Audemars Piguet revisits one of its signature complications with three new Supersonnerie references across two collections. The Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie returns in titanium with a smoked green dial and, for the first time, 18k pink gold. Completing the trio is the Code 11.59 Minute Repeater Supersonnerie, now in 18k white gold with a smoked sapphire dial that reveals the striking works of the cal. 2953.
Initial thoughts
The trio of Supersonnerie models are variants of existing models, extending both the Royal Oak and Code 11.59’s collections of chiming watches equipped with the brand’s proprietary approach to sound amplification.
First unveiled a decade ago, the Supersonnerie technology consists of gongs attached to a titanium soundboard, combined with a special case architecture to help boost volume.
It’s an effective system that underlines Audemars Piguet’s long-term commitment to the minute repeater category — perhaps why this complication was the first to get the “RD” treatment back in 2015. This upgrade breathed new life into a calibre with roots in the 1990s that was starting to show its age. As a result, the cal. 2953, shared by the Royal Oak and Code 11.59 collections, outperforms many newer architectures in terms of volume and tone.
Impressively, the Supersonnerie case architecture provides 20 m of water resistance — usually the first thing to go when volume and tone are prioritised. This provides a welcome degree of security for those who intend to wear these watches, and it’s a distinguishing feature between the Royal Oak Supersonnerie and sporty minute repeaters from rivals like Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin that are merely dust resistant.
Smoky Supersonneries
The Code 11.59 Minute Repeater Supersonnerie is an 18k white gold interpretation of a format first seen in pink gold in 2023. The smoked sapphire crystal dial returns, but the overall appearance is brighter thanks to a muted grey flange marking the minutes. Also unlike its pink gold counterpart, which features a black ceramic mid-case, the white gold variant features an all-gold construction.
Sapphire crystal dials make sense for traditional minute repeater calibres like the cal. 2953 that put the striking racks on the dial side of the mainplate. The transparency brings life and dynamism to the dial without the overwhelming look of skeletonisation — the dark, smoky colour of the sapphire helps keep the visual noise to a minimum, even as the Supersonnerie case elevates the auditory signature.
The smoky look continues with the Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie in titanium, which features a green fumé dial that fades from vibrant viridian at the centre to black at the edges. The dial dispenses with the familiar tapisserie pattern in favour of a simple sunburst, giving it a slightly more minimalist feel overall.
The lightweight titanium construction no doubt boosts the effectiveness of the Supersonnerie system to a degree, but the clever engineering of the case back means that its heavier pink gold counterpart should still sound loud and bright.
The latter — first pink gold version of the Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie — takes the more recognisable Royal Oak approach, with a brown Grande Tapisserie dial and snailed small seconds counter.
A traditional repeater, modernised
Despite its impressive acoustics, the cal. 2953 is rooted in a design that has been in the brand’s stable for some three decades. Audemars Piguet’s choice to adapt its Supersonnerie technology to a longstanding movement rather than develop an entirely new architecture makes the incremental contribution of the acoustic system easier to understand.
The Audemars Piguet cal. 2953
The movement is also a stand-out on account of its finishing, which, given its limited production, is more artisanal than Audemars Piguet’s increasingly industrial norm. The bevels are wide and the inward angles are crisp, while the mainplate is coated in lustrous small-diameter perlage front and back.
Furthermore, the traditional movement architecture is increasingly distinctive as rivals continue to launch more contemporary constructions. The finger bridges for the train wheels, for example, and the long bridge for the centre wheel, are hallmarks of historical repeater designs.
Key facts and price
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie
Ref. 26591TI.OO.1252TI.08 (titanium)
Ref. 26591OR.OO.1252OR.01 (pink gold)
Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 14 mm
Material: Titanium or 18k pink gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 20 m
Movement: Cal. 2953
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, and minute repeater
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Winding: Manual
Power reserve: 72 hours
Strap: Matching titanium or 18k pink gold with folding clasp
Limited edition: 50 pieces in titanium
Availability: At AP Houses and boutiques
Price: Upon request
Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Minute Repeater Supersonnerie
Ref. 26395BC.OO.D009CR.01
Diameter: 41 mm
Height: 13.6 mm
Material: 18k white gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 20 m
Movement: Cal. 2953
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, and minute repeater
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Winding: Manual
Power reserve: 72 hours
Strap: Grey alligator with 18k white gold folding clasp
Limited edition: Unknown
Availability: At AP Houses and boutiques
Price: Upon request
For more, visit AudemarsPiguet.com.