Audemars Piguet - Code 11.59 Starwheel (blog)

The wandering hours function, also known as floating hours, has been around at least since 1656 when the Italian brothers Campani built a night clock for Pope Alexander VII where the conventional hands were replaced by hour figures on rotating discs. Among the others, Audemars Piguet and brands like Breguet, H.Moser & Cie. and Urwerk created models with this function. 

Measuring 41 mm x 10.7 mm, the case of this model combines white gold for bezel, lugs and caseback with black ceramic for case middle and crown. Water resistance is guaranteed up to a pressure of 3 bar (approximately 30 metres / 100 feet).info: xtime-store

The blue aventurine dial serves as backdrop to the three black PVD-coated aluminium wandering hours discs making their rotation in the centre. 

As the disks with the hour numerals float over the black arc from 10 o’clock to 2 o’clock, it is possible to read the current hour as well as the current minute indicated by the small black arrow pointing to the minutes sector.info: xtime-store

The dial is protected by a glareproofed double curved sapphire crystal, whose arched profile plays with depth, perspective and light creating original optic effects. While its internal surface is shaped like a dome, it is vertically curved from 6 to 12 o’clock.

Beating at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) with an autonomy of 70 hours, the self-winding Calibre 4 and its rose gold openworked rotor are showcased through the transparent sapphire crystal.info: xtime-store

Matched to a textured black rubber-coated strap with a white gold pin buckle, the new Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Starwheel ref. 15212NB.OO.A002KB.01 has a price of Euro 58,100. info: xtime-store.com