AUDEMARS PIGUET – Code 11.59 STARWHEEL White Gold/Ceramic 41 mm Blue Aventurine Dial - 2022
THE CODE 11.59 BY AUDEMARS PIGUET
STARWHEEL REVISITS THE TRADITION OF
WANDERING HOURS
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STARWHEEL AND THE
WANDERING HOURS
Le Brassus, December 2022 – Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet is delighted to present its new Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Starwheel, a timepiece that combines black ceramic with 18-carat white gold. Invented in the 17th century, wandering hours are a type of horological complication that display the hours using a system of satellites that gravitate along a minute scale arranged in the form of an arc. This aesthetic presentation of the hours and minutes brings a certain mystique to the reading of time.
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Equipped solely with a seconds hand, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Starwheel indicates the time using three discs
that point to a 120-degree scale graduated with 60 minutes © Courtesy of Audemars Piguet
After falling from favour in the 20th century, this system was rediscovered and reintroduced by Audemars Piguet in 1991. Named the Starwheel, this unusual mechanism equipped many models up until the early 2000s. Today, the Starwheel is making a comeback in the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collection, whose ultra-contemporary design highlights this fascinating display while also paying tribute to a relatively unknown classic in Haute Horlogerie complications.
WANDERING HOURS IN AN ULTRA-CONTEMPORARY DESIGN
From the 17th to the 20th century, the beauty of the wandering hours complication laid in a mysteriously hidden mechanism. Reinterpreted by Audemars Piguet in 1991, this complication revealed in all its splendour with its mechanism visible on the dial.
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The new Starwheel launched this year is a continuation of the models from the 1990s and is housed in the ultra-contemporary Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet case, whose architectural lines are enhanced by the wandering time display. The architecture of the case is reinforced by the overlapping of geometric shapes, including a round bezel, caseback and Starwheel discs as well as a rounded octagonal case middle.
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Blue aventurine serves as a shimmering backdrop for the three discs that rotate on their own axes, like planets in the tiny universe of the dial. The three slightly domed discs are made of aluminium and are tinted black thanks to a PVD treatment, before being adorned with an opaline sandblasted finishing touch. The white wandering hours numerals are then transferred onto the dial. Following the contemporary design, the 120-degree minute sector, which extends in an arc from 10 to 2 o’clock, and the inner bezel, are both black with white minute indications.
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PLAYING WITH MATERIALS
This new 41 mm reference plays with materials by combining aventurine with 18-carat white gold and black ceramic. This diversity of materials as well as the refined hand finishing – a signature of the Manufacture, which creates an infinite play of light – underscores the complex design of the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collection. In addition to this, the 18-carat white gold bezel, lugs and caseback contrast with the black case middle and the new black ceramic crown.
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On the dial side, the double-curved sapphire crystal magnifies both the numerous details present in the blue aventurine and the finishing of the various elements, while also bringing increased depth to the dial. On the back of the watch, the sapphire crystal reveals the beating heart of the movement, as well as the 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight dedicated to the collection.
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A STARWHEEL MOVEMENT
IN THE CODE 11.59 BY AUDEMARS PIGUET COLLECTION
For the very first time, the emblematic Starwheel display is integrated into the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collection with the selfwinding Calibre 4310.
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The time display is achieved thanks to a central rotor operating a complete revolution in three hours and on which are fixed three aluminium discs that turn on their own axes. Each disc has four digits from 1 to 12 that take turns in pointing to the arched sector at the top of the dial on which the minute scale is printed. The 18-carat white gold trotteuse is slightly curved at the tip to follow the relief of the discs, indicating the seconds like in a traditional timepiece.
A TRADITION OF TIMEPIECES WITH WANDERING HOURS
The wandering hours system can be traced back to the 17th century following a special request from Pope Alexander VII. Suffering from insomnia that was aggravated by the ticking of a clock, he ordered a “night clock” from the Campani brothers who were clockmakers based in Rome. He requested a clock that would be silent and easy to read in the dark. The Campani brothers presented the Pope with the first wandering hours clock, where the time was read on a semi-circle in an aperture that indicated the quarter hours and was lit from the inside. This night clock was the precursor of the wandering hours system.
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In the 19th century, the popularity of the wandering hours complication started to wane. The timekeepers that were produced at this time presented a sector of 120 degrees to facilitate the reading of the time. The quarter hours disappeared along with the small window for the hours, although the display remained mysterious as the mechanism was still hidden. The 360-degree wandering hours version made an appearance at this time too, although it was gradually replaced by the jumping hour that was to become typical of the Art Deco period during the first half of the 20th century.
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In 1989, an Audemars Piguet watchmaker rediscovered the wandering hours system in an article in the Journal suisse d’horlogerie. This was a period of increased creativity as the industry was seeing a revival of mechanical watchmaking. In 1991, after 18 months of development, the Manufacture’s first wandering hours watch was presented (Ref. 25720). Named the “Star Wheel” – probably in reference to the three stars that support the sapphire hour discs fixed on a large central wheel – this watch broke the mystery of its operation by revealing the mechanism.
Between 1991 and 2003, around 30 “Star Wheel” models were produced by the Manufacture in several different collections. These aesthetically creative timepieces varied in design with the arc-shaped aperture present in different lengths and locations, some of which also incorporated gemsetting and openworking. By reintroducing the wandering hours system, Audemars Piguet paved the way and opened a new chapter in 21st-century watchmaking.
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Today, with the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Starwheel, the Manufacture is reviving this little-known complication as well as paying a highly contemporary tribute to traditional watchmaking.
“Invented in 1655 thanks to a request by Pope Alexander VII, who suffered from insomnia that was exacerbated by the ticking of his clock, the wandering hours complication was rediscovered by Audemars Piguet in 1991 and combines history, technical challenges, design and poetry.”
Sébastian Vivas – Heritage and Museum Director at Audemars Piguet
“Born in Le Brassus, raised around the world.”
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TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Model: CODE 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Starwheel / 41mm
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Ref. 15212NB.OO.A002KB.01 – Gold/Black ceramic
Movement
Selfwinding Calibre 4310
Total diameter: 32 mm (14 lignes)
Total thickness: 6.05 mm
Number of parts: 261
Number of jewels: 32
Minimum power reserve guaranteed: 70 h
Frequency of balance wheel: 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations/hour)
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Hours, minutes and centre seconds.
Case
Black ceramic case middle and crown / 18-carat white gold
Diameter 41 mm
Thickness: 10.7 mm
18-carat white gold bezel, lugs and caseback
Double glare-proofed sapphire crystal
Glare-proofed sapphire caseback
Water-resistant to 30m.
Dial
Blue aventurine dial, black opaline aluminium discs, 18-carat white gold hands and black inner bezel.
Glass
The Manufacture has created a contemporary double curved sapphire crystal,
whose tense, arched profile plays with depth, perspective and light for a unique optic experience.
While its internal surface is shaped like a dome, it is vertically curved from 6 to 12 o’clock.
Bracelet
Textured black rubber-coated strap with 18-carat white gold pin buckle.
🔴 Price : 55.000 €
New Product Overview 2022
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Press Release - 2022
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Audemars Piguet (Marketing) SA
Route de France 16 - Case postale 16
1348 Le Brassus - Switzerland
Phone : + 41 21 642 39 00
Fax : + 41 21 642 34 02
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