Audemars Piguet Special Dialogue: Hiroshi Ishii, Editor-in-Chief of "LEON" and Masamasa Hirota, Editor-in-Chief of "Chronos Japan"

Audemars Piguet announced two new models in the first half of 2021: the CODE 11.59 by Audemars Piguet and the Royal Oak Offshore Diver. Perhaps with an eye on the new normal lifestyle, these two watches have subtly changed their positioning. We asked the editors-in-chief of LEON and Chronos Japan to share their impressions of these two watches, as well as Audemars Piguet's medium- to long-term strategy, from their own perspectives.

A light shift in position to explore the new normal lifestyle

The mysterious presence that only CODE 11.59 has

--You will now be talking about the new "CODE 11.59 by Audemars Piguet" (hereinafter referred to as "CODE 11.59") and "Royal Oak Offshore Diver" (hereinafter referred to as "Offshore Diver"), which Audemars Piguet announced in the first half of this year. First of all, what are your impressions?

Hiroshi Ishii (Editor-in-Chief of LEON): To be honest, the CODE 11.59 was a watch that I wasn't sure how to accept. Audemars Piguet already has the dressy "Jules Audemars" and the simple three-hand watch, as well as the sporty "Royal Oak," so it covers both formal and casual occasions. With a rich history and technology, I thought that Audemars Piguet had no room for any more groundbreaking collections.

Masamasa Hirota (Editor-in-Chief of this magazine): And then CODE 11.59 was announced.

(I.e.: The case has a slightly strange curve, and yet the strap is dressy, so when I actually held it in my hands, I didn't know how to describe it. I thought it was a watch that would be suitable for a dressier look, but it adds a touch of spice to the formality of a tuxedo, for example, and conversely, it also adds a touch of spice to a grown-up casual outfit like a polo shirt, slacks, and white sneakers. A watch with a strange presence like the CODE 11.59 adds more spice than a simple dress watch.

　You've been focusing on the CODE 11.59 lately, haven't you? This year, the middle case is made of ceramic. I see, it seems that Audemars Piguet is trying to develop the CODE 11.59 while also valuing fashion elements. I imagine that it's a watch that many people, like me, will gradually become addicted to.

Hirota: I see. Adding a little something extra is a very apt expression. Now that makes a lot of sense.

(I.e.:It's not the most orthodox of the orthodox.

Hirota: That's what Audemars Piguet was aiming for, and they've done a great job of completing it without any flaws. When I first saw the CODE 11.59, I wondered what it was, but when I actually put it on my wrist, it made sense. I think the CODE 11.59 was ultimately an attempt to remake an authentic round watch into a modern style, or to add a three-dimensional feel.

　The Royal Oak is certainly a luxury sports watch, but to me it's a "thin watch with a three-dimensional feel." The CODE 11.59 is the opposite, adding sporty elements to a basic round watch and trying to see how far it can go. So, while it is conscious of being a versatile watch, I felt that the starting point was different. The unique feature of a ceramic middle case is possible only with the CODE 11.59.

(I.e.: In any case, my first impression was that it was a mysterious watch. Looking at a photo, it's hard to immediately grasp its greatness, but when you put it on your wrist, it's like you're being drawn into a swamp, getting addicted to it.

Hirota: LEON's readership is quite eclectic, but I think the design would be quite appealing to those who like luxury sports watches. These days, there's a big gap between luxury sports watches and regular watches, but the CODE 11.59 is a good compromise. This is just my personal opinion, though.

CODE's new strategy has adapted to the times

--Earlier, you mentioned that you were carefully nurturing the CODE 11.59 from a fashion perspective. Indeed, the debut year featured a gold case and alligator strap, and the second season added a two-tone case and colored dial. And this year, the third season, it's ceramic and a canvas-like rubber strap. Starting with dressy styles and working your way down, it seems like you're exploring a more casual route, but how does LEON see this?

(I.e.: We've been following watches for 20 years since our launch, and I think we're one of the men's lifestyle magazines that does a lot of thorough research. From that perspective, "nerdy and stylish" is the best position for mechanical watches. We thoroughly understand the details and content, such as the technology inside, the historical backstory, and more specifically, the polishing and stability of the center of gravity, and the key to the final output is making the wearer look stylish. We use the word "stylish" in general, and we've always pursued both sides, thinking about the overall balance and whether it can appeal to one's social status.

　Furthermore, after digging deep into the history of the watch house itself, the history of technological innovation, and understanding the hierarchy within the industry from an otaku perspective, I then try wearing the watch and see what it's like from a more trendy perspective... and I repeat this process over and over again. Ultimately, to avoid appearing like I don't understand something, you have to value both the otaku and the fashionable aspects in order to know what's good and what's bad. From this perspective, I can see that the casualization of the CODE 11.59 is a fashion-forward approach. With each passing session, I can see that it's a watch that embodies the concept of "otaku and fashionable." It's not just about looking at the watch; it's also about being seen.

--Another thing is that CODE 11.59 debuted before the COVID-19 pandemic. At first, it was a generational change, and I think it was a standard product strategy aimed at the newly rich, but in recent years it seems to have been changing little by little.

(I.e.: In its second and third terms, Audemars Piguet may have made some course corrections to the role of the CODE 11.59 itself. It has emphasized fashion in its approach to various media, and as the audience began to search for a watch that suited the times, they realized that the CODE 11.59 might be a watch that could be worn by anyone. At first, it may have been the first watch chosen by the newly rich, but I feel that it has grown into a watch that people who originally loved Audemars Piguet would choose as their second or third choice.

Hirota: The current trend in fashion is more street style, or dressed down. But Italy is still the best when it comes to jackets. They have a comfortable feel, and are as well-made as possible so that they're comfortable to wear. The same trend has come to watches. There's a trend to soften the rigid shapes of traditional dress watches and business watches, and give them a modern twist...

(I.e.: That may be true. Traditional tailors, long-established tailors who used to make padded suits to correct the body shape, are now creating more comfortable items to keep up with the times. It may be a little similar to that. The CODE 11.59 within Audemars Piguet.

New offshore divers can use it vigorously

Hirota: The new Offshore Diver doesn't look much different, but the movement is new and the performance seems to have improved.

(I.e.: The Offshore Diver is something of a special watch for LEON. In an old article, the founding editor-in-chief purposely damaged an Offshore Diver he had bought himself and photographed it, saying, "I got a little scratched up while surfing this morning," even though it was such a high-end luxury watch (laughs). So of course I was paying attention to the new model, and I think the lugs are a little rounder, or maybe the interchangeable design has smoothed out the edges? It's not the casual look we were talking about earlier, but I think there has been a big evolution in terms of ease of wearing.

　I'll leave it to Hirota to talk about the internals, but for us, this is a watch that can't be left out. It's the number one luxury sports watch we want on the wrist of a tanned man. It's an icon of the rich man who wears a white polo shirt or a rolled-up linen capri shirt, like an offshore diver.

　This year's new models seem to be tougher, but also have a more mature sexiness to them. The fact that they're interchangeable means they can be worn in any situation, which is a great thing for LEON fans. Regardless of whether or not you actually change the straps, the fact that you can change them is something that makes men happy. Just having one lifts their spirits, and I'm honestly impressed that they've evolved in this way.

Hirota: I wonder if the size has changed slightly since it became interchangeable? I think it's evolved in a good direction in terms of comfort. Also, since the movement is different, it can be used more vigorously. Mr. Ishii mentioned toughness earlier, and that is also clear in the internals. However, the fact that they don't overly loudly promote it is a good way to evolve. I think it's interesting how they present it so that it can be worn with a suit and pants.

(I.e.: You could also say he's matured. For example, you sometimes see people who make you think, "I bet this person was top notch in the world of sports or something back in the day," right? He's already quite old, but he doesn't have that "I'm so amazing" vibe. He has a certain aura about him, so when you listen closely, it's like, "Oh, I thought so." I like the colorful image from a few years ago, but this year, including the coloring, I get that feeling.

Hirota: Audemars Piguet has been getting the balance right recently, with the new Offshore Diver and the CODE 11.59, which also uses ceramic for the middle case, being the most obvious examples.

(I.e.: The Offshore Diver has evolved by capturing the "now" from a luxury sports perspective, while the CODE 11.59 has gradually moved closer to the "now" sensibility from its origins as a dress watch. At first, they were in different positions, different standing positions, but I really feel like they are gradually coming closer together.

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