Audemars Piguet

Audemars Piguet New Releases 2025

Words by Tony Wilkes


“Astronomy is the mother of watchmaking,” says Sébastian Vivas, heritage and museum director at Audemars Piguet. “The history of time measurement began with the observation of the sky.” It was the sun, stars and phases of the moon that formed the basis of timekeeping instruments, evolving from ancient sundials to the perpetual calendar of today: a watch that can tell the correct date and week by mapping the different lengths of months and even leap years. As the most complex calendar watch in existence, they remain the gold standard of watchmaking, inspiring manufactures to innovate new mechanisms of ever greater intricacy.


That’s precisely what Audemars Piguet has done. Kicking off its 150th anniversary celebrations, the Swiss haute horlogerie mainstay has completely revolutionised a selfwinding perpetual calendar movement, Calibre 7138, allowing the wearer to correct all functions by using only the crown – a mechanical breakthrough of five years in the making, and protected by five different patents. The one-of-a-kind movement makes its debut on a 41mm Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet in 18-carat white gold, two 41mm Royal Oaks in stainless steel and 18-carat sand gold, and on three limited anniversary editions. To discover more from the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet and Royal Oak collections, visit Audemars Piguet in Fine Watches on the Ground Floor.

Such remarkable innovation is nothing new for Audemars Piguet. In 1955, the brand made history with the first perpetual calendar wristwatch with leap year indication, and broke another record in 1978 with the world’s thinnest selfwinding perpetual calendar wristwatch of its time: Calibre 2120/2800. Audemars Piguet surpassed itself yet again in 2018 with the revolutionary 41mm Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin, incorporating all the perpetual calendar functions on a single level at only 2.89mm thick. Today, Calibre 7138 breaks further boundaries with its all-in-one crown correction system – a major breakthrough in the story of perpetual calendars.


Traditionally, perpetual calendar watches are adjusted with a small tool inserted into the side of the case, an age-old approach that’s charming but (for want of a better word) fiddly. With the new Calibre 7138, all adjustments are made by the crown, allowing for greater water resistance – 50m for the Royal Oak models and 30m for Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet, compared to the 20m on previous models. Despite its simplicity, the system conceals highly complex mechanics. An innovative lever and wandering wheels system that meshes with the different calendar wheels are masterclasses in seemingly effortless artistry.

The theme continues with the dials and subdials which have been rearranged to enhance legibility, symmetry and aesthetic harmony. The dial now features a European date display (day, date, month) with the day at 9 o'clock, the date at 12 and the month at 3 o'clock. Another focal note is the moon phase, which displays a realistic depiction of the moon based on a NASA photograph. It remains at 6 o'clock as for previous references. However, the full moon is now centred on the 12 o'clock axis to strengthen the dial's overall harmony.

It is the dial that steals the show on the new 41mm Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet, defined by its pattern of rippling circles laced with hundreds of tiny holes for greater brightness and depth – a motif created in collaboration with Swiss guilloché artisan Yann von Kaenel, who hand-engraved the basic stamps. The 18-karat white gold case also dazzles, thanks to its alternating satin-brushed and polished chamfers, designed to catch the light. The effect is completed by its 18-karat white gold luminescent hands, with white gold hour markers and white calendar indications, serving as the perfect contrast to a signature smoked blue dial and rubber-coated strap.


This two-tone aesthetic is also found in the stainless steel version of the new 41mm Royal Oak. Launched in 1972 – brainchild of the inimitable Gérald Genta – the Royal Oak was the first luxury sports watch to be made of stainless steel (a norm today but then utterly unthinkable), and still stands as one of the most groundbreaking timepieces of all time. This latest addition combines its stainless steel case and bracelet with a blue Grande Tapisserie dial – a distinctive feature of Royal Oak watches – characterised by a large, square-shaped guilloché pattern for greater depth. In this iteration, it’s clear why the Royal Oak is Audemars Piguet’s best-known and most collectable watch.

The two new 41mm Royal Oak models in a choice of stainless steel or 18-carat sand gold

But an icon must keep moving forward. The second Royal Oak shakes things up with a contemporary model of 18-carat sand gold – a precious alloy of gold, copper and palladium introduced in Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Collection only last year. Despite its modern monochrome look, it’s defined by captivating changes of colour. Depending on the light, the watch shifts between white and pink gold, accentuated by the satin-finished and polished chamfers on the bracelet and case. All three new models feature a sapphire case back, allowing their wearer to marvel at the inner workings – like a 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight.

Limited Edition AP

Limited "anniversary" edition of the Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar 41 mm with a vintage “Audemars Piguet” signature

Despite an astounding development of the perpetual calendar, plus a new Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet and two Royal Oaks, Audemars Piguet does not stop there. To celebrate the manufacture’s 150th anniversary, each model is also available in a limited anniversary run of 150 pieces each. Numbered on the frame of their sapphire case backs, each features a vintage Audemars Piguet signature – inspired by the writing on historical documents – inserted in the moon phase subdial at six o’clock. A subtle addition that makes these masterpieces even more desirable.

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