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JimInOz
··Melbourne AustraliaWonder when we'll see something along these lines.....................
https://thehustle.co/cartier-watches-destroy/
https://thehustle.co/cartier-watches-destroy/
LOL François B justifying the Code 11.59 to Wei Koh
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MaiLollo
·If you want a good laugh check this out😁
https://www.revolution.watch/in-con...nnahmias-of-audemars-piguet-on-the-code-1159/
Credit to Wei Koh for being very polite and not saying "why the hell did you release a Fossil watch dial with an AP movement?"
So funny to see François B squirming around trying to justify the indefensible (they were aiming at 19 yrd olds apparently🙄😁)....oh and on Hodinkee live we now have Ben Clymer stating that he "wants" one of these bloated confused dress/sports hybrid watches "bad"...April fool's day today?😁
How low must your self-esteem and confidence in the product be when your message is "this is a success because a random 19-y.o. likes my product" ?
I've never really liked AP, but now I feel bad for them.
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ConElPueblo
·With regard to the 11.59, I agree with much of what has been said about it - the design is pretty uninspiring and derivative. However, if you listen to what François B says in the video, their goal is to appeal to a different, younger market.
I think Robert-Jan sums it up beautifully and I quote:
Just like you have beautiful people that are not very photogenetic, you also have watches that don’t look good on a picture but can completely turn you around when shown in the flesh. Well, not with the CODE 11:59.
Journalists are asked by AP not to take a ‘frontal’ picture of this watch without showing the case band or lugs etc. That sounds a bit like confessing something is wrong with the watch.
https://www.fratellowatches.com/sihh-2019-day-2-recap/
They acknowledge the power of social media and market the watch through such, yet produces a watch that presents badly on photos; in essence they've tried doing a Tudor, but failed. Some of Tudor's most popular offerings are downright disappointing in real life, but looks great on photos - the flat dial of the Heritage chronograph springs to mind.
That’s it. Everybody not liking AP is blaming them for the 11:59. But you are not the target and the watch will sell well. Why you are so shocked if you do not like AP anyway? Just go and buy other watches. The market is big enough for all of us.
...You think only people who do not like what AP makes normally are the ones disliking this too? Seriously?
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Riviera Paradise
·That’s it. Everybody not liking AP is blaming them for the 11:59. But you are not the target and the watch will sell well. Why you are so shocked if you do not like AP anyway? Just go and buy other watches. The market is big enough for all of us.
I think you are generalizing a bit here. Actually I am fan of the SS Royal Oak, and I am sure there are several members on the OF who are also fans and or owners. I thought the SS RO was a good buy a few years ago at the US$13K range. I almost purchased one in 2014 but I then chose something different and purchased Omega Tresor YG at a "stupid" retail price...official retail at US$13K - but actually got a good exchange rate. IMO I do not think the Royal Oak is worth the current price point at US$19K, similar to the ceramic Daytona at current grey market pricing. I was rooting for something interesting from AP with the 11.59 and I thought the case looked pretty cool in some of the sneak preview pictures..
When I saw the Wei Koh interview and 11.59 launch pictures I was disappointed with the dial design but most of all with the way François B handled the whole thing. I had actually been quite impressed with his vision last year when he outlined his ideas for AP to enter the pre-owned market space.
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BenBagbag
·Some of Tudor's most popular offerings are downright disappointing in real life, but looks great on photos - the flat dial of the Heritage chronograph springs to mind.
Totally! I remember having the same reaction. I was shocked at how dull the Tudor ranger looks in person. Off topic I know but still.
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KingCrouchy
·I had the same with Tudor too, went in the Shop and was thrilled by the idea of owning the watch. Saw it in real life, was very disappointed and left without.
I really like AP as a Brand, it's just that I'm disappointed by seeing a nice idea, being really poorly executed and in a lazy way.
I really like AP as a Brand, it's just that I'm disappointed by seeing a nice idea, being really poorly executed and in a lazy way.
Edited:
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elmar2001
·I think you are generalizing a bit here.
And, most of you have not seen the watch before. I will take a look first and will then decide, if I like it or not.
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MaiLollo
·Of course, a little bit 😉 But if I do not like something, I will not like the new. I do not speak of somebody who has no AP, the text was, that he does not like AP. That is not a goof base for criticism.
And, most of you have not seen the watch before. I will take a look first and will then decide, if I like it or not.
The response on this model is catastrophic, and even if you don’t want to acknowledge that the dial designs are terribly uninspired (copying fashion watches to attract <25yo? Wow...), you cannot argue against the fact that Francois B’s response to THE MARKET is childish coming from a man of his stature.
I’m sorry if AP bombed this release, I would have been happy to love a product of theirs, but it’s not my fault...
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hungdangnguyen23
·AP deserves to tank for releasing the 11:59 in my opinion. Just an incredibly soul-less and uninspired dial. It seems like they blew the budget entirely on the case and crystal, the movement of course is AP so it is state of the art. But the design? Pure fashion watch and unacceptable for a company of this caliber.
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hungdangnguyen23
·I read a comment online that went along the lines of - this is what happens when a company that is so dependent on legacy releases tries to innovate and come up with a new design.
Companies like AP that release iterations of the same watch they've been selling for 30, 40, 50 something years forget how to design something new. The story of AP at SIHH 2019 is a cautionary tale, any of the big companies (won't name them) could easily release the next 11:59 if they don't get their sh#t together.
Companies like AP that release iterations of the same watch they've been selling for 30, 40, 50 something years forget how to design something new. The story of AP at SIHH 2019 is a cautionary tale, any of the big companies (won't name them) could easily release the next 11:59 if they don't get their sh#t together.
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elmar2001
·The fault by AP was, not to release the perpetual calendar and minute repeater only this year. The dials are great, the watches are gorgeous. Nobody would have complained about theses both 11:59. Ok, the white dial is boring but there are different versions and almost everybody will find one, that he likes. Not mentioning the prices, only looking at the design.
And AP can change the dials easily next year, so we can looking forward to improved watches.
And AP can change the dials easily next year, so we can looking forward to improved watches.
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Folgono
·Listening to the discussion with François Bennhamias on Hodinkee radio before the launch of the code 11:59 let me an awkward feeling, the guy is trying too hard and is a bit tacky. I felt really uncomfortable watching the video with Wei Koh, his agressive tone and ludicrous arguments (email from a 19 yo, really ?) weren't helping his attempts to justify himself...
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sdre
·I read a comment online that went along the lines of - this is what happens when a company that is so dependent on legacy releases tries to innovate and come up with a new design.
Companies like AP that release iterations of the same watch they've been selling for 30, 40, 50 something years forget how to design something new. The story of AP at SIHH 2019 is a cautionary tale, any of the big companies (won't name them) could easily release the next 11:59 if they don't get their sh#t together.
Was having a chat with my mate today, and we both feel Omega too is like that. Since when was the last "ultra mind revolutionary design in movement" was made? co-axial? more anti-magnetism? I think certain brands have stopped putting money into R&D, and instead focus on what's making the dough (Re-releasing renditions of the same watch with LE/color schemas etc etc etc)
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Yelfel
·I think the rush to judgement on the 1159 is premature. Wasn’t the reception of the Royal Oak similar? Maybe there’s something to the fact that the design is similar to cheaper brands; it’s accessible and liked by the everyday consumer.
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bigsom
·I think the rush to judgement on the 1159 is premature. Wasn’t the reception of the Royal Oak similar? Maybe there’s something to the fact that the design is similar to cheaper brands; it’s accessible and liked by the everyday consumer.
I always feel this argument falls flat. The royal oak looked unlike anything at the time. It didn't receive a cool reception because it was designed like a 10 dollar Casio of the time... The 1159 isn't getting hate because it's different, it's getting hate because it looks like a watch from Daniel wellington.
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Yelfel
·You mean time only with stick markers and hands? How else is a watch dial supposed to look? What about the crystal, lug design, and octagonal case and superb movement? The tourbillion, skeleton, and perpetual calendar look amazing. It’s easy to criticize a product that is as nuanced as a wristwatch, but I’ll withhold judgement until the 100th time I’ve looked at the 1159.
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thelinendial
·Was having a chat with my mate today, and we both feel Omega too is like that. Since when was the last "ultra mind revolutionary design in movement" was made? co-axial? more anti-magnetism? I think certain brands have stopped putting money into R&D, and instead focus on what's making the dough (Re-releasing renditions of the same watch with LE/color schemas etc etc etc)
On this side topic I wish Omega would release some vintage watches (ie cross hairs) close to as is. Was so disappointed with the 1948’s.
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bigsom
·You mean time only with stick markers and hands? How else is a watch dial supposed to look? What about the crystal, lug design, and octagonal case and superb movement? The tourbillion, skeleton, and perpetual calendar look amazing. It’s easy to criticize a product that is as nuanced as a wristwatch, but I’ll withhold judgement until the 100th time I’ve looked at the 1159.
Not sure that's how this works. I think most consumers look at a design piece (which is what a watch is in today's age, no longer a necessary tool), and they make a decision pretty quickly as to whether or not that piece is attractive. The argument that the RO was not initially well received says something about how different that watch was for its time...the issue with the 1159 reception in our time is how similar it is to cheap quartz watches of the current era.
I'm not discounting that you personally might grow to love Daniel wellington inspired dial design, I'm saying that the argument of RO reception being comparable to 1159 reception isn't an apples to apples comparison.
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Folgono
·Was having a chat with my mate today, and we both feel Omega too is like that. Since when was the last "ultra mind revolutionary design in movement" was made? co-axial? more anti-magnetism? I think certain brands have stopped putting money into R&D, and instead focus on what's making the dough (Re-releasing renditions of the same watch with LE/color schemas etc etc etc)
That's true, but to what extent do people really care about innovation (in term of movement innovation) ? When some brands release some interesting stuff such as Zenith with its El Primero Striking 1/100th feedbacks are very mitigated, a faire share of people stating it's just some useless BS innovation only appealing in advertising spots and used to justify prices rising.
And this is a rather "major" innovation. So called innovation we are usually presented are pretty meaningless (as you state more anti magnetism etc..).
Mechanical watches are nowadays practically only objects we love for what they represent and for how they make us feel rather than for their true technical utility. Watches have reached excellent standards of precision and reliability arguably 30 years ago (and I would say even way before..). Can they really offer more, and is it more important for the average watch enthusiast than design, proportions, finishing & Q/P ratio ?
I know that everyone one of us will certainly have a different opinion on the matter, but for me as long as a watch has a reliable movement that will be serviceable for the decades to come and meet reasonable expectations in precision I'm fine with it, I'm way more interested in the thickness and general design cohesion.
If we are talking about new materials allowing to offer a wider range of cases, dials or bezels aesthetics and improved scratch-resistance it might be different however.
Sorry for broken english btw.