Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is... reinvented. It's tempting to paraphrase Lavoisier’s famous quote and apply it to the watch industry, which regularly returns to the wellspring of its heritage. Why so? Because it must constantly come up with new variations on timepieces that haven't fundamentally changed in 250 years. One might think that, as time goes by, the art of watchmaking would run out of inspiration. That’s definitely not the case – or at least not at Audemars Piguet. The Manufacture, which is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its founding, is more creative than ever.
This early spring brings a demonstration of this dynamic momentum with the unveiling of three new models: two Royal Oak Offshores and a third named Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked. The common denominator in the launch of these three references is a new “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” ceramic.
A chemist’s dream
Collectors unfamiliar with the subtleties of Le Brassus will raise an eyebrow and aficionados will be amused, as “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” is not an obscure reference to an in-house color chart. It's the exact name of the shade chosen by Gérald Genta to adorn the dial of the first-ever Royal Oak: Model 5402 introduced in 1972. This iconic hue has found its way through generations and is still used by Audemars Piguet.
While color is one thing, materials are another – and the alliance between the two can be the cause of many sleepless nights for those who dream in blue, as creating a uniformly blue watch is a challenge worthy of an experienced chemist.
Audemars Piguet nonetheless took on this daunting task. The taste for challenges is firmly embedded in its DNA and its workshops have already mastered the art of colored ceramics as confirmed by previous iterations in black, white, electric blue, green and brown. By way of reminder, ceramic is basically a powder. The slightest addition of color pigment disrupts its homogeneity. Several years of development were thus required, not only to ensure that this new blue ceramic was uniform, but also to reproduce perfectly the “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” shade that has left a lasting impression on collectors over the last 50 years.
Royal trio
To celebrate this achievement, Audemars Piguet presented not just one new model in “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” ceramic, but three! It’s not every day one turns 150. Two of them are Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronographs. The first (42mm) is a tricompax model featuring counters are arranged in a “6-9-12” layout, with the date taking advantage of the opening to sneak in at 3 o'clock. Both case and bracelet are entirely ceramic. The second model features counters in a “3-6-9” format and a date display between 4 and 5 o’clock. Its case is in steel, with ceramic adorning the bezel, crown and pushers. This creation is paired with a leather or rubber strap.
The third model is an all-ceramic 41mm Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked. Calibre 3132 appears just beneath the sapphire crystal of this dial-free watch. Expressive and even demonstrative, it features a double balance wheel between 6 and 9 o'clock, a singularity cultivated by Audemars Piguet and which – in addition to its aesthetic effect – enhances the watch's precision and stability. The two balance wheels compensate for each other, enabling the system to oscillate in perfect synchrony. In this third composition, the “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” ceramic case frames a complex, highly technical composition expressing 150 years of watchmaking mastery.
