When we speak of Audemars Piguet, we should never forget that we are talking about a member of the holy trilogy of the horology world. The most frequent criticism about the brand voiced by watch lovers in recent years has been that the Royal Oak collection dominated the whole product range and that due diligence was not paid to other collections, all the finest models being designed for the Royal Oak.
Probably acknowledging these criticisms or, maybe, for some other reasons unknown for us, Audemars Piguet introduced its CODE 11.59 By Audemars Piguet collection in SIHH 2019. In fact, some visuals were leaked beforehand. The new collection has been severely criticized on the watch forums and Instagram pages. Many people have expressed their opinions with no hesitation, even without actually seeing and holding the watch. Indeed, the biggest problem was that the watch was not photogenic at all, if the phase goes, due to its innovative case and dial structure. That is to say, if you took pictures of the watch from other than certain angles, its qualities were not so clear and it seemed like quite an ordinary watch. At last, some people who saw the watch alive have changed their opinions. We cannot still say that people have got entirely accustomed to the CODE 11.59. Yet radical changes are like that; they take time to be accepted. The Royal Oak was also very surprising for people when it was first launched. I was a steel sport watch but was sold at a price of a gold one. When we look at the present day, the success of the Royal Oak is undeniable. It became the watch that started the storm of luxury steel sport watches.
As I’ve said previously, it takes time to get accustomed to radical changes. People seek trust in many things, and they don’t like risk. In this respect, a product with a proven success and beauty is quite trustworthy. Another issue is that they like nostalgia. Since we generally tend to remember good things, it seems to us as if we were so happy and everything was very good in the past. Being aware of this fact, designers put before us the old models sometimes by replication and sometimes by inspiration.
I think that designing and producing the same thing in the very same way is taking the easy way out. However, some things shouldn’t be allowed to disappear in the archives or on the dusty pages of the history.
In this respect, [Re]master01 is a very special product. First of all, we should know that the 1941 production reference 1533 chronograph watch, which is the basis for [Re]master01, was one and only, since every Audemars Piguet watch produced before 1951 was unique. As you may guess, among the watches produced before 1951, chronograph models are quite rare. According to the experts, only 307 pieces AP chronographs were produced between 1930 and 1950. Another point is that, before 1950s and 1960s, the chronograph models were produced as dresswatches but not as sport models. We can say that sport chronographs emerged with Daytona and Speedmaster in 1950s and 1960s.
Let me tell you about the reference 1533 in brief. Actually, this watch came to light in 2013 Sotheby’s Important Watches auction.
The watch, which was sold for CHF 115,000 on that date, was, after two years, offered for sale in the auction hold by Phillips Auction House and set off for the Audemars Piguet Museum for CHF 305,000.
And now, this fine historic example has met with watch lovers as [Re]mastered.
Although the work produced this time took the old model as its basis in aesthetics, it is a model re-produced with today’s technology and materials. We may say it is an old-timer adapted to our date.
First of all, I want to talk about the differences between the vintage and the new model. The 36mm diameter in the vintage model has been increased to a modern size of 40mm in the new model. In both of the two models, the bezel and the crown and the chronograph buttons are produced in gold, and the case in steel. While the reference 1533 is equipped with a hand wound Valjoux 13VZAH caliber, [Re]master01 is operated by an automatic flyback chronograph caliber that we know from the CODE 11.59. The basic difference of the movement, named caliber 4409, from the version used in the CODE 11.59 is that the date function is removed. With 40 jewels, the machine offers a power reserve of 70 hours operating at 28,800VPH.
22K gold rotor is decorated in Clou de paris pattern.
When we look at the dial design; whereas a rose gold tone, very close to that on the bezel, is used on the dial of reference 1533, a champagne-yellow gold tone, instead of rose gold, is preferred on the dial of [Re]master01. In addition, due to the different caliber used, the location of chronograph sub-counters is also different.
Let me put it this way: the small seconds at 9 o’clock in the reference 1533 is at 6 o’clock in the modern version. And the 30-minutes counter at 3 o’clock is moved to 9 o’clock, and 12-hours counter at 6 o’clock to 3 o’clock. It may seem complex when it is told this way, but you will see what I mean when you look at the pictures.
Another nuance here is the 45-minutes indicator manifested in red color on the 30-minutes counter. Henceforth, the gentlemen who follow football matches can monitor the half times. The reason why this feature has been found on many vintage Audemars Piguet chronographs is that Jacques- Louis Audemars, who chaired the company until 1975, was a big fan of football.
All chronograph hands of the watch and the numerals of tachymeter-scale on the outer circle of the dial are in blue. The small seconds hand is produced from rose gold, just like the hours and minutes hands. The dial has a vertically brushed surface, with an exception of the chronograph sub-dials that are designed more hollowly as compared to the vintage model. The sub-dials feature a guilloche pattern.
Another point I would particularly like to mention about the dial is that, while the art deco font draws our attention mostly at 12 o’clock, we can see, when we look carefully, that all the small 6s are designed as open six in accordance with the period. The printing labor is excellent.
One of the striking details which is fully carried from the reference 1533 is the vintage Audemars Piguet logo. Although the company, today, makes its production in Le Brassus, it added Geneva to its logo, where once it has a workshop, for a close affinity with its customers.
When we have a look at the case; teardrop lugs and elliptical chronograph buttons are the most striking design elements. Although the watch is 14,6mm thick, it seems thinner due to the steel-gold contrast. A snap-on caseback is preferred instead of a screw one. A sapphire crystal is used at the front and caseback.
The watch is offered with a quality hand-stitched light brown leather strap, and the box also includes a dark brown alligator strap.
To sum up; the reference 26595SR-OO-A032VE-01 [Re]master01 is a re-production of a timepiece, impossible to find and buy, with today’s technology and materials, in order not to allow it to disappear between the dusty pages of the history. Taking a product from the past and presenting it today with the same design may be perceived as taking the easy way, but the situation here is much more a special one. In a sense, we can say it is giving a second life to the beauties imbedded in history.
Unfortunately, this beauty shall be able to meet with only 500 lucky watch lovers.
The watch has been offered for sale only in the Audemars Piguet Boutiques for CHF 49,500 (tax excluded).
