Subtle tweaks to the 50th anniversary design of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 34mm Black Ceramic Watch Sleek, stylish and versatile, the All Black Ceramic Royal Oak returns with a subtle design evolution to commemorate the icon's 50th birthday.
The stylish, elegant and versatile vibe of the 4mm Black Ceramic Royal Oak Automatic can be thought of as a little black dress or, for that matter, a smart black shirt for gentlemen who prefer smaller watches. Debuting in 2021, the Royal Oak Self-winding 34mm marks the first time that the simple Time and Date RO is given an all-ceramic look, a treat previously reserved for complicated Audemars Piguet models. In light of the Royal Oak's 50th anniversary celebrations, the latest 34m Royal Oak Self-winding 77350CE reveals some subtle design updates that have been applied and will be applied to the permanent collection throughout 2022.
Smaller size and ceramic housing
Introduced in 2020, the first 34mm Royal Oak Automatic is a breath of fresh air for women or men with small wrists who don't want to settle for a 33m quartz-powered Royal Oak. Powered by a Vaucher-manufactured self-winding movement, the news that the 34mm Time and Date watch will be the first simple Royal Oak watch with an all-ceramic treatment in 2021 is well received.
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2021 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Automatic 34mm Black Ceramic Reference 77350CE.OO.1266CE.01,
AP's first ceramic case appeared on the huge 48mm limited edition ROO Arnold Schwarzenegger Legacy Chronograph in 2011, followed by the black full ceramic (case and bracelet) RO Perpetual Calendar 41mm in 2017, ref. 26579CE. Given the inherent hardness of ceramic, it is notoriously difficult to machine and take to produce compared to steel models. Despite the many challenges of working with ceramic, AP was determined to respect the Royal Oak's bold geometry, sharp facets and finishes, including its vertical brushed flats and polished bevels. As Xavier explained in his coverage of the RO Perpetual Calendar, AP aims to "finish the ceramic case and bracelet to the same standard as the Royal Oak stainless steel. No easy task by any means, And only after 600 hours of research and development. The finishing of the bracelet alone takes 30 hours, five times as long as the steel version.”
minor adjustments
If you've been reading our review of the evolution of the Royal Oak Self- Winding Watch's 50th anniversary, you'll know that thankfully, the design update isn't anything earth-shattering. Excessive interference Gérald Genta's 1972 octagonal design would not be popular with Royal Oak fanbases around the world. The 34mm RO self-winding black ceramic doesn't change as much as some other members of the Royal Oak family (37, 38 and 41mm); the main adjustments can be appreciated on the dial.
Like the 2021 model, the dial features a black guilloche Grande Tapisserie background with rose gold applied indexes and hands, with eight rose gold screws on the bezel (most RO models use white gold screws) and rose gold in the crown The inserts match. The change, however, is that the AP monogram for the 2021 midday app, along with the brand name below, has been replaced with a 24k rose gold app signature. Originally developed for AP's Code 11.59, the signature is created using galvanic growth, a chemical process similar to 3D printing. Each letter is linked with barely visible links and placed on the dial by hand.
Another subtle modification concerns the size and length of the hour markers and hands. The 2022 update for the Royal Oak Self-Winding and Self- Winding Chronograph models is all about consistency, with hour markers and hands across the collection being standardized and calibrated to the diameter of the watch. Against a matching black background, the understated date window at 3 o'clock displays rose gold details with rose gold numerals.
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While the ceramic case doesn't show the wider chamfers of the 2022 facelift, all surfaces of the case and bracelet have been given alternating satin-brushed and polished chamfers. With a diameter of 34mm and a slim height of 8.8mm, the case features an anti-glare sapphire crystal to protect the dial and a sapphire case back. Waterproof up to 50m.
Compared to the 2021 model, the new 2022 model reference 77350CE hides the pins that connect the links to the studs on the bracelet for a sleeker, more elegant look.
Caliber 5800
The sapphire opening on the titanium caseback shows that the movement is not an in-house movement. Produced by high-end movement manufacturer Vaucher, the Calibre 5800 is an ultra-thin automatic movement with a frequency of 4Hz/28,800vph and a power reserve of 50 hours. The highlight of this 2022 model is a dedicated 22k rose gold anniversary rotor with a hand-engraved '50 Years' logo, complete with satin, microbead blasted and polished chamfers.
Tech Specs - Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Automatic 34mm Black Ceramic
Case: 34mm diameter x 8.8mm height - black ceramic case, brushed and polished - 18k rose gold screws on bezel - titanium case back - screw-down crown with rose gold inserts - sapphire crystal front and Bottom cover - 50m waterproof
Dial: Black dial with Grande Tapisserie motif - Rose gold applied indexes and Royal Oak hands with luminous coating - Date aperture at 3 o'clock, black background and rose gold numerals - 24k rose gold hand-applied with new electroplating Growth AP logo replaces previous AP monogram
Movement: Caliber 5800 - Vaucher base VMF 3000, automatic - 23.3 mm x 3.9 mm - 186 parts including 28 jewels - 28,800 vibrations/hour - 50 hours power reserve - hours, minutes, seconds, date
Bracelet: One-piece black ceramic bracelet, polished and brushed - Concealed pins connecting links to studs - Titanium AP folding clasp
Reference: 77350CE.OO.1266CE.01