Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Replica has been around since its launch in 2019, and the Universelle is not only a remarkable watch, but also a statement of commitment to the Code 11.59, showing that Audemars Piguet will continue to make this watch not just a credible alternative to the Royal Oak, but also a very attractive option.
The latest releases are a far cry from the noble complexity of the Universelle – they are two 38mm versions of the Code 11.59, both with unique perforated dials, which were introduced alongside the first steel Code model that was launched earlier this year. The Best Code 11.59 Replica case is finished to the same high standard as its movement, and the complex case shape seems to me to be inherently better suited to a larger case.
The new 38mm model is powered by the AP 5900 movement, which AP has previously used in the 37mm Royal Oak model, and measures 26.20mm x 4mm. It’s not an in-house movement – the base movement is made by Vaucher, and the 5900 looks like a slightly larger version of the AP 5800, which AP uses in some of its 34mm Royal Oaks, and is based on the Vaucher VMF 3002.
With a sixty-hour power reserve, this movement isn’t exactly spectacular, but the main purpose of the Code 11.59 in AP’s current lineup is to provide an alternative to the AAA Audemars Piguet Replica. It has its own idiosyncrasies, but the overall impression is of a determination to build a movement to traditional Haute Horlogerie standards, including the use of a free balance spring, an adjustable mass balance, and, in general, a finer level of finishing than the 58/5900 series movements.
Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Automatic 38mm Replica Watches: Two models; both with 18k gold case, sapphire caseback, 30m water resistance; 38mm x 9.6mm. Ivory dial with relief decoration, ivory inner ring and rose gold hour markers and hands; Purple dial with relief decoration, purple inner ring, rose gold applied hour markers and hands. Both watches are automatic 5900 calibres, Vaucher base, 26.2mm x 4mm, 60-hour power reserve, 29 jewels, 28,800 vph.
