Exclusive Video: These Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks Incorporate a New Shade of Ceramic

For centuries, watchmakers have examined the eternal movement of the stars and the moon in their quest to measure the passing of time with ever increasing precision.

The Vallée de Joux’s clear night sky has been a muse for generations of watchmakers since the 18th century. Audemars Piguet’s own watchmakers have been gazing at the celestial heavens in the region’s Le Brassus for 150 years.

Even the legendary watch designer Gérald Genta is said to have taken inspiration from that sky to come up with the particular shade of blue chosen for the dial of his groundbreaking Royal Oak, which made its debut at the Basel Fair in 1972.
 

Back then, the Geneva-based dial maker Stern developed the “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” color by adding black pigment n°50 to the protective varnish called Zapon. Incorporating just a small amount of black to the liquid lacquer triggers a chemical reaction that produces a “cloud” effect.

Getting the shade exactly right is challenging, given that slight variations in temperature and the length of time spent in the galvanic bath can impact the resulting color. Today’s “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” dials are produced using a PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) process to ensure the color stays consistent from piece to piece.

Hailed for its light, robust properties, ceramic is also exceptionally challenging to machine due to its extreme hardness and brittleness. Audemars Piguet introduced the material into its portfolio in 1985, and now the Maison offers shades of black, electric blue, green, brown, and the new “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” – the result of several years of investment and development.
 

Each watch component undergoes numerous production stages including machining, sintering, and finishing. For the final step, the brand’s craftspeople devote the same care and skill to hand finishing ceramic elements as they do for precious metal components – an added feat since the material is more difficult to work with.

The depth of color is further enhanced on the watches by alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces that maximize light play as the wrist moves, while highlighting the multifaceted architecture of the Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore cases.
 

“Developments and innovations in the field of ceramic are at the heart of Audemars Piguet’s projects as the company continues to push the limits of its expertise in terms of color – especially by dressing all watch components in the iconic ‘Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50’ hue,” said Thibaut Le Loarer, the brand’s head of research.

First up, the 41mm Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked takes on a monochromatic character, pairing the “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” ceramic case with a matching inner bezel and bracelet. All that dark blue draws a stark contrast to the intricate architecture of the radiant, rhodium-toned open-worked movement, further enhanced by pink gold accents from the hands to the hour-markers.
 

The piece is powered by the automatic Calibre 3132. This movement features a patented double balance wheel mechanism that enhances precision and reliability. Incorporating two balance wheels and two hairsprings assembled on the same axis ensures the system oscillates in perfect synchrony. This visually striking engine can be viewed from both sides, highlighting the watch’s beating heart, while the open-worked bridges reveal components of the gear train.
 

The 42mm Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph goes even darker with a full nocturnal presence that matches the blue ceramic components with the inner bezel, Méga Tapisserie dial, and chronograph counters.

This even bolder monochromatic statement, with its matching integrated ceramic bracelet, is subtly punctuated by eight white gold hexagonal screws on the bezel, as well as the titanium crown chip and caseback. On the dial side, luminescent 18-karat white gold hands and hour-markers pop on the dark dial, while the chronograph counters, tachymeter scale, and date display stand out in white on the blue background.
 

Inside beats the Calibre 4404, an integrated self-winding chronograph with a column wheel and flyback function that can instantly restart timing without the need to stop and reset. The movement – with its pink gold oscillating weight – is on full display through the sapphire crystal caseback, providing a view of the column wheel’s inner workings.
 

Completing the true-blue trio is a slightly larger take on the Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph. This 43mm version combines stainless steel with “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” ceramic on the bezel, push-pieces, and crown, offering a lighter, two-tone approach in the spirit of its Offshore predecessors.

The strong color contrast extends to the dial with its “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” Méga Tapisserie pattern, providing the backdrop for 18-karat white gold hands and hour-markers filled with luminescent material. The chronograph indications and tachymeter scale are printed in white to optimize legibility.
 

A sapphire caseback reveals the Calibre 4401, a finely finished flyback chronograph movement with a rhodium-toned 22-karat pink gold oscillating weight.

The piece is delivered on a matching blue textured calfskin leather strap. Plus, thanks to an easy-change system, the look can be switched up with an alternate blue rubber strap.
 

“The sky of the Vallée de Joux has played a key role in the history of Audemars Piguet, inspiring the color ‘Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50’, which is now one of the brand’s signature elements,” said Ilaria Resta, Audemars Piguet’s Chief Executive Officer, in a news release. “The launch of this new ceramic is a tribute to both the region and its talents, and to our relentless quest for innovation.”

All three of the Royal Oaks showcasing the brand’s new signature “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” ceramic are available today. For pricing and more information, head over to the Audemars Piguet website.