Celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, Swiss high-end watch manufacturer replica Audemars Piguet has released three new products made with deep blue colored ceramic inspired by the night sky in the Vallée de Joux, the Maison’s hometown. Coincidentally, around the same time as Watches & Wonders in early April, Chanel and Zenith also released new products made with blue ceramic, but Audemars Piguet, which has acquired sufficient manufacturing know-how through many years of development of high-tech ceramic materials, has completed a blue ceramic with a distinctive color that sets it apart from other brands.
Audemars Piguet first took an interest in high-tech ceramics, which are made by repeatedly sintering high-purity zirconium oxide (ZrO2) powder in a kiln at temperatures exceeding 1,000°C, in 1986. However, at the time, they used it only in a limited way for some models such as Bamboo, and it was not until the mid-2000s that they began to pay attention to it as a case material in earnest. Starting with the use of a black ceramic bezel in the Royal Oak Offshore model (Ref. 26078PO) created in collaboration with Brazilian Formula 1 driver Rubens Barrichello in 2006, the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar (Ref. 26579CE) model, the first model made entirely of black ceramic from case to bracelet, was introduced in 2017, and its unexpected success led to the launch of models in white ceramic (Ref. 26579CB, 2019), blue ceramic (Ref. 26579CS, 2022), and brown ceramic (Ref. 26585CM, 2023) models. And last year, the brand proved itself to be one of the pioneers in this field by introducing a polychrome (multi-colored) ceramic reminiscent of camouflage, utilizing the latest Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) technology for the watch industry.
Ceramic is a material that is lightweight, hard, and scratch-resistant, and it certainly has many advantages. However, because of its hardness, it is actually not easy to process and polish. As Audemars Pigueine was the first among high-end watchmakers to introduce a full-ceramic watch from the case, bezel, and bracelet, they have strived to add the unique aesthetic of high-end replica watches through a high-level finishing treatment that fits the Maison’s character. And the new deep blue ceramic introduced this year is named ‘Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50′ after the dial color of the first Royal Oak (Ref. 5402) from 1972. The name literally means night-like blue and cloud dial (the number 50 refers to the color pigment number), and it is relatively familiar as the dial color name of some models such as the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Steel (Ref. 16202ST), which celebrates the 50th anniversary of Royal Oak in 2022, and the [Re]Master02 Selfwinding Sand Gold (Ref. 15240SG), which follows the Maison’s historic asymmetric watch design in 2024.
In fact, it is easier said than done. Considering the complexity and meticulousness of the ceramic manufacturing process, it takes a long time to research and develop custom ceramics with the specific color desired by the Maison. Not only must they combine the desired pigment using a small amount of metal oxide, and when dyeing the zirconia powder, they must also check whether it takes on the desired tone, and they must closely observe how the color changes during the sintering process to take on the initially expected ‘Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50’ shade, and this requires numerous trials and errors at each process to obtain the desired result. This year, Audemars Piguet will present the ‘Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50′ ceramic material with the Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore collections, which can be considered the Maison’s two main axes.
The Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked is made entirely of ‘Bleu Nuit, Nuitage 50’ ceramic, including the case, octagonal bezel, and bracelet. The case is 41 mm in diameter, 9.7 mm thick, and is water-resistant to 50 meters. The openworked dial reveals the mechanical beauty of the in-house automatic Caliber 3132 openworked with a patented double balance wheel and a rhodium-plated finish.
Debuting in 2016, the Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked has caught the attention of watch enthusiasts with its distinctive design of two sets of free-sprung balance wheels connected by a single balance staff and secured by the front and rear balance bridges. The double balance wheels, designed to minimize the drop in amplitude of one balance by compensating for it when the other one drops, ensure a more stable rotational force (moment of inertia), which ultimately has a positive effect on isochronism. Comprised of a total of 245 parts and 38 jewels, the 3132 caliber vibrates at 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz) and guarantees a power reserve of approximately 45 hours. The transparent sapphire crystal case back with titanium frame allows you to admire another side of the movement.
The Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openwork ‘Bleu Nuit, Nuitage 50′ Ceramic (Ref. 15416CD.OO.1225CD.01) is a regular model rather than a limited edition, but due to the nature of the model, the annual production quantity is expected to be limited. The retail price has not been set yet.
Another new product, the Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph, is also presented in an entirely ‘Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50′ ceramic case, bezel, and bracelet. Because it is a part of the Royal Oak Offshore collection, it boasts a sporty, monochromatic aesthetic with even more presence. The case has a diameter of 42 mm, a thickness of 15.3 mm, and supports a practical 100 m water resistance. The pushers for operating the chronograph function, pushpiece guards, and screw-down crown are also made of ‘Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50’ ceramic.
Although the exterior material is clearly different, you can see traces of a deliberate effort to have the same size and appearance as the original Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph (Ref. 25721ST) launched in 1993. However, the checkered pattern dial, unlike the original, is treated with the ‘Bleu Nuit, Nuit 50’ color and Mega Tapisserie to emphasize the unique modern and masculine impression. It also shows a clear difference in the details of the dial from the previous Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph (Ref. 26238CE) model presented in full black ceramic. The white gold hour markers and baton-shaped hands are filled with white luminescent paint, boasting a presence even in the dark.