Audemars Piguet is bringing back the wandering hours complication. Invented in the 17th century, wandering hours are a type of horological complication that displays time using a system of satellites that gravitate along a minute scale arranged in the form of an arc. Named the Starwheel by AP, wandering hours was reintroduced in 1991 and used in several models up until the early 2000s. The new Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Starwheel revives this little-known complication, with a deft mix of contemporary design and traditional watchmaking. Its two-tone 41-mm case combines black ceramic with white gold, while the double-curved sapphire crystal magnifies the architectural lines of the dials overlapping shapes. Blue aventurine serves as a shimmering backdrop for the three Starwheel discs that rotate on their own axes, tracking the time. The discs are attached to a central rotor that makes a complete revolution every three hours. 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 seconds hand is slightly curved at the tip to follow the relief of the discs, indicating the seconds like in a traditional timepiece. AP’s self-winding Calibre 4310 powers the watch. This movement has a minimum power reserve of 70 hours and is water-resistant to 30 meters.
Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Starwheel ($57,900.00) – audemarspiguet.com
