Tag: Code 11:59

Audemars Piguet Code 11:59 Starwheel: A Beloved Alternative Time Display Gets A Futuristic New Face

Posted on by Adam Keith
(Futuristic and space-age in its new form–the AP Starwheel is back!)

Time displays on watches and clocks with hour and minute hands are right up there with the ancient sundial in terms of what people think of as the very fundamentals of marking the days and nights in an ancient planetary reality that passes by oblivious to our cares of tracking it. But watchmakers in their endless ingenuity–and desire to distinguish themselves, as well as appease noteworthy clients–have certainly produced many interesting alternatives to the good old methods we so often expect. One of the most beloved, and bewitching, emerged from the house of Audemars Piguet in the 1990s. Known as the Starwheel, its entrancing system of rotating satellites in transparent sapphire were based on a wandering hours complication devised more than three centuries earlier at the behest of a Pope who’s sleep was continually marred by the incessant ticking of conventional clocks. The Brothers Campani (Giuseppe, Matteo, and Pietro) succeeded in creating a clock with a silent escapement, solving the Papal Predicament, but also delivered an additional delight: an unusual time display that substituted rotating discs for hands, and when backlit by a candle, could be easily read day or night. It was this ancient clock that inspired the Starwheel watch, originally produced in a variety of precious metals and in several different case designs, but Audemars Piguet would finally pull the plug on this mysterious beauty by the early 2000s, consigning the Starwheel to history. But now, Audemars Piguet has brought it back, this time in the controversial new Code 11:59 collection. Does it still bring the magic?

(An original Starwheel watch from the 1990s. A couple other variations were made, including a Millenary model, before discontinuation.)

Personal views about the Starwheel, and its charms aside, there’s no question that the Code 11:59 Starwheel is a radically different interpretation than it’s 1990s predecessor. The latter, sized at a traditional 36mm represented the Audemars Piguet of “Holy Trinity” old, when it stood as much for ultra-thin, highly complicated, and dressy watches as it did for a coveted sports watch shaped vaguely like a Porthole, and all the associated variants of that line that would issue forth. Aesthetic details on the original, such as the classic hobnail (or in some variants, hand engraved filigree) pattern on the golden dial elements, the font of the Audemars Piguet signature, and the semi-circular minute track upon which the sapphire discs each with four “hours” slowly traverse, and then turn, to show the passage of time, all represent a bygone era before “Royal Oak mania” consumed all. The Code 11:59, a watch line AP has brought forth to show that the brand is more than just the Royal Oak, had to turn up the stylistic heat. The case, at a healthy 41mm in diameter, brings a lot of modernity to the concept, without straying into ridiculous excess the sorts of which the early 2000s trends were known for. This happy medium, you might say, has been buoyed further by an intricate case construction in which 18K white gold and ceramic create a union that is luxurious, yet somehow readily wearable and not overly formal. That aspect is an important one for times in which classic principles of formality are out the window, and buyers expect watches that can ride along with their lifestyle, not bog it down or look out of place.

(The case and crystal, like the movement, is highly complex and multi-dimensional. A feast for the eyes!)

Impressive indeed is the way in which the gorgeous aventurine glass on the dial’s lower level creates the ambience of a starry sky, giving some added mystery to the hour numeral bearing discs, now no longer in transparent sapphire, but PVD-coated aluminum. Compared to the predecessor, what charm might be lost from the view you got through the sapphire discs to the underlying mechanism below, you gain on a different level from an overall more futuristic, and bolder, to say nothing of easier to read, format. One could certainly argue, pretty effectively, that Audemars Piguet may have drawn a lot of inspiration from the many delightfully quirky wandering hour watches produced by Urwerk, but given how ridiculously cool Urwerk watches are, that’s hardly a bad thing. The complex (and costly to manufacture) double-curved sapphire crystal of the Code 11:59 is a thing to behold, and it’s optical tricks really play to the beautiful dial materials, and three dimensional thrust of the central satellite bearing the curved hour discs. In this respect, the Code 11:59 has an entirely different vibe than the classic 1990s era Starwheel watch, and stands on its own, aesthetically. It might not be as dressy or representative of a classic era of watchmaking, but it presents a face that is undeniably attractive to behold, and really showcases the high luxury aspect of AP finishing, materials, and concepts—all while not being a Royal Oak. And, wasn’t that the point after all? AP could have just thrown out a Royal Oak Starwheel, but they chose to use their controversial new design to reintroduce the complication, and that…takes some horological balls. No matter how it may be received by the public, I respect Audemars Piguet for venturing out of the almost expected Royal Oak and RO Offshore arena, and showing us why they are one of the preeminent watchmakers in the world. And in horological quality, the watch definitely shines, from the wandering hour workings (of course), to the constructive quality of the base in-house AP 4310 movement which you can see just below, a contemporary yet elegantly constructed caliber that shines with characteristic Vallee de Joux finishing finery, yet fills the case nicely as a proper movement should, all while offering a pleasingly lengthy 70 hour power reserve. Unlike the original Starwheel (which used a Jaeger-LeCoultre 889 base movement elaborated by Audemars Piguet for the wandering hours), the Code 11:59 offers up a centrally-mounted sweeping seconds function. I’m not sure I personally favor this, as the lack of a seconds hand on the original rather added to the mystery and visual calm of the slowly turning table of subtly rotating hour discs. Then again, the overall presentation of the Code 11:59 is busier and more modern than the first generation Starwheel, so a center seconds isn’t really discordant here. The second hand also creates some activity for the dial, that will certainly be preferred by some. As with many things, it really comes down to preference.

(The elegant bridges are adorned with a combination of machine and hand finishing, and the open-worked rotor is in 22K gold)

Yes, the Code 11:59 Starwheel is very much its own watch, despite springing from the same house as its illustrious predecessor, and bearing clear inspiration of that legend. So does it succeed? I think it does! There is room for both Starwheels in a collection, and I suspect the hardcore Audemars Piguet collector–especially with a genuine penchant for the house as a watchmaking powerhouse rather than a mere luxury lifestyle juggernaut–will probably feel much the same. For those customers, the steep yet not preposterous $57,900 asking price of this unusual, heavy-hitting Audemars Piguet will be a reasonable one, and the resultant presence on the wrist will create plenty of happiness as time…dare I say, rolls on by?

(Sweep seconds weren’t present in the original Starwheel, but it isn’t aesthetically out of place on the Code 11:59)

The Audemars Piguet Code 11:59 Is A Complications Superstar

Posted on by Adam Keith

Audemars Piguet has certainly had to weather its share of guff from brand fans after the 2019 introduction of the controversial Code 11:59 collection, which was to unify AP aesthetic concepts from the classical and post-Royal Oak era in one daring swoop. While initials pans were heavy and overwhelming, the design has really begun to find its feet as the collection has grown in size and scope. Even some early detractors of the Code 11:59 have admitted that the design has endeared itself to them, once they began to accept that this was not merely some cheaply conceived, slapstick hybrid of a Royal Oak and a Jules Audemars case. My own feelings have softened too, and while I never disliked the Code 11:59, it didn’t exactly resonate with me at first blush. That said, once I came to stop comparing it to the iconic Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore, I realized that Audemars Piguet had created another icon for itself, an icon that—perhaps more than any other before it—was not just good, but perhaps the ultimate framework for the highest complications in the watchmaking stratosphere. (The sort of special watches that AP is exceedingly good at making!) Let’s take a quick look at a few of these Code 11:59 collection superstars, to consider that possibility.

Seen in both photos above, the Code 11:59 Perpetual Calendar is one of the most overtly romantic of the choices. A mechanical watch that goes far beyond the basics of hours and minutes, you’ll be appraised of the day, date, month, calendar week, and even the leap year cycle, the complex mechanism within making automatic adjustments for the varying length of months all without any intervention on your part. While it may be mathematically calculable, there’s a sense of wonder behind all that’s going on in any perpetual calendar, which reaches far beyond the mundane. And with that said, that’s where the architectural and aesthetic elements of this watch take it to another level: the dial in glittering dark blue aventurine glass suggest the infinite reaches of space, and the starry playing field upon which our planet’s cycles play out. And, more specifically, the complex components of the 11:59 case in 18-karat pink gold evoke a futuristic bridge of sorts, perhaps a spaceship or vessel for our hopes and dreams, upon which everything is realized, or sought, at very least. I find it an awesome concept for the classical perpetual calendar mechanism, and one made even better by the slender self-winding (2120 based) legend that ticks inside– assuring you of the finest in earthly craftsmanship and expertise…all naturally visible through the Code 11:59 caseback.

(Underdial mechanism of the lovely 5134 caliber, based on the legendary ultra-thin 2120 originally by Jaeger-LeCoultre)

Next up is the mechanically delicious Flying Tourbillon Chronograph, pictured just below. A marvel of 479 hand-finished parts, this is one of the newest additions to the Code 11:59 family, and surely one of its most technically gifted. What makes it particularly gorgeous, amidst the obvious virtuosity of the 2952 mechanism itself, is the extensive yet modernistic open-working of the mechanism which Audemars Piguet has achieved to allow open exploration of the caliber’s refined chronograph and tourbillon mechanisms in all of that hand burnished glory.

The intricate tourbillon chronograph is a perfect compliment to the complex and nuanced Code 11:59 case

The caliber is a delight, to say the absolute least, yet the curvaceous and equally modern curves and swoops of the bridges and their gleaming parts gain all the much more mystique when framed against the intricate finishes and complex construction of the 41mm Code 11:59 case in white gold, as well as the vertically curved sapphire crystal which plays with our perceptions. Predominantly brushed, the Code 11:59 nonetheless has many nuanced areas where gleaming bevels play with the light, and they both match with and tastefully contrast against the structural beauty of the impressive AP caliber inside. Again, the movement is beyond wondrous, but it is again that case which makes it unforgettable in a sea of other very fine movements, complications, and competitive brands. Even the finest singer needs a great stage, you might say, and with watches like this, the Code has become a veritable Carnegie Hall.

(A chiming watch with few equals, the Code 11:59 Supersonnerie showcases art of both the watchmaker and master enameler)

Speaking of music, as an ultimate finale in this set, it would be impossible to overlook the wondrous Code 11:59 Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie, a chiming watch set to be produced in a series of just five (yes, five!) watches. The name of this reference is certainly a mouthful, but for a creation of this “symphonic” level of complexity, not in any way out of line. Beyond the immensely intricate forest of cams, snails, racks, and levers that animate the selective hour or hour and quarter hour chiming of this watch–all hand finished before meticulous assembly and adjustment by a master AP watchmakers–you have the exceptional futurism of the 11:59 case, contrasted against one of the rarest and most beautiful of enameling specialties for the dial. You see, the dial is a unique creation of the world renowned master enameler Anita Porchet, and shows off the spectacular technique of paillonné enamel. This technique, worthy of an article all its own, involves the kiln firing of successive layers of colored enamel with the additional application and affixing of golden elements (the paillons) to form a design, a design protected below a final shimmering coat of polished lacquer that preserves it for perpetuity. So, in one watch you have an ancient and difficult art realized by one of the greatest masters to walk the planet, an incredible movement that challenges the very boundaries of what the most skilled watchmakers can create, and a daring yet somehow sympathetic case design that ties it all together. In total, a horological delight to every sense we possess, and a supreme union of past traditions and future directions for luxury watches.

(The daunting view of what resides below the enamel dial, and controls the hour and quarter hour chiming complication of the Sonnerie. The gongs, attached to a resonant membrane in the solid caseback, amplify the chimes beautifully, hence “Supersonnerie” )

(Not discussed above, the Openworked Tourbillon is another fabulous member of the Code 11:59 Complications family)

And that I suppose, is what lies at the heart of the Code 11:59’s potential as Audemars Piguet strives forward. The design succeeds in its intent: it does in fact borrow effectively from elements seen in classical watch designs, and the now-adored but once scandalous sculptural angularity of the Royal Oak. Each perspective, despite their seeming incompatibility, oddly enhances the other in some way, and creates an opportunity–however strange it may be at first–to appreciate traditional as well as more avant garde design approaches. While the AP Code may seem a bit overpowering and even alienating in the simplest and most conservative iterations, when complex mechanisms and bold or artistic dials enter the picture, it suddenly becomes a powerful framework to generate anticipation and appreciation of the exceptional.

(A final, and slightly different perspective of the Code case, showing the exceptional detail and finish–a perfect compliment to the artisanal watchmaking within)