Not content to sit in the shadows during the penultimate release week for the industry, Audemars Piguet had introduced a selection of new watches for the season (or semester, in their parlance), including a Royal Oak references rendered in dark blue Bleu Nuit ceramic. This is a color that’s been associated with the brand since it first appeared on the dial of the original Royal Oak reference 5402 in 1972, and it should come as no surprise that it works quite well when migrated to the case and bracelet, with a highly dynamic quality that shifts from dark navy, to bright and vibrant blue.
The two most interesting examples are the Royal Oak Offshore and the Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked. These are two watches with big personalities which take on entirely new shades when set in this blue ceramic, and both bring very different qualities to the table. In either case, the material itself retains a brushed finish with polished sections that define the shapes at play. They follow the same codes as their steel counterparts in this sense, which is saying a lot when it comes to working with ceramic as a material.
I’ve written about the Double Balance Wheel Openworked before after going hands-on with the last batch of new references, and this example uses the same impressive caliber 3132 that’s been fully opened up to reveal the workings in great detail. The idea is to provide a greater level of stability to the timekeeping by using two balance wheels set on the same balance staff with the escape wheel working between them. This creates a rather compelling view of the action from either side of the dial, and the gold balance bridge makes it a focal point here.
On the other end we find a new Royal Oak Offshore that uses the same Bleu Nuit ceramic case and bracelet with a matching “Méga Tapisserie” dial. This takes the form of the original Emmanuel Gueit design and doesn’t hold back. The case is 42mm in diameter, and 15.3mm in thickness, and while it certainly makes a statement on the wrist, it’s surprisingly wearable. In fact, the dark blue tone on tone look almost flies under the radar, nearly as much as the same watch in black ceramic (another new release). The blue works just as well here, shifting from light to dark with ease, but the dial never suffers for legibility thanks to the high contrast design.
The Royal Oak Offshore has had a tumultuous history in some ways, but it has really come into its own in recent years. The watch itself originated back in 1993 and has seen several trend phases come and go, and through it all has managed to mature at each step. Today, the Offshore is more refined than ever, but still has a brash personality all the same. It’s a watch that has stayed in its lane, and the benefits of that are beginning to bear fruit.
Both of these watches are available now. The Royal Oak Offshore in Bleu Nuit ceramic is priced at $86,900, while the Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked in Bleu Nuit ceramic is priced at $101,100. Audemars Piguet
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