AUDEMARS PIGUET ROYAL OAK PERPETUAL CALENDAR 41MM BLUE CERAMIC

Audemars Piguet ROYAL OAK CONCEPT FLYING TOURBILLON GMT Watch Replica 26589IO.OO.D056CA.01

WATCH
Ref #26589IO.OO.D056CA.01

CASE
Titanium

CASE SIZE
44 mm

WATER RESISTANCE
100 m

CASE THICKNESS
16.1 mm

DIAL
Second time-zone indicator at 3 o’clock on sapphire plate, crown position indicator at 6 o’clock, pink gold Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating, black inner bezel.

BRACELET
Textured green rubber strap with sandblasted titanium AP folding clasp. Additional black rubber strap.

Year
2022

Full Blue Ceramic Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar - yes, it's stunning in metal!

Polarized, bold, and far from classic...but the new blue ceramic ROQP is really unbelievably cool.

The popularity of the Royal Oak as a collectible is self-evident. Born in 1972, Audemars Piguet's luxury sports watch was the pioneer of the genre, one of the few truly iconic watches on the market, and celebrated its grand 50th anniversary earlier this year. If most Royal Oak models are highly sought after, there are several pieces made of ceramic that hold a more coveted and special place in the collection. As part of a collection of high-end complications focused on the use of this innovative material, Audemars Piguet has released a watch that has already attracted a lot of attention: the all-blue ceramic Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar. We were lucky enough to try it on our wrist. Spoiler - this is definitely an exciting watch...whether you like it or not!

The all-ceramic Royal Oak watch has become the brand's top watch, surpassing precious metals in terms of aura and collection value. The ultimate RO, if you like it. The full ceramic (case and bracelet) attire has been reserved for the tourbillon ultra-thin, perpetual calendar - black ceramic, white ceramic and black ceramic skeleton movement - skeleton tourbillon chronograph and more recently double balance skeleton. This innovative material has also been used in more classic models, such as the 34mm Royal Oak Automatic Black Ceramic and the 41mm Royal Oak Automatic Chronograph from a few days ago.

For the first time, the Royal Oak, or more precisely the 41mm perpetual calendar model, is made of blue ceramic, from the case to the bezel and bracelet. You may have seen this watch in other watch publications with official images from the brand. However, we'd like to pay a bit more attention to this watch because, as you know, the official pictures can be deceiving. Or, to be more precise, they don't reflect reality, ambient light, the way the watch reflects and plays with the environment. Yes, the official images of the blue ceramic Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar didn't impress us. Well, until we manage to get it.

Before getting into my personal feelings, let's dive into the technical details. This new all-blue ceramic watch is basically the same as the white or black ceramic watch we know. Its 41mm case - with the iconic design of the Royal Oak collection, as well as its unique bracelet - is now made entirely of blue ceramic. Lightweight and scratch-resistant, it is made of zirconia (ZrO2) powder, modified and baked to give it a blue color, mixed with a special binder, and then transformed into ceramics through a complex industrial process that requires different stages of High precision machining. These components reach their final color only after sintering at temperatures in excess of 1,400°C. Achieving uniform color represents an additional challenge.

Another challenge comes from machining and finishing. As we explained with the black model, the Royal Oak is a complex watch; its case is sharp and angular, mixing brushed surfaces with polished bevels. In addition, its bracelet is made up of countless small parts, making making the ceramic version a complicated job. In fact, ceramics are about five times more time-consuming than traditional metals in this field. Of course, the signature alternation of satin brushed and polished chamfers is applied by hand. The result, on the wrist and in metal, is truly special and sophisticated.

This Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar 41mm Blue Ceramic 26579CS has a lot of features but is still thin and very wearable. The overall thickness, despite the complexity of the movement, remains at a slim 9.5mm. The lightness of the ceramic undoubtedly enhances comfort. The signature octagonal bezel with eight white gold studs remains. The same goes for the ceramic turnlock crown and titanium caseback (required for watch assembly). The only complaint about the case might be the water resistance, which is limited to the 20-meter rating. Still, I can't imagine taking this watch underwater.

To create a monochromatic look, Audemars Piguet created a new blue hue for the dial, which complements the blue ceramic case and bracelet. The blue Grande Tapisserie dial obtained by physical vapor deposition (PVD) is more saturated than the traditional Bleu Nuage on the Jumbo model. The bright, vivid, metallic dial and matching sub-dial and inner bezel are classic Royal Oak perpetual calendar features. White gold hands and markers filled with luminous material can read the time. The display consists of three calendar subdials with a moon-phase aperture evenly distributed over the dial and a rare day indicator on the periphery. As with the Audemars Piguet, the level of detail and overall finish are impressive.

Beneath the sapphire caseback are movements that have appeared in ceramic, steel or gold versions in the past. Based on the iconic calibre 2120, introduced in 2015, this Caliber 5134 measures just 4.3 mm in height. A refined and handsome movement that runs at 2.75Hz and has a power reserve of 40 hours. Finishes include solid 22k gold oscillating weight, Côtes de Genève, circular graining, brushed sunburst and polished chamfers.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar 41mm blue ceramic (ref. 26579CS.OO.1225CS.01) is now released as part of the permanent collection, and joins the white and black ceramic models. Like its siblings, it won't be mass produced. The price is CHF 129,000 (tax excluded).

My take on this polarized watch
Polarized, bold, colorful, slightly provocative, talking, well-made... I could use many adjectives to describe this watch. Objectively speaking, this watch will generate debate, it will generate emotions (both ways), it will not generate consensus. This is already the case with the white model. This new blue ceramic Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar follows. It is once again the quintessential "love-hate" watch, a talking piece of influential design and colour.

But let me go beyond first impressions. Get me beyond blue. Yes, it's a completely blue watch, and for that, it's far from normal. It's bold and provocative, but the attention to detail in the execution and choice of materials and colours is undeniable. The results, in metals, are absolutely stunning. It looks like nothing, feels like nothing, but it has an uncanny attraction, a level of desire that ends up being stronger than you...

This RO Perpetual Calendar Blue Ceramic is the perfect definition of "useless but indispensable". Nobody needs a watch like this. However, that is exactly why it exists, its purpose. A watch that is influential, far from the norm, ultra-modern and at the same time respectful of the Haute Horlogerie tradition; a watch that combines modern colours and materials with one of the most classic complications.

Another important aspect of this watch is the color and how the watch interacts in real life. It's not just blue, it has a lot of depth and is more subtle than the original image makes you think. While I would never call this watch restrained or discreet, there is a certain modern elegance and impressive coherence to this watch. Essentially attractive and cool stuff...I don't ask you to agree with me (I'm sure many don't) but after wearing this watch on my wrist for a few hours I have some very, very positive a feeling of. Yes, this is an amazing watch. And I didn't feel that way before driving to Le Brassus and seeing it in the metal. Who would have thought?

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS – AUDEMARS PIGUET ROYAL OAK PERPETUAL CALENDAR 41MM BLUE CERAMIC
Case: 41mm diameter x 9.5mm height - blue ceramic case, brushed with polished bevels - blue ceramic bezel with 18k white gold studs - blue ceramic screw-locked crown - anti-reflective sapphire crystal - titanium caseback, screwed, with sapphire. crystal - water-resistant to 20m
Dial: blue dial with Grande Tapisserie pattern - blue subdials and inner bezel - white gold applied hour markers and Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating
Movement: calibre 5134 - in-house - automatic ultra-thin movement with perpetual calendar module - 29mm x 4.3mm - 374 components - 38 jewels - 19,800 vibrations/hour (2.75Hz frequency) - 40h power reserve - hours, minutes, perpetual calendar with day, date, week, month, moon phases and leap year indications
Bracelet: blue ceramic bracelet with titanium AP folding clasp
Reference: 26579CS.OO.1225CS.01