With this move, one of the more unexpected in recent horological memory, Audemars Piguet has elevated its most dynamic collection with an even more dynamic offering. The Audemars Piguet Code 11:59 Starwheel outfits the contemporary, daring case of the Code 11:59 with a wandering hours complication – something almost never seen today outside of a few independent brands.
The combination of the Code 11:59’s cutting-edge, many-faceted 41mm case and dial with three rotating hour discs make it a wrist-worn standout. These discs, slightly domed, are sandblasted black PVD aluminium, and the current hour sweeps out a 120-degree arc at the top of the dial, which is outfitted with a minutes indication arc. A blue aventurine backdrop provides a touch of restrained flair. The case is white gold, with a black ceramic middle, emphasising the 11:59’s modernity. The overall outlook is distinctly contemporary, with only the traditionally styled central seconds hand offering a counterpoint.
Indeed, the contrast of historical and modern is something of a running theme. The wandering hours complication itself is older than one might think, having been first developed in the 17th century, though it had fallen out of favour by the time the Industrial Revolution had come around. Audemars Piguet revisited the complication in the 1990s, beginning with the manufacture’s first wandering hours watch in 1991 with the Ref 25720; it was named the ‘Star Wheel’ likely because of the three star-shaped wheels that made up the hour disc mechanism. Only about 30 of these watches were made, the last in 2003.
The Audemars Piguet Code 11:59 Starwheel is driven by the self-winding Calibre 4310, which was created by adding a module to the manufacture’s modern-day workhorse Calibre 4309. It boasts of a 70-hour power reserve and 30m water resistance, and is slim enough that the entire watch is a rather svelte 10.7mm in thickness. The display caseback reveals a pink gold oscillating weight, and it is offered with a black rubber-coated strap and a new pin buckle with the full Audemars Piguet signature instead of the old ‘AP’ monogram.
