Audemars Piguet has used almost indestructible black ceramic for the latest in a long line of perpetual calendar wristwatches.
Audemars Piguet introduced its first perpetual calendar wristwatch in 1955. Only nine of the highly complex watch were made in 18ct gold.
The complication has been used many times since that year, but 2017 is the first time it has been used in an all-black edition.
The 2017 model is made of hand-finished black ceramic. Day, date, month, astronomical moon and week of the year are displayed on the dial’s outer chapter ring and the leap year indication holds pride of place on the “Grande Tapisserie” decorated dial.
A self-winding calibre 5134 is housed in a wearable 41mm case made from black ceramic.
Black ceramic is difficult to work with, but is extremely resistant to ageing.
Audemars Piguet’s specialists required more than 600 hours of research to develop this new wristwatch, which takes six hours to machine, polish, hand-finish and assemble.
