes its muscles. Impressive as all that micro engineering is, it's almost equally so that they fit it all inside a 42mm-wide, 15.5mm-thick case — and that they made an effort for it to be easy to use, without the need of any tools for adjustments. Though very modern in its design, it takes inspiration from a pocket watch from 1899.
Diameter: 42mm
Complications: Chronograph, split seconds, minutes counters, hours counters, flyback function, minute repeater, grande sonnerie, petite sonnerie, silence, quarters silence, locking of automatic and manual activation when the barrel is insufficiently wound, automatic winding of the grande sonnerie barrel, Supersonnerie, perpetual calendar, date display, day display, month display, moonphase, year display, semi-Gregorian, accurate astronomical moon, tourbillon, automatic winding
Price: 1,450,000-1,600,000 CHF
New Royal Oak Models
No AP SKU dump would be complete without some new Royal Oak collection additions — and despite all the newness, this is what a lot of people will still get excited about. There's a new Royal Oak "Jumbo" Extra-Thin with a grainy dial and white gold case, an ultra-thin perpetual calendar — and the one that visually stands out most, to us: the Selfwinding show above with a yellow gold case and turquoise dial.
Diameter: 37mm Complications: Date Price: $61,500
Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph
It's the Royal Oak Offshore 30th anniversary this year, so expect that this is only the beginning of this years releases celebrating it. Originally launched in 1993, this is inspired by the original, but with some modern upgrades — and a fully ceramic case and bracelet. In addition to this historical tribute, AP also introduced even more technical and edgy models in its Offshore Concept collection such as a Split Second Chronograph GMT in titanium with a large date.
Diameter: 42mm Complications: Chronograph Price: $70,000