The highlights of Audemars Piguet’s new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar watch.
Introducing the latest Audemars Piguet timepiece, and it’s all about the color blue. But not your ordinary navy or subtle teal shade. This is a striking electric blue that commands attention. It’s the kind of watch that boasts an exclusive VIP waitlist, the type you’d spot on the wrists of front-row spectators or adorning the arm of an award-winning celebrity. Since the iconic ‘Royal Oak’ celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this year, the world has witnessed a whirlwind of new watch releases, and it’s been nothing short of a horological celebration. Now, let’s delve into what makes this newest blue beauty so special.
Big on blue
This is the first time we’ve ever seen a ‘Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar’ with a 41mm dial available in full blue. And, when we say full, we mean full. No surface has been spared. This includes the brand’s signature grid-like dial and the sub-dials (showcasing the day, date, week, month, leap year and moon-phase) also in, you guessed it, blue. There’s only one exception to the tone-on-tone effect: the 18k white gold hands and hour markers. We’ll let that slide for now.
Not just any ceramic
While Audemars Piguet is tight-lipped about the exact composition of their ceramic (this is their secret sauce) we do know that the fruits of their (ceramic) labor is an ultra-light and scratch-proof material that does not disappoint. For this particular model Zirconium Oxide powder is baked, binded and machined to create the magical hue. During manufacturing things get real hot with temperatures hitting more than 1400°C on the thermostat.
Size matters
This piece is so sleek and slender that it’s hard to believe all the mechanics of a perpetual calendar fit inside. Measuring a mere 9.5mm thick, this really is a case of less is more. Fitted with a self-winding Calibre 5134 movement that is packed into 4.3 mm, Audemars Piguet prides itself in producing some of the thinnest guys in the watchmaking biz.