Welcome to our luxxee magazine weekly wrap-up, where we bring you fresh news about what's going on in the watch world
The rise of CODE 11.59
The enthusiasts finally get it!
In January 2019, I began following watch fairs very closely to get all the latest releases in the watch world due to my curiosity and the fact that I started writing on my first Blogspot website. Already aware of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, I was excited to see the new watch they were releasing. Now, for a bit of insight, I wasn’t a fan of the Royal Oak watch. I greatly appreciate it now, but I am a bigger fan of the CODE 11.59 that was released. Blasphemous, I know. However, I seemed to be the only one who felt that way.
When the CODE 11.59 watches were first released, collectors and enthusiasts were less than kind towards Audemars Piguet. Fast forward to 2022, and people are beginning to appreciate the watch and stating how beautiful it is. For those who haven’t ventured outside the Royal Oak, let me give you a rundown of CODE 11.59.
Over half a decade of conceptualization and development, CODE 11.59 is a new collection for AP and a replacement for the Jules Audemars models. Sitting alongside the Royal Oak and Offshore, CODE 11.59 is a watch designed to bridge the gap between sports watches and dress watches in the Audemars Piguet catalogue. This release would include 13 new watches, completely new designs (chronograph and time only at the time of release) and six new movement calibres across all models. This was the next step in Audemars Piguet's evolution, showing what customers can expect from the brand in years to come.
People were shocked, disappointed and upset by this new release, but I felt it was due to the watch being something new from AP that would be a staple piece for the brand. Today, CODE 11.59 features a wide range of movement and dial implementations. Time only, chronographs, flying-tourbillon, open-worked, and available in many material options and colours. There’s something for everyone. The CODE 11.59 Self-winding Flying Tourbillon with a black onyx dial is one of my favourite watches, so I recommend you check that out.
It’s taken some time, but collectors and enthusiasts are beginning to appreciate the true beauty and elegance of this new piece from AP, and it makes my heart very happy. I have been in love with these pieces since their release, and seeing the support around them, even though it took quite a while, is fantastic.
Citizen Promaster Challenge Diver
The next hot diver?
The new diver from Citizen harkens to a more classic, well-known aesthetic with a slight twist. While Citizen is known for its line of EcoDrive watches, the brand is also known for making a badass dive watch. While we have examples like the Orca and Ecozilla, both unique designs, Citizen also stays in the more traditional lane with the Promaster and their newest release, the Promaster “Challenge” diver.
The Promaster Mechanical Diver 200m "Challenge" is a 41mm 70s-inspired skin diver that implements Citizen's own “Super Titanium.” A material that’s 40% lighter than stainless steel and uses Citizen’s Duratect hardening, making it five times harder than stainless steel. Not to mention that titanium is rust-proof, making this watch even more rugged and reliable in and out of the water. While this is a new release and design for Citizen, there are signs that the brand decided to play it safe and give the people a more “traditional” dive watch design than their previous designs (Orca, Ecozilla.)
The Promaster Challenge is the size of your typical but comfortable dive watch, a 41mm case at 12.2mm thick with a 48.5mm lug to lug. The watch comes equipped with a silicon waffle strap and weighs an incredibly light 70 grams. I know what you’re thinking, a watch this light has to be quartz. Wrong. The Promaster Challenge has an automatic movement, the Citizen 9051– a movement design similar to the Miyota 9015. I want to mention how legible the dial on this watch is. With the large, rectangular indices, bold hand and plenty of lume, this watch is an excellent choice for any adventure.
The Promaster Challenge is available in two dial colours, blue and black. The black dial comes with the silicon waffle strap for $795, while the blue dial comes with a full titanium bracelet for $995. I’m not sure if the black dial has the bracelet as an option, as Citizen hasn’t confirmed, but we know there is a bracelet version of this watch. While it's a great watch at a reasonable price point, I think some will have difficulty justifying that price tag for either version, but I think this is a solid watch if you’re looking for something long-term.
The social corner: @aslaponthewrist
I’ve been very grateful to meet some inspiring and creative talents in the online watch community. A fantastic example is the one, the only, Pramukh Jadhav, better known as @aslaponthewrist.
A humble and passionate collector that makes some grade A content. His page often features photos of the Tudor Black Bay Pro, Tudor Black Bay 58, Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso, Omega Speedmaster Professional, and other beautiful watches. While he takes fantastic photos, his reels and video content are some of the best I’ve seen on Instagram and truly represent his talent on social media for wristwatches.
If you want to check out some great content, please check out @aslaponthewrist on Instagram.
Thank you for reading luxxee's weekly wrap-up and don't forget to come back next week to see what’s happening in the watch world!
