I understand why the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59’s first time-and-date models divided people in 2019. I don’t think that reaction tells the whole story now. The collection’s layered case, ambitious launch movements and later range of sizes and complications make it more interesting than its most criticized dials suggested—without making every design choice a success.
Why the Code 11.59 drew criticism at launch
When Audemars Piguet introduced the Code 11.59 in 2019, it was asking collectors to look beyond the Royal Oak, the watch that had come to define the brand for many people. WatchTime described the launch as answering longstanding questions about whether AP would broaden its range and offer an in-house integrated chronograph. The debut comprised 13 references across six sub-collections, with three new in-house calibres, according to Hodinkee’s 2022 account. That was a substantial technical and creative statement, but it also put a new collection under an unusually bright spotlight.
The response was mixed, not simply hostile. Hodinkee’s 2019 launch coverage noted appreciation for the movements, construction and craftsmanship alongside divisive reactions to the simpler models’ dials. Its 2022 retrospective said much of the negative discourse focused on the time-and-date version: the intricate case could be visually overshadowed by a comparatively plain dial. The Fondation Haute Horlogerie likewise described intense online discussion in 2019, with design reactions sometimes taking attention away from technical details.
Hodinkee later counted more than 500 snark-filled comments on its own initial introduction post. That is a measure of activity on one publication’s post, not a survey of watch enthusiasts. It does, however, help explain how quickly the collection’s launch became a debate about its looks.
#1 Best Overall
- Clasp Type : pin buckle
- Material : Silicone
- Width: 22mm
- Packaging: 1pcs
- Compatible With AP Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59 Series 15210 26393
What makes the case more interesting in person
The Code 11.59’s construction is more involved than the familiar outline of a round watch suggests. AP describes an octagonal middle between a round caseback and an extra-thin round bezel. The upper parts of the stylised lugs connect to the bezel; their lower sections rest on the caseback. A double-curved sapphire crystal completes the shape. Those layers give the watch a distinct profile, even if the effect is subtle from some angles.
That is a different kind of design statement from the Royal Oak. The Code’s identity comes from a round form interrupted by an octagonal middle and layered case details. The Royal Oak’s is more immediately legible in its recognizable integrated-bracelet design. Neither approach is inherently better: the first rewards attention to case architecture; the second makes its signature shape and bracelet part of the same visual idea.
Rank #2
- Clasp Type : pin buckle
- Material : Silicone
- Width: 22mm
- Packaging: 1pcs
- Compatible With AP Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59 Series 15210 26393
There is also considered detail beyond the case. WatchTime reported that the raised gold logo was created through galvanic growth. It described six in-house calibres across the launch line, three of them new. That technical work does not make a dial compelling by itself, but it does mean the collection was never just a styling exercise.
Why the early dial criticism still makes sense
The strongest case for reconsidering the Code 11.59 is not that its critics were wrong. It is that the collection’s most visible early weakness and its less visible strengths were not equally easy to appreciate. A relatively restrained time-and-date dial can feel under-resolved when set against a case with this many transitions and surfaces. If the dial does not create enough visual tension or character, the case may read as complexity without a clear focal point.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Rank #3
- Clasp Type : pin buckle
- Material : Silicone
- Width: 22mm
- Packaging: 1pcs
- Compatible With AP Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59 Series 15210 26393
That is a matter of taste, but it is also a useful way to assess the watches. Look at dial legibility and balance alongside the case, rather than treating an unusual case as proof that every reference works. The launch criticism remains understandable for anyone who found the simpler executions too plain; it need not settle the question for more elaborate or later models.
How the collection changed after 2019
In 2023, AP made changes that broadened the collection in practical and visual ways. The company introduced a 38 mm case size intended for smaller wrists, its first 41 mm steel models, and a new embossed ripple dial. It also revised the hands and markers, saying the changes were intended to improve readability. AP said each new dial took about 1.5 months to produce; that is the manufacturer’s production account, not an independent assessment of legibility or wear. Details are in its 25 October 2023 announcement.
Rank #4
- Clasp Type : pin buckle
- Material : Silicone
- Width: 22mm
- Packaging: 1pcs
- Compatible With AP Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59 Series 15210 26393
The 38 mm option matters because case proportions affect how the layered design sits on a wrist, not just the number on a specification sheet. The steel models offer another material expression of the collection, while the ripple dial gives the face more texture than the simpler early designs. These are meaningful points of comparison, not proof that every later watch resolves the original design tension.
The range has continued to include very different kinds of watches. Wallpaper*’s 2026 releases overview reports new 38 mm pink-gold selfwinding variants using the 2023 case and dial approach, with the selfwinding Calibre 5900, as well as a 41 mm white-gold and black-ceramic openworked perpetual calendar. The contrast makes the collection harder to reduce to the first time-and-date models: it now spans different sizes, materials and levels of complication. Continued releases show product development, not how popular the collection is.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Best Value
- The pack of protective film covers the following areas:case (back, side, crown guard), lug (front), glass, bezel, endlink clasp (front, side),bracelet（front,side）.
- Use Finewatchcare's specially designed watch protector to protect your watch surface from scratches and cracks.
- This protector is made of high-quality materials to restore its original luster and achieve higher accuracy.
- Maintain a smooth and stylish appearance of the watch while adding an additional protective layer.
- Use Finewatchcare's durable and reliable watch surface protection to extend the lifespan of the watch.
How I would judge a Code 11.59 now
I would compare an individual reference against what I want from a watch, rather than against the launch’s loudest reactions. The practical questions are straightforward:
- Dial: Can you read it quickly, and does its visual weight feel balanced against the case?
- Fit: Does the available case size suit your wrist? The 38 mm and 41 mm options give different starting points, but diameter alone does not determine fit.
- Material and finishing: Do you prefer the look and feel of the specific gold, steel or ceramic execution?
- Movement and complication: Does the calibre and function in that reference interest you, from straightforward selfwinding models to an openworked perpetual calendar?
- Design identity: Do you like the Code’s round-and-octagonal layered architecture, or are you drawn more to the Royal Oak’s integrated-bracelet identity?
My view has shifted because the collection is easier to assess as a developing family than as one launch-day dial. The architecture and movement work give it a genuine point of view, while later sizes, materials and complications offer more ways to encounter that point of view. I still understand why someone might prefer the Royal Oak or dislike the simpler Code dials. What I no longer understand is treating those first impressions as the only fair reading of the collection.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
