Honestly, if you’ve spent any time looking at high-end watches lately, you’ve probably seen the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ceramic popping up on the wrists of every major athlete and Silicon Valley titan. It’s everywhere. But here’s the thing: most people just see a "black watch" and assume it’s just another trend. It isn't.
Getting ceramic right is notoriously difficult. We're talking about a material that is virtually unscratchable but also incredibly brittle if you drop it on a marble floor from the wrong height. Audemars Piguet didn't just decide to make a plastic-looking watch; they decided to take the most iconic steel design in history and remake it in a substance that takes five times longer to finish. It’s a flex of manufacturing muscle, basically.
The Brutal Reality of Making Ceramic Feel Like Gold
When Gérald Genta designed the Royal Oak in 1972, he used steel as if it were a precious metal. He gave it sharp edges, brushed surfaces, and polished chamfers. Translating those specific finishes to zirconium oxide—the technical name for the ceramic AP uses—is a nightmare.
Most ceramic watches look "soft." They have rounded edges because ceramic is hard to cut. But the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ceramic maintains those razor-sharp lines. To get the "satin-brushing" on the case and bracelet, AP craftsmen use diamond-tipped tools. If they mess up one link, the whole thing goes in the bin. You can't just polish out a scratch in ceramic during the production phase like you can with gold or steel.
The finish is weirdly tactile. It’s light, but it feels substantial. It’s also "room temperature" to the touch, unlike steel which can feel icy on a winter morning.
Why the Perpetual Calendar Version Is the One Everyone Wants
If we’re being real, the 26579CE is the heavy hitter here. This is the black ceramic perpetual calendar. It’s 41mm of pure technical prowess. You get the day, date, week, month, astronomical moon, and leap year. All of that is powered by the Calibre 5134.
The dial is usually that "Grande Tapisserie" pattern we all know. In the ceramic versions, they often go for a slate grey or a matching black. It’s stealthy. You could be sitting at a coffee shop and nobody would know you're wearing a hundred-thousand-dollar (or significantly more on the secondary market) piece of horology unless they really know their stuff.
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Interestingly, AP recently announced they are phasing out the 5134 movement. This makes the existing ceramic perpetual calendars even more of a "get it while you can" situation. It’s the end of an era for that specific ultra-thin movement architecture.
The Scratch-Proof Myth vs. Reality
People say ceramic is "indestructible." That’s a lie.
It is incredibly hard. You can rub it against a brick wall and the wall will likely lose. However, hardness comes with brittleness. Think of it like a diamond—you can't scratch it, but if you hit it with a hammer, it shatters. If you drop your Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ceramic on a hard tile floor, there is a non-zero chance you’ll crack a lug or a bracelet link.
The repair bill for that? It’ll make you want to weep.
But for daily wear? It’s a dream. You don't get those annoying "desk diving" scratches on the clasp. You don't get the swirls on the bezel that plague the steel versions. It looks brand new for years. That’s why collectors love it. It’s a "forever" finish.
Comparing the White and Black Ceramic
The black ceramic is the classic choice. It’s the "Batman" of watches. But then there’s the white ceramic.
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The white ceramic Royal Oak is... a lot. It’s loud. It’s bright. It’s what you wear if you want to be seen from across the room. While the black ceramic hides its complexity in shadows, the white ceramic highlights every single angle. It’s also significantly rarer in some configurations, like the white ceramic Openworked.
François-Henry Bennahmias, the former CEO who really pushed AP into the stratosphere, knew exactly what he was doing with these releases. He turned a "boring" watch company into a cultural powerhouse by leaning into these exotic materials.
The Secondary Market Is a Jungle
Let’s talk money. You aren't walking into a boutique and buying one of these. It just isn't happening unless your last name is LeBron or you’ve already spent half a million on other watches at that specific store.
Because of that, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ceramic trades for huge premiums. At one point, the black ceramic perpetual calendar was hovering around double its retail price. Prices have softened a bit recently as the overall watch market cooled down, but ceramic APs still hold their value way better than almost anything else from the brand except for maybe the jumbo 16202.
What You Need to Look For Before Buying
If you’re actually in the market for one, you have to be careful. Because these are so valuable, the "super-franken" and high-end fake market is rampant.
- Check the weight. Ceramic has a very specific density. If it feels too light (like plastic) or too heavy (like coated steel), walk away.
- Look at the screws. The hexagonal screws on the bezel are made of white gold. In many fakes, they use cheap steel that doesn't have that soft, warm glow.
- The "Tapisserie" dial is the hardest part to copy. The squares should have a very fine circular graining within them (if you look through a loupe). If the squares look flat and dull, it’s a red flag.
- The bracelet "flow." An AP ceramic bracelet should feel like silk. There should be zero "pulling" on arm hair, and the links should move with almost no friction.
Is Ceramic Actually Better Than Steel?
Better is subjective. Steel is classic. It’s what the watch was "meant" to be in the 70s. Steel develops a patina of scratches that tells the story of your life.
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Ceramic is for the perfectionist. It’s for the person who hates that first scratch on a new car. It’s a modern engineering marvel that happens to tell time.
There’s also the "openworked" or skeletonized versions. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ceramic Double Balance Wheel is arguably one of the most beautiful watches ever made. Seeing the golden bridge and the dual balance wheels oscillating inside that matte black frame is just... it's art. There's no other way to put it.
How to Handle Your Ceramic Royal Oak
If you’ve managed to snag one, don't baby it too much, but don't be a clutz.
- Avoid the "Clink": Be careful when clapping or hitting your wrist against a metal door frame.
- Cleaning: Just warm water and a soft cloth. Since it's ceramic, oils from your skin show up more easily than on steel. It can look a bit "greasy" if you don't wipe it down.
- The Clasp: Be gentle. The ceramic folding clasp is a work of art, but it’s a complex mechanical assembly held together by tiny pins.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ceramic represents the peak of what AP is doing right now. It’s the intersection of old-school hand-finishing and high-tech material science. It’s not just a watch; it’s a statement that you value the hardest possible way to make something beautiful.
Moving Forward With Your Search
If you are serious about acquiring an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ceramic, your first step should be establishing a relationship with an authorized boutique, though you should prepare for a long wait. Alternatively, if you are buying grey market, only use reputable dealers like WatchBox, DavidSW, or Bob’s Watches who offer verified authenticity guarantees. Always insist on seeing the original warranty card, as modern APs use an NFC-enabled system that can be verified via the AP app to ensure the watch isn't reported stolen or a high-end replica.
Finally, consider the 34mm ceramic version if you have smaller wrists or prefer a more "jewelry-like" fit. It offers the same material tech as the 41mm giants but in a package that fits much more discreetly under a shirt cuff.