Audemars Piguet

First executed in the 17th century, the whimsical complication found in the Starwheel was originally conceived upon request of Pope Alexander VII as an alternative to his noisy conventional bedroom clock. The resulting “wandering hours” display of time was utterly unique, with a digital indication of the hour slowly traversing a sector of the watch indicating the minutes elapsed. At the end of the hour, the digit is replaced with the following hour on the other side of the scale.

Watchmakers at Audemars Piguet became enthralled by the complication and the idea of “a watch with no hands,” and in 1991 introduced their own interpretation with reference 25720. To further modernize the design, Audemars Piguet employed three spinning sapphire discs, each with four numerals, with the relevant digit appearing across the top scale on the dial to tell time. The radical and unconventional appearance of the dial, with every digital hour of the day visible at once, makes for a unique and disruptive design which is sure to turn heads and inspire conversation.

Since the introduction of the first Starwheel, the wandering hours complication has gained traction in the industry. In recent years, brands like Urwerk and even Audemars Piguet themselves have used the complication, coupled with bold and contemporary case shapes, to create futuristic looking watches. In comparison, the original Starwheel, fitted in a slim and classically proportioned case which the Le Brassus maison also used for their conventional dress watches, presents in a much more understated and elegant manner. The first Star Wheel not only offers collectors the chance to own watch possessing the wandering hours complication, but also represents the first revival of a centuries-old method of telling time, and the first of a new trend of watches within the category.