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Lot Essay
A stunning and super-rare neo-vintage gem, this sumptuous diamond-set yellow gold Star Wheel Automatic is, to the best of our knowledge, the first of its kind to be presented at international auction. An exciting discovery, this reference 25764 BA is one of the incredibly small series of gem-set Star Wheels made during the early 1990s. Almost unknown to the market except in literature, this example was made in 1993 and features 54 meticulously set, brilliant-cut diamonds directly on the stepped round bezel, weighing a total of 1.25 carats. The present watch is engraved 5⁄5 of what was previously assumed to have been a limited edition of 5 pieces. However, recent research by Audemars Piguet’s archives has made the fascinating revelation that in fact a total of 13 pieces were actually made of reference 25764 BA, comprising of 5 numbered pieces of which the present watch 5⁄5 was the last, and an additional 8 un-numbered pieces. This unusual occurrence was perhaps because of unexpected demand or to fulfil a client special order.
This extremely coveted creation is undoubtedly one of the most desirable and attractive among all variants of the neo-vintage Star Wheel, a watch that is now recognised by collectors for its ingenuity and extraordinary craftsmanship.
The AP ‘Star Wheel Automatic’
First unveiled in 1991, the Star Wheel was a complete surprise from a brand whose signature timepiece was the Royal Oak. While classic in style, the Star wheel display was highly unconventional and regarded as quite avant-garde in 1991. Only ever produced in relatively small numbers and special variants, the Star Wheel was discontinued within five years of its launch.
The “Star Wheel” system of “wandering hour” wristwatches features three transparent sapphire disks, or ‘star wheels’, each inscribed with four hour indicators that are attached to a rotating centre wheel. As the assembly turns, the indicator for the actual hour is rotated into view and then passed across a 120-degree minutes sector. The time is read by noting the visible hour pointing to the current minute. The Star Wheel concept was inspired by a 17th-century papal ‘night clock’ built by the Italian clockmakers Matteo, Pietro, and Giuseppe Campani in Rome for Pope Alexander VII, who suffered from insomnia and was disturbed by ticking clocks. The debut wristwatch model was the reference 25720, a 36mm dress watch. Perhaps the most famous model was part of the John Shaeffer collection, introducing in 1995, a cushion-shaped Minute Repeater Star Wheel, reference 25881 in very limited numbers. A special edition ‘Millenary Star Wheel’ was released in 2000 for AP’s 125th anniversary featuring an oval case and minute graduation on the right-hand side. The Star Wheel was formally reintroduced to AP’s catalogue in December 2022 with the release of the Code 11.59 collection.
This extremely coveted creation is undoubtedly one of the most desirable and attractive among all variants of the neo-vintage Star Wheel, a watch that is now recognised by collectors for its ingenuity and extraordinary craftsmanship.
The AP ‘Star Wheel Automatic’
First unveiled in 1991, the Star Wheel was a complete surprise from a brand whose signature timepiece was the Royal Oak. While classic in style, the Star wheel display was highly unconventional and regarded as quite avant-garde in 1991. Only ever produced in relatively small numbers and special variants, the Star Wheel was discontinued within five years of its launch.
The “Star Wheel” system of “wandering hour” wristwatches features three transparent sapphire disks, or ‘star wheels’, each inscribed with four hour indicators that are attached to a rotating centre wheel. As the assembly turns, the indicator for the actual hour is rotated into view and then passed across a 120-degree minutes sector. The time is read by noting the visible hour pointing to the current minute. The Star Wheel concept was inspired by a 17th-century papal ‘night clock’ built by the Italian clockmakers Matteo, Pietro, and Giuseppe Campani in Rome for Pope Alexander VII, who suffered from insomnia and was disturbed by ticking clocks. The debut wristwatch model was the reference 25720, a 36mm dress watch. Perhaps the most famous model was part of the John Shaeffer collection, introducing in 1995, a cushion-shaped Minute Repeater Star Wheel, reference 25881 in very limited numbers. A special edition ‘Millenary Star Wheel’ was released in 2000 for AP’s 125th anniversary featuring an oval case and minute graduation on the right-hand side. The Star Wheel was formally reintroduced to AP’s catalogue in December 2022 with the release of the Code 11.59 collection.