Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Bleu Nuit Nuage 50

Audemars Piguet, a name deeply rooted in the Swiss Jura mountains, specifically the Vallée de Joux, has unveiled a striking new expression of its iconic designs. Drawing inspiration from the very environment where the brand was born 150 years ago, Audemars Piguet introduces three new timepieces featuring ceramic in a captivating Deep Blue shade known as "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50." This color, first seen on the original Royal Oak dial in 1972, now clads the complex forms of both Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore models, bridging the gap between historical significance and material innovation.

The Vallée de Joux, often called the cradle of complex watchmaking, is renowned not just for the technical ingenuity it fostered but also for its clear, dark night skies. For centuries, watchmakers have looked to the heavens, studying celestial movements to improve timekeeping precision. This connection to the cosmos runs deep, influencing the development of astronomical complications. But beyond the mechanics, the profound color of that night sky left an indelible mark on the aesthetic sensibilities of Audemars Piguet's artisans, providing a unique source of creative inspiration that continues to resonate.



It was this specific hue, the deep blue of the Vallée de Joux night, that captured the imagination of legendary watch designer Gérald Genta. Tasked with creating a revolutionary steel sports watch in 1972, he sought a dial color that would be equally distinctive. He turned to the Geneva dial specialists Stern Frères, who developed "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50." The original process involved adding a precise amount of black pigment (n°50) to a protective varnish called Zapon. The resulting "cloud" or nuage effect was believed to stem from the chemical interactions within the lacquer, giving each dial a subtle uniqueness.

Achieving the "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" color consistently was, and remains, a challenge. Originally achieved through galvanic baths where temperature and duration critically influenced the final shade, the process demanded expertise and careful control. Today, Audemars Piguet employs a more modern Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) technique to apply this iconic blue to dials, ensuring greater uniformity across production. The color itself, intrinsically linked to the first Royal Oak (Model 5402), has become as much a signature of the brand as the octagonal bezel.

Now, this historic blue finds a new medium: high-tech ceramic. This marks a significant step in Audemars Piguet's ongoing exploration of materials, adding "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" to an existing palette of ceramic colors that includes black, white, green, brown, and electric blue. The Manufacture's journey with ceramic began back in 1986, recognizing its potential benefits for watchmaking – namely its impressive scratch resistance and lightness compared to metals.

Ceramic, despite its modern applications in fields from aeronautics to medicine, has ancient roots. Its history stretches back to Neolithic pottery. Over millennia, it evolved through various cultures – becoming porcelain in China, earthenware in Europe, and intricately glazed tiles in Islamic traditions. The material's durability and versatility improved steadily, and the Industrial Revolution enabled mass production, paving the way for the advanced technical ceramics used today. Developing ceramics with specific properties opened doors for new applications, eventually leading to its adoption in the demanding world of Haute Horlogerie.

Translating the exact "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" shade into a stable, reproducible ceramic color required years of dedicated research and development by Audemars Piguet. The goal was not just to achieve the color, but to ensure its uniformity across all the different components of a watch case and bracelet. Creating ceramic watch parts is an intricate, multi-stage process involving the precise machining of zirconium oxide powder mixed with a binder, followed by sintering at high temperatures (over 1400°C) which shrinks the material and hardens it significantly.



The final, crucial stage is the finishing. Despite ceramic's extreme hardness, which makes it resistant to scratches but also brittle and challenging to work with, Audemars Piguet artisans apply the same meticulous hand-finishing techniques used on precious metals. This involves creating the signature alternating polished chamfers and satin-brushed surfaces that define the complex architecture of the Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore designs. This interplay of finishes dramatically enhances the depth of the "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" color, causing light to interact dynamically with the multifaceted surfaces. This blend of advanced technology and traditional craftsmanship is central to the brand's identity.

Thibaut Le Loarer, Head of Research at Audemars Piguet, emphasizes this commitment: "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 colour-especially by dressing all watch components in the iconic 'Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50' hue." This dedication is evident in the first of the three new releases.

The Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked (Ref. 15416CD.OO.1225CD.01) presents a visually arresting execution entirely in the new blue ceramic. The 41 mm case, measuring a relatively slim 9.7 mm thick, flows seamlessly into the integrated bracelet, all rendered in the deep "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" ceramic. This monochromatic base serves to highlight the main event: the intricate, rhodium-toned openworked movement visible through the glareproofed sapphire crystal.

The dial itself is essentially the movement architecture. Instead of a traditional dial face, the wearer looks directly into the heart of Calibre 3132. To provide contrast and legibility against the metallic gleam of the skeletonized bridges and gears, Audemars Piguet uses 18-carat pink gold for the applied hour markers and the Royal Oak hands, both filled with luminescent material for low-light visibility. The inner bezel flange is rendered in a rhodium tone that echoes the movement, creating a cohesive frame.

At the core of this watch is Audemars Piguet's patented double balance wheel mechanism, introduced in 2016. By mounting two balance wheels and two hairsprings on the same axis, the system aims to improve precision and stability by compensating for each other's rate variations. This complex assembly is prominently displayed on the dial side, offering a captivating view of the oscillating components. The openworked bridges, achieved through meticulous CNC machining and finished with hand-polished V-angles, also reveal parts of the gear train.



Turning the watch over, a glareproofed sapphire crystal set into the titanium caseback offers another perspective on the Calibre 3132. This selfwinding movement comprises 245 parts, includes 38 jewels, and operates at a frequency of 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour). It provides hours, minutes, and central seconds functions, with a power reserve of 45 hours. The watch is water-resistant to 50 meters, suitable for daily wear but not extensive water activities. The bracelet is secured by a titanium AP folding clasp.

The second model takes the "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" ceramic in a sportier direction: the Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 42 mm (Ref. 26238CD.OO.1300CD.01). Here, the blue ceramic forms the entirety of the 42 mm case and the integrated bracelet. This creates a bold, monochromatic look characteristic of the Offshore line. The deep blue extends to the dial, which features the Offshore's signature "Méga Tapisserie" pattern – a larger, more pronounced version of the Royal Oak's guilloché texture.

Subtle contrasts break the uniformity. The eight iconic hexagonal screws securing the bezel are crafted from stainless steel, providing metallic accents against the blue ceramic. The caseback and the crown chip (the functional end-piece of the crown) are made of lightweight titanium. On the dial, the chronograph counters match the main dial color, maintaining the monochromatic theme. Legibility is ensured by 18-carat white gold hands and applied hour markers, generously filled with luminescent coating. The date appears in white print within a window at 3 o'clock, while the chronograph indications and tachymeter scale on the inner bezel are also printed in white.

This 42 mm Offshore introduces a newly refined ceramic bracelet. The pins connecting the large bracelet links and the intermediate studs are now seamlessly integrated, creating a smoother visual flow along the bracelet's lines. The case measures 15.3 mm in thickness and offers a more robust water resistance of 100 meters. It houses the Calibre 4404, Audemars Piguet's integrated, in-house selfwinding chronograph movement.

The Calibre 4404 is a sophisticated engine, visible through the sapphire caseback. It features a column wheel mechanism for smooth chronograph actuation and a vertical clutch system for precise starts and stops without hand jump. Crucially, it incorporates a flyback function, allowing the wearer to reset and restart the chronograph with a single push of the lower pusher, without needing to stop it first – a function originally developed for pilots. The movement comprises 433 parts, 40 jewels, beats at a higher frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vph), and boasts a substantial 70-hour power reserve. The sapphire caseback reveals the movement's fine finishing and the dedicated oscillating weight, typically in pink gold for AP's chronograph calibers.



The third interpretation offers a dynamic two-tone aesthetic: the Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 43 mm (Ref. 26420SO.OO.A029VE.01). This model pairs a robust stainless steel case middle, caseback, crown chip, and push-piece guards with key elements rendered in the new "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" ceramic – specifically the octagonal bezel, the chronograph push-pieces, and the screw-down crown. This combination creates a striking visual contrast between the cool sheen of steel and the deep blue of the ceramic.

The powerful color contrast extends to the dial. The main dial surface features the "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" "Méga Tapisserie" pattern, providing a textured dark background. Against this, the three chronograph sub-dials (minute counter at 9, hour counter at 3, small seconds at 6) are rendered in a distinctly lighter shade of blue, enhancing readability and creating a layered look. The date window sits between 4 and 5 o'clock. As with the 42 mm version, 18-carat white gold hands and hour markers with luminescent coating ensure visibility, and the tachymeter scale is printed in white on the dark blue inner bezel. The white gold AP monogram sits proudly at 12 o'clock.

This 43 mm Offshore, measuring 14.4 mm thick and water-resistant to 100 meters, is powered by the Calibre 4401. This movement is part of the same family as the 4404 found in the 42 mm model, sharing the integrated architecture, column wheel, vertical clutch, flyback function, 4 Hz frequency, and 70-hour power reserve. The primary difference lies in the sub-dial layout (3-6-9 for the 4401 vs. 6-9-12 for the 4404) and date position. The Calibre 4401 contains 381 parts and 40 jewels. The sapphire caseback reveals the movement's decorations and the rhodium-toned 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight.

Unlike the other two models with integrated ceramic bracelets, this 43 mm Offshore embraces versatility with an interchangeable strap system. It comes fitted with a textured calfskin leather strap in "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50," secured by a stainless steel AP pin buckle. An additional blue rubber strap, also in the matching deep blue shade, is included, allowing the wearer to easily switch between a more refined and a more overtly sporty look without tools.

Across all three models, the application of "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" ceramic represents more than just a new colorway. It embodies Audemars Piguet's philosophy of blending tradition with forward-thinking technology. The historical resonance of the blue hue, born from the Vallée de Joux sky and immortalized on the first Royal Oak, meets the advanced material science and demanding craftsmanship required to produce and finish ceramic components to Haute Horlogerie standards. As CEO Ilaria Resta states, "The sky of the Vallée de Joux has played a key role in the history of Audemars Piguet... The launch of this new ceramic is a tribute to both the region and its talents, and to our relentless quest for innovation."



These new additions showcase Audemars Piguet's commitment to pushing boundaries in both mechanics and materials. The Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked in full blue ceramic offers a technical and visual spectacle. The 42 mm Offshore Chronograph provides a pure, sporty expression of the color in ceramic, complete with a refined integrated bracelet. The 43 mm Offshore Chronograph delivers a bold, contrasting look combining the new ceramic with stainless steel and strap versatility. Each piece, while distinct, is united by the deep, evocative "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" ceramic, linking Audemars Piguet's past, present, and future.

Regarding pricing and availability, these timepieces occupy distinct positions within Audemars Piguet's catalog. The Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked (Ref. 15416CD.OO.1225CD.01) is priced at $101,100. The full ceramic Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 42 mm (Ref. 26238CD.OO.1300CD.01) carries a price tag of $86,900. The two-tone Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 43 mm (Ref. 26420SO.OO.A029VE.01) is positioned at $42,900. As with most highly sought-after Audemars Piguet releases, availability is expected to be limited and primarily through AP Houses and boutiques, reflecting the complexity of their production and the high demand for the brand's creations.

Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked

Case: "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" ceramic, 41 mm diameter, 9.7 mm thickness. Glareproofed sapphire crystal front and titanium caseback with sapphire crystal. Water resistant to 50 m.

Movement: Calibre 3132 selfwinding. Functions: hours, minutes, centre seconds. 45 h power reserve, 3 Hz (21,600 vph) frequency, 38 jewels, 245 parts. Patented double balance wheel mechanism.

Dial: Rhodium-toned openworked movement visible. 18-carat pink gold applied hour-markers and hands with luminescent coating. Inner bezel matches movement shade.

Strap: "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" ceramic bracelet with titanium AP folding clasp.

Price: $101,100

Reference Number: 15416CD.OO.1225CD.01

Notes: Fully crafted in "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" ceramic. Showcases the intricate double balance wheel mechanism through the openworked design for enhanced timekeeping stability.



Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 42 mm

Case: "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" ceramic, 42 mm diameter, 15.3 mm thickness. Glareproofed sapphire crystal front and back. Titanium caseback and crown chip. Stainless steel bezel screws. Water resistant to 100 m.

Movement: Calibre 4404 selfwinding integrated flyback chronograph. Functions: flyback chronograph, hours, minutes, small seconds, date. 70 h power reserve, 4 Hz (28,800 vph) frequency, 40 jewels, 433 parts. Column wheel.

Dial: "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" "Méga Tapisserie" pattern with matching blue counters. 18-carat white gold applied hour-markers and hands with luminescent coating. Inner bezel matches dial shade.

Strap: Integrated "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" ceramic bracelet with seamless pins and titanium AP folding clasp.

Price: $86,900

Reference Number: 26238CD.OO.1300CD.01

Notes: Monochromatic "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" ceramic design including the new integrated bracelet. Features the in-house Calibre 4404 flyback chronograph. Sportive aesthetic.



Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 43 mm

Case: Stainless steel case middle, caseback, crown chip, push-piece guards. "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" ceramic bezel, push-pieces, crown. 43 mm diameter, 14.4 mm thickness. Glareproofed sapphire crystal front and back. Water resistant to 100 m.

Movement: Calibre 4401 selfwinding integrated flyback chronograph. Functions: flyback chronograph, hours, minutes, small seconds, date. 70 h power reserve, 4 Hz (28,800 vph) frequency, 40 jewels, 381 parts. Column wheel.

Dial: "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" "Méga Tapisserie" pattern with light blue counters. 18-carat white gold applied hour-markers and hands with luminescent coating. Inner bezel echoes "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" shade.

Strap: Interchangeable strap system. Includes "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" textured leather strap and additional "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" rubber strap. Stainless steel AP pin buckle.

Price: $42,900

Reference Number: 26420SO.OO.A029VE.01

Notes: Two-tone design combining stainless steel and "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" ceramic. Contrasting subdials enhance readability. Equipped with interchangeable straps for versatility and the in-house Calibre 4401 flyback chronograph.