Finally Saw it irl the controversial Code 11.59

[RolexZen]

Saw the three handers and chronos today.

Readability is definitely an issue at a lot of lighting angles, but very readable when the light strikes just right.

The SA gave her spill about the layers of lacquer, but they just look like shiny paint to me. The applied logo looks nice, too.

The crystal is interesting, and not what I expected—it’s not curved on the top, just on the inside. It gives an interesting effect at severe angles, but just looks like a box crystal from the top. I don’t really see the benefit.

The case is very nice. The lugs are beautifully finished, and the mid-case is special. The movements look great through the casebacks.

And the flyback chrono is very cool. The button action was nice on the one I tried.

I’m not a fan of the date at 4:30 but it looks well done, considering the position. Not like a cheap cut-out of convenience, the date wheel seems to have been made for a 4:30 display.

These are not for me, but honestly, they look fine. We’ll start seeing them on the wrist of Serena Williams, etc, and they will look luxurious. They will look fine on a red carpet, or on doctor or a lawyer or whomever. And they’ll look expensive.

In the end, I’m no more interested in this line than I was the JA line, but I am more interested in seeing how it evolves. And we’ll see the new movements in future Royal Oaks, of course.

[MP5]

APs Cimmeron

[subtona]

Originally Posted by MP5

APs Cimmeron

Perfect!!!!!

[ap1]

It’s bad, like real bad. Teenagers think so too

[superstarmar]

pass...

[MikeyV]

Originally Posted by MP5

APs Cimmeron

Man, harsh! LOL!

[SN13]

Originally Posted by Jp28

The dials and hands really are shockingly bad. Maybe irl the dial finishing is good but the design is still horrid. The rest case/movement/sapphire dome are ok though :)
If only I could wear it without looking at the dial.....

This line literally made me snort with laughter.

[Submarino]

Originally Posted by masterserg

That movement does not look very pleasing to my eyes. Is it just me? Other pics of the three hander movement I saw don't look that great either.

I s'pose I need to wait until I see IRL.

Movements are gorgeous. Not an issue there.

[Submarino]

Originally Posted by RolexZen

Saw the three handers and chronos today.

Readability is definitely an issue at a lot of lighting angles, but very readable when the light strikes just right.

The SA gave her spill about the layers of lacquer, but they just look like shiny paint to me. The applied logo looks nice, too.

The crystal is interesting, and not what I expected—it’s not curved on the top, just on the inside. It gives an interesting effect at severe angles, but just looks like a box crystal from the top. I don’t really see the benefit.

The case is very nice. The lugs are beautifully finished, and the mid-case is special. The movements look great through the casebacks.

And the flyback chrono is very cool. The button action was nice on the one I tried.

I’m not a fan of the date at 4:30 but it looks well done, considering the position. Not like a cheap cut-out of convenience, the date wheel seems to have been made for a 4:30 display.

These are not for me, but honestly, they look fine. We’ll start seeing them on the wrist of Serena Williams, etc, and they will look luxurious. They will look fine on a red carpet, or on doctor or a lawyer or whomever. And they’ll look expensive.

In the end, I’m no more interested in this line than I was the JA line, but I am more interested in seeing how it evolves. And we’ll see the new movements in future Royal Oaks, of course.

Readability and too much glare on crystals is a major issue I pointed out in my review of the new collection.

By the way, the calibre 4302 (automatic movement with 70-hour power reserve and a 32 mm diameter) powering the Code 11.59 date model is already the beating heart of the new Royal Oak ref. 15500.

[SN13]

Originally Posted by myporsche

Looks great, thanks for the write up and pictures. AP has never been one to shy away from taking risks and controversial designs, it's not a brand for everyone. As far AP fans,the design will come around and people will get it. Leaps and bounds improvement over the Jules line and a great new in-house movement as well.

Controversial Designs?

Lol... the only thing that makes this design so controversial is spending $30k on a Fashion watch with a new fancy movement.

That's not Controversial Design. It's Moronic Design.

It's not Cool, or Unique, or Artistic.... it's plain. Simple. and exactly what you'd expect from MK or DW....

The mid-case has some cool effects, and the look of skeletonized lugs is fun...

They could have saved this damned abomination from itself had they incorporated just ONE of the iconic parts of the AP established lines and included it to "Tie-in" the new line.

Sorry, this is not a "Grow On You" type of design.

[subtona]

Originally Posted by Amiroo

I like it. Give it time. 1972 had some very negative things to say about the Royal Oak. Who in their right mind wanted to spend so much for a mechanical stainless steel watch?

This is not 72 nor is it Genta.

[sechsgang]

The hands really crush it for me. Everything else is pretty much fine honestly.

[coffeebreak]

Originally Posted by subtona

This is not 72 nor is it Genta.

There was also no social media or online forums in 1972. Public feedback can spread so much faster worldwide today

[mr_gray]

Code 11:59 risks an entire industry IMHO. my rationale being that currently luxury watchmakers have hit on a recipe for self preservation - insanely popular steel sports watches with rising prices that fuel brand interest. people need to believe in the Brand and in the craftsmanship and design, that all of these add up so that a ss watch can be worth $25K USD etc. to some extent this is fantasy but one contrived by 2 parties, consumer and manufacturer.

AP with the Royal Oak in 1972 kicked this off to some degree (a ss watch that was 6 times price of sub).

IMHO luxury watches work by appealing to emotions more than rationality. the three hander code 11:59 is so emotionally unappealing it tends to engage my rational side and suddenly i'm thinking "27k usd for a watch that some committee stuck together!"

it undermines the 11:59 thing and then maybe AP the brand and from there, if it opens the customers eyes, it might undermine the concept of spending alot on a ss luxury watch.

for this reason i agree with others that the safer way to introduce 11:59 was via the specialty models (perpetual calendar/tourbillon). these pieces aren't subject to rational assessment and fill out AP's reputation as part of the trinity. a 3 hander that doesn't have any unique design language that costs 25k usd does the opposite.

[toucan]

The 11:59 reminds me of The Simpsons where Homer designs the Homer, that car ultimately cost his brother, Danny DeVito his company.

[benlee]

Let the market decide. We watch collector might not even be their initial primary target. I personally feel there is potential in these watches but they seriously need to re-do the dials if there is going to be any chance for me to get one.

[RolexZen]

Originally Posted by benlee

Let the market decide. We watch collector might not even be their initial primary target. I personally feel there is potential in these watches but they seriously need to re-do the dials if there is going to be any chance for me to get one.

I agree with all of this 100%.

[speedfighter]

Originally Posted by toucan

The 11:59 reminds me of The Simpsons where Homer designs the Homer, that car ultimately cost his brother, Danny DeVito his company.

The car is still better than the watch

[toucan]

Originally Posted by speedfighter

The car is still better than the watch

Totally but more expensive

[coffeebreak]

Originally Posted by benlee

Let the market decide.

This sums it all up perfectly. Let’s see what actually happens with the line

[slayers]

I wanna see it on a bracelet tho

[Wahlberg]

Originally Posted by coffeebreak

There was also no social media or online forums in 1972. Public feedback can spread so much faster worldwide today

It's ugly now, it will be ugly in 10 years.

[Carry The Interest]

Re-reading through this discussion and common thread I am seeing in the recurring criticism of the line are the dials. Some people hate everything about the watch line but most importantly, the dial. Some people are highlighting redeeming qualities of the watches but still clearly take issue with the dials.

So I wonder - just for the sake of argument - what if they went a more traditional "AP" route with the dial (doesn't apply to some of the more complicated pieces). Say they did a classic RO tapisserie dial with a twist by adding say, the 3, 6, 9 arabic number markers? I wonder how different people would feel about these... Maybe this is a horrible idea

[P2725TMB]

I saw the Codes in Harrods today, just the white gold blue and white dialled time only ones and blue dial Chrono, these seemingly being all they’ve received. I went in hoping to like the Code Chono but I’m afraid I was totally underwhelmed by them all. I should add that I’d want a rose gold (which they didn’t have) and the lighting in Harrods really isn’t good.

To me the time only version does look ‘cheap’ as others have said, and I dislike the big empty dial, but the Chrono isn’t much better, the dial being very dark and bland. As a reference I wore my RG Omega PO SM to see how the dials would compare in the same lighting, but there really isn’t any comparison – whilst the Omega really ‘popped’, even in the less than ideal lighting, the Code didn’t - at all. I don’t get all the fan-fair about the logo either, it didn’t pop as much as the 3D gold Omega one does. Its possible the dial may work better in daylight, but for that price I want it to work in all lights – and my Omega did work in the dull Harrods lighting.

I disliked the crystal too, which looks odd because of the concavity to the top surface and produced an unpleasant (to me) distortion when looked at from an angle. Seems a pointless exercise.

The strap is underwhelming with no option for a rubber one. I hated the massive vacant gap between the case and strap, but that’s just me.

Considering they are gold, I also found them very light in weight, so I guess the cases must be thinly machined, although admittedly there’s no bezel etc.

I know some people will like it, but I can’t see how - I went in wanting to like the Chrono, but for me there’s nothing to like. I hate to be negative as I love the AP brand, but this design just doesn't fit in and I think is a serious let down.

[RolexZen]

Originally Posted by P2725TMB

I saw the Codes in Harrods today, just the white gold blue and white dialled time only ones and blue dial Chrono, these seemingly being all they’ve received. I went in hoping to like the Code Chono but I’m afraid I was totally underwhelmed by them all. I should add that I’d want a rose gold (which they didn’t have) and the lighting in Harrods really isn’t good.

To me the time only version does look ‘cheap’ as others have said, and I dislike the big empty dial, but the Chrono isn’t much better, the dial being very dark and bland. As a reference I wore my RG Omega PO SM to see how the dials would compare in the same lighting, but there really isn’t any comparison – whilst the Omega really ‘popped’, even in the less than ideal lighting, the Code didn’t - at all. I don’t get all the fan-fair about the logo either, it didn’t pop as much as the 3D gold Omega one does. Its possible the dial may work better in daylight, but for that price I want it to work in all lights – and my Omega did work in the dull Harrods lighting.

I disliked the crystal too, which looks odd because of the concavity to the top surface and produced an unpleasant (to me) distortion when looked at from an angle. Seems a pointless exercise.

The strap is underwhelming with no option for a rubber one. I hated the massive vacant gap between the case and strap, but that’s just me.

Considering they are gold, I also found them very light in weight, so I guess the cases must be thinly machined, although admittedly there’s no bezel etc.

I know some people will like it, but I can’t see how - I went in wanting to like the Chrono, but for me there’s nothing to like. I hate to be negative as I love the AP brand, but this design just doesn't fit in and I think is a serious let down.

All fair points, except I don’t think there is any concavity to the top surface of the crystal.

I liked the dual-sided alligator straps.

[P2725TMB]

There is concavity, I looked specifically for it. It's also mentioned in the right ups - the concavity is in one direction, from 12 to 6, on the top surface and seemingly at 90 degrees, from 3 to 9, on the underside.

I also tried the chono function. The button has a nice action but not as smooth as on my two 44s. With the 44s it almost glides when you push it, a real pleasure, but the Code is a bit more of a 'click'. No big deal, but another thing that's not as good as perhaps it could and should be.

Admittedly I'm not a fan of croc straps, but I found them quite thin and no real feel of quality or luxury.

[korneevy]

Originally Posted by P2725TMB

There is concavity, I looked specifically for it. It's also mentioned in the right ups - the concavity is in one direction, from 12 to 6, on the top surface and seemingly at 90 degrees, from 3 to 9, on the underside.

I also tried the chono function. The button has a nice action but not as smooth as on my two 44s. With the 44s it almost glides when you push it, a real pleasure, but the Code is a bit more of a 'click'. No big deal, but another thing that's not as good as perhaps it could and should be.

Admittedly I'm not a fan of croc straps, but I found them quite thin and no real feel of quality or luxury.

Don’t slag off the straps - it may be the only nice thing left on this watches, so could be a redeeming factor for APs CEO when the time comes for his annual performance appraisal... “look, I know these uglies didn’t sell but we can melt the cases and RE-USE the straps, isn’t it cool?”

[jonnyz1245]

Im a huge fan of AP and have been for a long time. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. I will reserve my final opinion until after I see them in the flesh but I will say on the surface, I am not impressed with what I have seen.

[H_UK]

After seeing them, I am sad to say I am not that impressed either. I'm sure they will appeal to some, but not me and not for the price tag. its such a shame

[VicLeChic]

I like the case, the crystal, the size of the dial. I dislike the hands, the numerals, the lacquer finish, the bland dial in the three hander especially.

This new design seems to suit the perpetual calendar better than any other model IMHO. You look at the subdials, the moonphase, the 52 weeks chapter ring, the choice of a large dial with thin bezel to accommodate the complications, and it all becomes harmonious, it takes a whole new meaning and makes total sense. I find it impressive on picture, would love to see it IRL.

The other dials need a redesign, I think. Elements like an interesting textured dial, a new set of hands and a different font would help. Shouldn't be too difficult.

The beautiful star spangled perpetual calendar in rose gold... I want one but it's totally out of my budget.