The Code 11.59 has become quite a large collection family for Audemars Piguet in its short life, covering everything from basic entry level models up to multiple complications. However, although it has been distinctive in its sapphire crystal and clearly sold, Audemars Piguet’s other more well-known and popular collections tend to dominate talk about the brand and be more visible.

Design-wise, it may be the latest Code 11.59, in the form of their famed Starwheel, has finally reeled me in and also climbed to one of my my notable 2022 releases. Not just because I like wandering hours displays, but because the Starwheel is one of Audemars Piguet’s most famed complication designs, which was reintroduced by them in 1991 and which made the occasional appearance over the next decade.

This latest iteration, in a black ceramic and 18kt white gold case measuring 41mm with a thickness of 10.7mm, brings it solidly into a contemporary guise. Less classically dress watch in appearance than its most recent predecessors, it manages to straddle that place where a watch can be both dressy and slightly sporty.

Underneath the double curved Code sapphire crystal, vertically curved from 6 to 12 o’clock, is a blue aventurine dial with three slightly domed black wandering hours discs that rotate on their own axes. The discs are aluminium and black courtesy of PVD treatment, followed by an opaline sand-blasted finishing. The white wandering hours numerals are transfers. 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. The hands are 18 carat white gold.

The time display utilises a central rotor, completing a revolution in three hours and on which are fixed the three discs, each of which has four hour digits. Each digit takes its turn in pointing to the arc minute sector at the top of the dial at the relevant hour time. Hovering over the entire dial is a central seconds hand.

Powered by the automatic in-house Calibre 4310, the movement is the Calibre 4309 with an added module. With a 22kt pink gold partially skeletonised rotor, it beats at 28,800 VPH and has a power reserve of 70 hours.

The new Code 11.59 Starwheel comes on a textured black rubber-coated strap with an 18kt white gold pin buckle engraved with the Audemars Piguet logo, and has an RRP of CHF 51,700.

[Photo credit: Audemars Piguet]

Categories: Audemars Piguet, Watch Profile, watches