Audemars Piguet Unveils 5 New Complication Watches Clad In Ceramic (Live Pics & Price)

Audemars Piguet has long demonstrated its ability to break the rules of classic haute horlogerie, using traditional complications and high-end, hand-finished movements of the highest level and encasing them in bold, polarising watches with a genuine contemporary approach to design. Today, the Le Brassus-based manufacturer presents a new collection that pushes the concept even further, using coloured ceramics to create contrast and to emphasise their bold designs. From a full-blue ceramic RO Perpetual Calendar to a futuristic green-toned ROC and no fewer than three different highly complex Code 11.59 models, they all show impressive modernity and yet respect for the high-end watchmaking we’ve come to love. 

The Full-Blue Ceramic Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar

The first in line in this new sub-collection of high-end ceramic watches is a bold one. A truly surprising and polarising watch with an unmistakable colour. Indeed, Audemars Piguet presents a new version of its Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar, for the first time, entirely crafted in blue ceramic. Its Grande Tapisserie dial and subdials also present electric blue hues,giving this timepiece a monochromatic aesthetic. This new, full-blue ceramic model sits alongside the already existing black and white editions. As you’ll be able to see in our upcoming hands-on and opinionated article, there’s far more than meets the eye. And yes, this Full-Blue Ceramic Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar does have incredible appeal.

Quick facts: 41mm x 9.5mm blue ceramic case and bracelet – blue dial with Grande Tapisserie pattern – selfwinding calibre 5134, 2,75Hz frequency, 40h power reserve, perpetual calendar with day, date, week, month, moon and leap year indications, hours and minutes – reference 26579CS.OO.1225CS.01 – permanent collection – CHF 129,000 (excl. taxes)

The Green Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon GMT

A cutting-edge model, probably the most daring watch in the brand’s portfolio, the Royal Oak Concept was presented 20 years ago and has since been the brand’s interpretation of a futuristic approach to design. And yes, it still very much relates to the classic Royal Oak. A blend of tradition and advanced technology, Audemars Piguet now presents its flagship Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon GMT in a 44mm titanium case topped off with a green ceramic bezel for a highly contemporary look. The black architectural movement, visible through the dial and sapphire caseback, features green CVD-coloured inserts matching the bezel’s hue – a powerful contrast consolidating the watch’s high-tech aesthetic.

Quick facts: 44mm x 16.1mm sandblasted titanium and green ceramic case, green rubber strap – openworked dial with second time zone indicator on a sapphire plate, crown position indicator, green CVD-coloured inserts and pink gold hands – hand-wound calibre 2954, flying tourbillon, 3Hz frequency, 237h (close to 10-day) power reserve, GMT 24h, selection function, hours and minutes – reference 26589IO.OO.D056CA.01 – CHF 198,900 (excl. taxes)

The Black & Gold Code 11.59 Flying Tourbillon Chronograph

We now move on to Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet models, starting with an impressive take of the Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph and its superb, architectural openworked movement. Previously presented in 2021 in a 50-piece limited edition in white gold with a blue dial, the brand now presents a new variation of its Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph, interweaving 18k pink gold and black ceramic. The combination of gold and black ceramic emphasises the complexity of the case and adds boldness to the contemporary design. The three-dimensional aesthetic of the movement also uses the same combination of colours, bringing to the forefront the openworked bridges in both black and pink-gold tones, all meticulously finished by hand. And the movement itself is a complex automatic flying tourbillon chronograph, available exclusively in a limited edition of 50 pieces.

Quick facts: 41mm x 13.8mm 18k pin gold and black ceramic case, with textured rubber-coated strap – openworked dial in black and gold, black lacquered inner bezel and pink gold hands – selfwinding calibre 2952, flying tourbillon, flyback chronograph, 3Hz frequency, 65h power reserve, hours, minutes and 30-minute chronograph – 50-piece limited edition – reference 26399NR.OO.D002KB.01 – CHF 272,500 (excl. taxes)

The Onyx & Black Ceramic Code 11.59 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon

The concept of two-tone cases has clearly elevated the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet to another level, emphasising the true nature of the case and its complexity. Following several classic automatic versions with two-tone cases, the brand now takes the concept to another dimension with a watch that removes everything from its dial to focus exclusively on the case. Purity of display is the key word here, with a pure black onyx dial without markers, only adorned by a tourbillon at 6 o’clock. This Code 11.59 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon is presented in a case made of 18k white gold with a black ceramic middle case and several pink gold accents on the dial and movement.

Quick facts: 41mm x 11.8mm white gold and black ceramic case, black rubber-coated strap – black onyx dial, 18k pink gold hands, black lacquered inner bezel – selfwinding calibre 2950, 3Hz frequency, 65h power reserve, flying tourbillon, hours and minutes – reference 26396NB.OO.D002KB.01 – CHF 146,700 (excl. taxes)

The Electric Blue Code 11.59 Tourbillon Openworked

Last but not least, and as part of this collection combining ceramic and haute horlogerie movements, is a bold and striking electric blue openworked version of the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Tourbillon. In the same vein as the RO Perpetual we’ve mentioned above, this new model is presented with bright electric blue ceramic on the middle case. Contrasting 18k white gold elements add to the complexity of the case of this 50-piece limited edition, presented on a blue textured rubber strap. Finally, the delicate and contemporary movement has been entirely treated in a matching blue colour thanks to an ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) process. The result is a highly expressive and modern take on a classic complication.

Quick facts: 41mm x 10.7mm white gold and blue ceramic case, blue textured rubber-coated strap – blue CVD inner bezel and 18k pink gold hands, movement coated in blue with ALD process – hand-wound calibre 2948, 3Hz frequency, 72h power reserve, openworked tourbillon with hours and minutes – 50-piece limited edition – reference 26600NB.OO.D346KB.01 – CHF 199,000 (excl. taxes)

For more details, we invite you to stay tuned as we’ll have a detailed article on each of these new models coming online in the next two days. Also, visit www.audemarspiguet.com for more.