Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Starwheel Back with Wandering Hours

Code 11.59 remains one of the most iconic collections from Audemars Piguet, thanks to its unique design and movement. The brand’s new variant, Code 11.59 Starwheel, takes inspiration from a pocket watch created for Pope Alexander VII, who apparently suffered from chronic insomnia and ordered a special night watch that could help him read time in the dark. Thus, the ‘wandering hours’ complication was born in 1655 Rome!

The new Audemars Piguet watch has an 18 ct white gold case, featuring the ‘wandering hours’ complication and black ceramic mid-case. It is 41 mm in size, with the face displaying a 120-degree minute scale at 12 o’clock and three black hour discs covered with four white numbers. Each disc rotates along its own axis and the whole module orbits throughout the day. The time can be read via the black triangle near the hour marker that points to the minute marker placed on the aforementioned minute scale. A long central seconds hand accompanies a seconds scale around the dial's periphery.

This isn't the first time that Audemars Piguet has incorporated the resurrected ‘wandering hours' complication into a model. In 1991, the release of the Starwheel displayed a mesmerising mechanism consisting of three transparent sapphire discs affixed to one wheel and displaying multiple digits rather than just one. Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Starwheel is a tribute to this original timepiece.

Calibre 4309 is an impressive self-winding mechanism that powers the Code 11.59 collection from Audemars Piguet. Comprising 32 jewels and 224 components, Code 11.59 runs at a frequency of 28,800 vph with an impressive power reserve of at least 70 hours. Finishing off the movement is a skeletonised oscillating weight made from 22 ct pink gold, visible through the exhibition caseback.

The new Audemars Piguet watch is attached to a textured black rubberised band, finished with an 18 ct white gold buckle. This piece is water resistant for up to 30 m.

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