“Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” was the colour code for the original Royal Oak “Jumbo” ref. 5402 ST of 1972, and now Audemars Piguet has translated the dark blue shade into its latest ceramic. Making its debut in three Royal Oak models, including the Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked, the “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” ceramic is restrained and a departure from the bright, almost electric blue of the brand’s earlier blue ceramic.

Initial thoughts

Ceramic is a material that lends itself well to the Royal Oak design; the brushed and polished surfaces that are the trademark Royal Oak surface finishing look good with the hardness and glossiness of ceramic. The earlier bright blue ceramic used by AP was too bright in my opinion. The new dark blue hue, on the other hand, feels just nice.

The downside of an all-ceramic Royal Oak is the price. The Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph with a matching ceramic bracelet costs almost US$90,000, double the price of the steel equivalent and almost as much as the gold model.

According to AP, the cost is primarily due to the difficult in finishing the ceramic – every element of the case and bracelet is brushed or polished by hand – which is true, but it’s still expensive.

The most affordable model with the new ceramic only has its bezel and pushers in ceramic

” Night blue”

According to AP, “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” (which translates as “night blue, cloud 50”) was the code for the dark blue, almost grey, in the catalogue of Stern Freres, the Geneva dial maker once owned by the family that owns Patek Philippe.

AP explains that obtaining the colour back then was actually a two-part process: the dial was first treated in night blue before black pigment no. 50 was added to clear varnish (creating a “cloud” in the liquid) that was then applied over the blue, creating the distinctive blue-grey finish.

The colour was reproduced in the modern-day Royal Oak “Jumbo” ref. 16202, but with physical vapour deposition (PVD), an efficient process that delivers more consistent results. Now the shade has been reproduced in ceramic, with dark blue ceramic becoming the latest colour to join AP’s stable of ceramics that include also include customary black and white.

The most technically interesting model in the new ceramic is the Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked 41 mm. While having been in the AP catalogue for some time, the Double Balance Wheel remains notable for being a chronometry-oriented Royal Oak thanks to its concentric, mirrored balance wheels under a gilded bridge.

This is entirely in dark blue ceramic, with a dark blue flange around the skeletonised movement to match. It’s powered by the cal. 3132, which has a shortish power reserve of 45 hours, explained in part by the energy required to oscillate the additional balance wheel.

Also entirely in ceramic is the Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 42 mm, which joins the existing model that’s all in black ceramic.

This takes after the original 1993 Offshore in size and style, though the dial has been tweaked, but is equipped with the in-house cal. 4404, an integrated chronograph movement with a flyback function.

And the most affordable model in the line up is the Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding 43 mm, which contains the least ceramic. This has its bezel, crown, and pushers in dark blue ceramic, while the case is stainless steel.

It’s powered by the cal. 4401, a variant of the calibre found in the Offshore 42 mm above. The movement similarly has an integrated, flyback chronograph.

Key facts and price

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked 41 mm
Ref. 15416CD.OO.1225CD.01

Diameter: 41 mm
Height: 9.7 mm
Material: Dark blue ceramic
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: Cal. 3132
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 45 hours

Strap: Dark blue ceramic bracelet

Limited edition: No
Availability: At Audemars Piguet boutiques
Price: US$101,100

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 42 mm
Ref. 26238CD.OO.1300CD.01

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 15.3 mm
Material: Dark blue ceramic
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. 4404
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, flyback chronograph, and date
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 70 hours

Strap: Dark blue ceramic bracelet

Limited edition: No
Availability: At Audemars Piguet boutiques
Price: US$86,900

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding 43 mm
Ref. 26420SO.OO.A029VE.01

Diameter: 43 mm
Height: 14.4 mm
Material: Dark blue ceramic
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. 4401
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, flyback chronograph, and date
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 70 hours

Strap: Textured calfskin with stainless steel pin buckle; additional dark blue rubber strap

Limited edition: No
Availability: At Audemars Piguet boutiques
Price: US$42,900

For more, visit audemarspiguet.com