Hands-On: The Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Starwheel in Rose Gold

When the first version of the Code 11.59 Starwheel launched back in 2022, it was probably the first Code 11.59 that I genuinely, enthusiastically fell in love with. Sure, I’m excited anytime there’s a splash of aventurine anywhere on the dial, but in this case, it was because Audemars Piguet completely reinterpreted its compact, dressy, wandering hours complication from 1991—itself an homage to 17th century watchmaking—for an ultra-modern industrial look in white gold.

The wandering hours complication features a central, constantly rotating carousel, with three satellite hour discs containing all twelve hours. While the carousel turns, with the current hour at the top arrow pointing to the 120-degree minutes track, the other two “inactive” satellites continue to rotate, with the upcoming hour pivoting into position on the next disc thanks to the star-shaped gear underneath each. It’s a more understandable mechanism in the 90s version, with the transparent discs showing the full system underneath and revealing how the watch got its name. Here, in the Code 11.59 Starwheel, the whole system takes the form of Calibre 4310, a modern in-house caliber with 70 hours of power reserve.

Aside from sharing the same complication at a high level, the 1991 Starwheel and the 2022 Code 11.59 Starwheel look absolutely nothing alike — in fact, their juxtaposition is an interesting reflection on the evolution of the brand’s design language over the past thirty years.

Rumors of a new Code 11.59 Starwheel in rose gold have been swirling for a long time now on the internet, and just a month or so ago, the brand quietly launched it right around the time the headline-stealing RD#5 debuted. In my mind, nothing could beat the cold, technical look of the black-and-blue (Pittsburgh-style, anyone?) Starwheel. This design, after all, is the furthest thing from dressy, and I wasn’t sure if changing from a white metal would make much sense here. But, after getting to spend some time with the Starwheel in rose gold, it might just take the crown in my book.

At 41mm in diameter, with a 10.7mm thickness, this is not a compact watch. And while I find the full rose gold Code 11.59 cases a bit daunting in their presence, the beveled black ceramic midcase does wonders here, providing both a really nice visual contrast that pairs well with the dial and a way to lighten the case’s stance. As you’ve probably heard so many times by now, the Code continues to be one of the lines that you have to see in person before making a final judgment. There is a lot to take in with this case, from the “hovering” skeletonized lugs that are soldered only on the top, to the beveling, brushing, and polishing of the ceramic midcase, to the ceramic crown capped with a contrasting signed applique in rose gold. Regardless of your opinion about the aesthetics, the Code case is very well-made.

Saying that this new version is just a new case metal and dial color is technically correct, but with so many elements on the Starwheel’s dial, the changes feel more significant. Perhaps the most obvious is the change from the stark white and silver tones of the wandering hour mechanism to a matching rose gold hue. I’m not sure whether this is purely a visual trick, but the printing of the hour numerals on the rotating discs, in a rose gold hue, feels significantly more three-dimensional on this watch compared to the one in white gold. There’s a textured metallic quality to those hour numerals that wasn’t there before, which may contribute to the effect, and a great reminder that even tiny changes can affect a final product so deeply. The seconds hand is also in rose gold, while the minutes track and the outer chapter ring remain in the same black-and-white with the Audemars Piguet logo at (conventionally) 6 o’clock.

In this execution, the change from blue aventurine to a black aventurine dial shifts the visual focus back to the rose gold elements. It feels more impactful, even though it’s less noticeable. Because the aventurine recedes into the background, I really loved how the center module felt like it was floating in the middle of it all. What you don’t lose, thankfully, is the starry quality of aventurine. The little specks, in shades of silver, gold, and blue, are such a nice touch in the design and give just enough glossiness in what is other a very matte textured dial.

On the wrist, the Starwheel feels like the Code 11.59 in its most ideal state. If there’s a big thing to critique about the design of the Code, it is that you don’t actually get to understand any of the work that goes into the case by looking from the top down. You know, the main view when you wear a watch. But throw in a complication like this, and then the Code feels particularly interesting at every angle. The matching rubber-lined black canvas strap dresses down the rose gold, while the striking combination of black and rose gives just enough elegance to what is not a particularly elegant watch.

It is, after all, industrial, and part of what I find charming about the Starwheel’s design is that it somehow feels much more complicated than what it actually is. Even though Wandering Hours might be considered a complication, you still end up with a watch that just tells the hours, minutes, and seconds. But the skeletonized metallic frame for the rotating hour discs, the modern typography for the numerals, and the high contrast of the black ceramic midcase and aventurine all complement the silhouette of the case really harmoniously.

At $62,600, the Code 11.59 Starwheel is ambitiously priced, but demand doesn’t seem to be lacking at all for the watch. In the past few years, the Starwheel has seemingly been quite a challenging reference to get your hands on in the boutiques, despite what people generally imagine about many of the other pieces in the line. And, though the introduction of the new rose gold model was expected to replace the one in white gold, it’s been confirmed that the white gold model will remain in production. That’s a good thing, as this is Audemars Piguet at its best in the era of ultra-modern exploration outside of the Royal Oak. Though it’s safe to say the design is already a hit, this rose gold variation is even more of a stunner. I’m certainly dreaming about this one. 

For more, visit Audemars Piguet.