Triumph Of Design: Audemars Piguet Pushes The Boundaries with The Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Starwheel
By The Time Place Magazine
Historically speaking, the numerous masterpieces created under the Le Brassus brand, Audemars Piguet, attest to the Manufacture’s longstanding expertise and innovative zeal. More importantly, it also has raised several generations of artisans who have consistently learned new skills and methods, expanding their know-how to create trends that defy conventions. One particular example that showcases all those things mentioned above—and proves the brand’s mettle in Haute Horlogerie—is the new Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Starwheel.
Appearance-wise, you can tell you’re looking at something special from the moment you set your eyes on the Starwheel. Equipped solely with only a seconds hand, the timepiece indicates the time using three discs pointing to a 120-degree minute sector, which extends in an arc from 10 to 2 o’clock. To this end, as the name suggests, the timepiece also features a wandering hours mechanism that Audemars Piguet rediscovered and restored after it had lost favour in the 20th century.
Interestingly, this particular horological complication dates back to the 17th century and uses a system of satellites that move around a minute scale organised in the shape of an arc to indicate the hours. Hence, this aesthetically pleasing depiction of the hours and minutes makes reading the time more enigmatic.
In this new Starwheel—which is a continuation of the models from the 1990s and is now housed in a Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet case—the eye-catching dial showcases the hours and minutes innovatively and excitingly as the three discs of the dial move on their own axes like planets in a little cosmos against the shimmering background of the blue aventurine dial. What’s more, the combination of the black opaline aluminium discs, 18-carat white gold hands, the 120-degree minute sector with white minute indications, and the black inner bezel, also gives the watch an ethereal quality, almost as if you are gazing into the night sky.
Another standout feature that sets the Starwheel apart is its wonderful showcase of the brand’s commitment to quality and craftsmanship. Every element of this watch has been carefully considered and executed to the highest standards, from the polished bevels and satin-finished surfaces to the intricate finishing of the movement. Meanwhile, the variety of materials used in this new 41 mm reference—including white gold, black ceramic and aventurine—and the skilled hand finishing of the Manufacture’s artisans highlight the collection’s whole intricate design.
Simultaneously, the attention to detail on the Starwheel is also impressive. For instance, the sapphire crystal on the watch case back displays the self-winding Calibre 4310, which is equipped with a minimum power reserve of 70 hours, and the collection-specific oscillating weight made of 22-carat pink gold. On top of that, it comes complete with a textured black rubber-coated strap and a new pin buckle engraved with the Audemars Piguet logo instead of the usual AP monogram. This is a new watch that certainly deserves to be celebrated.
In conclusion, Audemars Piguet pays tribute to a classic complication by encasing it in the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collection’s ultra-modern design. To top it all off, the Starwheel is not just attractive, it is also steeped in history as it features a historical complication—the wandering hour. Honouring traditional watchmaking, Audemars Piguet captures a moment in time with the new model and updates it for the present.
The Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Starwheel also represents a willingness to take risks, push boundaries, and explore new avenues of creativity and craftsmanship. In a nutshell, it is a triumph of design and engineering, a unique gem showcasing the Manufacture’s unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation.
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