The first genderless watch in watch history!

　It's been just over two weeks since the SIHH (Geneva Salon), the last of the year to be held in January, ended. I may be mistaken, but I think the fair was packed with attractive models that were easy to sell for watch dealers. However, when it comes to assessing the fair as a whole, the general impression among both the press and retailers seems to be that "this year's show lacked excitement."
　Considering the mood that is sweeping the watch industry, this seems understandable. After all, the fact that Richard Mille, the most dynamic brand in the world of luxury watches, and Audemars Piguet, a prestigious brand that stands out among the long-established Swiss brands, will be leaving SIHH after this year is a significant blow to the fair's image. To make matters worse, rumors of the sale of the prestigious brand began to circulate immediately after the fair.

　As a reporter, I was very unhappy when the event was shortened from five days to four, and once it actually began, it turned out just as I had feared. As I'm not exclusively attached to any media outlet, I cover all the brands on my own. Therefore, I make it a point to attend as many press conferences (new product briefings for reporters) as possible, but this year I was only able to attend the press conferences of major brands, and I regretfully had to miss the press conferences of independent brands that had booths in the Carré des Horlogers corner of the venue.

　However, for me personally, this year's SIHH was extremely exciting because I was able to encounter bold challenges to the future of watches.
　One of these is the "CODE 11.59 by AUDEMARS PIGUET" (pronounced: Code Eleven Fifty-Nine by Audemars Piguet), a completely new collection of 13 models that the prestigious Audemars Piguet, which Editor-in-Chief Masamasa Hirota has already covered, has finally announced since the Royal Oak Offshore in 1993.
　I think this watch is the most avant-garde, futuristic, and controversial piece, not only of SIHH 2019, but of all watches in the last quarter century.

　At first glance, this watch appears ordinary, especially from the front. However, I will leave it to Editor-in-Chief Hirota to explain how the specific features of this watch, such as the movement, the intricately shaped case and lug structure, and the complex double-curved anti-reflective sapphire crystal crystal, make it avant-garde and cutting-edge. But why do I consider this to be "the first controversial watch in the history of watches?" I will tell you the reason in one sentence: it is "the first truly genderless watch in the history of luxury watches."

　That term is "genderless." It is the latest keyword and trend in contemporary fashion sweeping the world. It is the idea of ​​eliminating the boundaries of gender, and is an even more avant-garde and free concept than "gender-free," which refers to freedom without being bound by gender. In other words, the "CODE 11.59 by Audemars Piguet" is a model that transcends gender differences.

　Audemars Piguet calls this collection "Contemporary Classic" and positions it as the successor to the most classic and standard of all their collections, the "Jules Audemars." In exchange, the previous "Jules Audemars" collection will be discontinued and disappear.

　　By the way, it is my personal conviction that the "CODE 11.59 by Audemars Piguet" collection is a deconstructed version of the "Jules Audemars," a postmodern version of the "Jules Audemars." I apologize for using modern philosophical terms like "deconstruction" and "postmodern," which are unfamiliar to most people, but there are no other words that adequately describe it.

　The past decade has seen the heyday of classic and retro designs, or, to put it bluntly, designs that "look to the past." However, Audemars Piguet is the only brand that has broken free from this curse and is heading into a future no one has ventured into before. And what's more, it's not a concept model, but a standard collection. No challenge is more avant-garde and bold than this.

　This challenge has already met with mixed reviews. Other brands would have quickly abandoned the challenge, but Audemars Piguet is not going to give up so easily. Because that is Audemars Piguet, and that is what makes Audemars Piguet great.

　Finally, I would like to reprint the powerful copy from the company's official website, translated into Japanese, which explains why I believe this. This is also profound copy that conveys the meaning and value of this collection.
It's up to you whether you respond to the message, "TO BREAK THE RULES, YOU MUST FIRST MASTER THEM."