Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15416CE: Double Balance Wheel Openworked in Black Ceramic, Specs and Price

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15416CE is the Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked in black ceramic: a 41 mm case, octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet all made of ceramic, with an openworked slate grey dial through which both balance wheels can be seen running. Its full reference, 15416CE.OO.1225CE.01, identifies the standard black ceramic model, while a 15416CE.OO.1225CE.02 with a pink-gold-toned movement was made as a limited edition. It is one of the more technical Royal Oaks and one of the most demanding to inspect, because ceramic hides the wear that steel shows and shows the damage that steel forgives. This guide covers the specifications published by Audemars Piguet, how to read the reference, what the double balance wheel does, how black ceramic behaves, the .01 versus the .02, how the 15416CE compares with the steel, gold and blue ceramic versions, dated catalogue prices and what to check before buying. Bizak & Co. sources the 15416CE to order; the Royal Oak collection lists the references we can seek.

Last reviewed on October 4, 2026 by Filip Biczak. Prices are dated observations, not quotes.

Royal Oak 15416CE specifications

Source: the specifications above are taken from Audemars Piguet's own Royal Oak 15416CE.OO.1225CE.01 page, read on 4 October 2026; the Audemars Piguet watch collection lists the maker's current references. For a specific watch, confirm the details against the AP documentation supplied with it rather than against a listing.

How to read the 15416CE.OO.1225CE.01 reference

Audemars Piguet references are built from codes, and reading them correctly is the first defence against buying the wrong watch. Each part of 15416CE.OO.1225CE.01 says something specific.

• 15416 is the model number: the 41 mm Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked in ceramic. The steel 41 mm version of the same watch is the 15407ST.
• CE is the case material, black ceramic. The deep blue "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50" ceramic version shares the model number but is coded 15416CD.
• OO means the case is not gem-set. Set references carry other letters, such as the ZZ on the diamond-set white gold 15412BC.ZZ.1220BC.01.
• 1225CE is the bracelet: pattern 1225 in black ceramic. The bracelet code should match the case material on the papers.
• .01 is the version. The .01 is the slate grey model; the .02 is the pink-gold-toned limited edition described below.

When a listing shows only "15416CE", ask which suffix it is. The .01 and .02 are different watches with different dial colours, different production and different asks, and the full reference should appear on the warranty card.

What does the double balance wheel in the 15416CE do?

Most mechanical watches use one balance wheel and one hairspring as their regulator. The double balance wheel in the 15416CE fixes a second balance wheel and balance spring on the same axis, so the two oscillate together and a positional error affecting one is offset by the other. Audemars Piguet describes the geometry as patented and says the payoff is improved precision and stability. The practical intent is better rate stability across positions, because gravity acts on a single balance differently when the watch is dial-up, crown-down or on its side. AP also treats it as a visible complication: on an openworked dial both wheels can be watched from the front, and the sapphire caseback shows the movement from behind.

The same Calibre 3132 is used across the family, in the steel 15407ST, the 37 mm pink gold 15467OR and the ceramic 15416 versions, so the movement is not what separates them. Material, dial tone and production are.

It is worth being precise about what the double balance wheel is not. It is not a chronometer certification, it does not make the watch more water-resistant or shockproof, and it does not change how the watch is worn. What it adds is a mechanical detail to look at and a modest improvement in regulation. If you want a Royal Oak for the movement, the AP Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel is one of the most direct ways to buy it; if you want a Royal Oak for the silhouette, a standard Grande Tapisserie dial does the job for less.

Is the black ceramic on the 15416CE scratch-resistant?

Black ceramic resists scratching far better than steel or gold, which is why a ceramic Royal Oak stays uniform for years where a steel one develops fine hairlines on its brushed surfaces. It also does not fade or tarnish. The trade-off is brittleness. A hard knock on a bezel corner or a bracelet edge can chip ceramic, and a chipped ceramic part is not polished out the way a steel scratch can be; it is replaced through the maker's service network. That makes ceramic a low-maintenance material until something goes wrong, and then an expensive one.

• Scratches. Rare on the case and bracelet; the crystal and the metal parts of the clasp are the more likely places to see marks.
• Chips. Look at the bezel corners, the bracelet edges and the lugs under a loupe and a raking light.
• Colour match. Replacement ceramic parts are made to match, but a mixed-age bracelet can show slight tonal differences in some light.
• Servicing. Have movement service done at Audemars Piguet or an AP-approved workshop; the Audemars Piguet services page describes the maker's after-sales options.

Ceramic also changes the finishing problem. The material is sintered from powder, arrives harder than most cutting tools and is shaped with diamond abrasives, so reproducing the Royal Oak's alternating brushed and polished surfaces and its sharp bevels in black ceramic is slow work. That is part of why the openworked black ceramic Royal Oak sits well above the steel 15407ST in price.

How does the 15416CE wear, and is the openworked dial easy to read?

At 41 mm and 9.7 mm thick, the 15416CE has the standard modern Royal Oak footprint, but ceramic is lighter than steel and noticeably lighter than gold, so the watch carries less weight for its size. The bracelet tapers and articulates as on other Royal Oaks, which keeps it comfortable on most wrists, and the all-black case reads as restrained from a distance and complicated up close.

The openworked dial is the practical trade-off. A skeletonised dial has less contrast behind the hands than a solid tapisserie dial, and legibility drops in low light, although the luminescent coating on the hands and markers helps. Slate grey bridges against black ceramic also make the watch read as a tonal object rather than a high-contrast tool, with the pink gold hands and markers as the only warm note. If quick time reading matters most, choose a solid dial. If the point is watching the movement work, the openworked dial is the reason to own the watch. An open dial also shows dust, displaced lubricant or a damaged bridge screw immediately, which is useful when inspecting a used example and a reason to buy only from a source that will show the movement in detail.

15416CE.OO.1225CE.01 vs .02: what is the difference?

The two share everything structural and differ in colour and in numbers made. The .01 is the cooler, more monochrome watch, with grey bridges and pink gold accents. The .02 inverts the scheme: the movement and inner bezel take on a pink-gold tone and the hands and markers turn dark, which makes the mechanism the warm element against black ceramic. Audemars Piguet's 15416CE.OO.1225CE.02 page describes it as a limited edition of 150 pieces, and that scarcity is the main reason it is asked well above the .01. Check the suffix on the warranty card, not only on the listing.

15416CE vs other Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked references

The Double Balance Wheel Openworked is a small family, and the 15416CE is easiest to judge against its siblings. All five below use Calibre 3132 according to Audemars Piguet. The asks are entries in Bizak's sourced catalogue on 4 October 2026, all sourced to order; they reflect year, documents and seller and are not a measure of retail.

Read the table by what you are paying for. The steel 15407ST is the same dial layout and the same movement as the 15416CE.OO.1225CE.01 for roughly half the ask, so the black ceramic case and bracelet are what the premium buys. The blue 15416CD adds a newer ceramic colour and titanium details and is asked above both black versions. The 37 mm Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked 15467OR in rose gold is the smaller, warmer route into the same calibre and the least expensive entry in this list.

Searchers also compare the 15416CE with the 15412. Bizak's catalogue lists the 41 mm 15412 only in white, yellow or rose gold, in gem-set and frosted gold executions and mostly with openworked dials, including a diamond-set 15412BC.ZZ.1220BC.01 in white gold filed under the Double Balance Wheel Openworked family; the Royal Oak Frosted Gold collection shows the frosted versions. It is a jewellery-led relative rather than a ceramic one, and its movement should be confirmed from AP documentation for the specific watch. If what you want is an openworked Royal Oak rather than the double balance wheel specifically, the 39 mm "Jumbo" Extra-Thin Openworked 16204BA uses Calibre 7124 and the steel Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked 26735ST uses Calibre 2972. Our guide to Royal Oak skeleton and openworked references covers the wider line.

How much is a Royal Oak 15416CE in 2026?

• Retail. Retail pricing is set by Audemars Piguet, varies by market and is not printed on the reference pages we read; boutiques allocate current production to established clients. An authorised boutique is the place to confirm whether a reference is currently made and what it lists for.
• Catalogue ask. Bizak's sourced catalogue listed the 15416CE.OO.1225CE.01 at US$319,300 on 4 October 2026, sourced to order, and the 15416CE.OO.1225CE.02 limited edition at US$417,149 on the same day.
• What moves the price. The suffix comes first: as of October 2026 the .02 is asked roughly 30 percent above the .01 in our catalogue. After that, a full set with box, papers and warranty card, the year on the card, wear on ceramic edges and whether the bracelet is complete all shift what a seller will accept.
• Market depth. Openworked ceramic Royal Oaks are a thinner market than steel ones, so asks for the same reference can diverge more than for a common model, and a quote is only meaningful for one identified watch.

Those figures describe what we saw on one day and will move. If the question is how much a 15416CE is worth when you sell, expect a dealer's cash offer to sit below the asks above, because the buyer carries the time it takes to find the next owner; our guide to Audemars Piguet resale value by reference explains the gap. Ask for a dated quote for the exact reference, suffix and documents; our Audemars Piguet watch prices guide explains how to compare quotes across Royal Oak references.

15416CE review: is it a good watch to buy?

It is a good buy for someone who wants the mechanics and the finish and will look after a ceramic bracelet. The case is light and resists everyday scratches, the movement is a functional complication rather than decoration, and the black and slate grey scheme makes it one of the quieter ways to wear a highly complicated Royal Oak. It is a weaker buy as a pure store of value, because the openworked ceramic Royal Oak has a narrower audience than the classic steel Royal Oak and can take longer to resell at the top of a band. The legibility compromise is real, and its 50 m water resistance is the same modest figure as the other openworked Royal Oaks rather than a dive-watch rating.

If liquidity matters, ask for a written assessment of what a dealer would pay for the watch before you commit, and compare it with the classic steel references in the Audemars Piguet collection. If the openworked look is the priority and the budget is not, the steel 15407ST delivers the same movement and dial layout; if the material is the priority, the 15416CE is the one to buy.

What to check before buying a 15416CE

• Full reference on the papers. Confirm 15416CE.OO.1225CE.01 or .02 in full, and match the serial number on the papers to the case.
• Warranty card. Audemars Piguet states a five-year warranty for watches bought through its authorised network from 1 January 2017, so the date and the dealer stamp on the card matter.
• Bezel and bracelet edges. Chips are the first place ceramic fails and the hardest damage to disguise in photographs. Ask for macro images of every corner and every link edge.
• Movement view. Through the open dial and the caseback, look for dust, dried lubricant, marks on bridges and screws with damaged slots. Both balance wheels should oscillate freely and in step.
• Dial tone. A .02 should show the pink-gold-toned movement and inner bezel with dark hands; a .01 should show slate grey bridges with pink gold hands and markers. A mismatch is a reason to stop.
• Bracelet. Links should articulate cleanly and the clasp should close with a firm click; replaced or removed links should be disclosed.
• Service history. A recent AP service is a plus; an undocumented opening of the caseback is a reason to ask more questions.

Our authentication process describes what we inspect before a watch is dispatched, and the Royal Oak authentication guide explains the general checks for any Royal Oak.

Quick answers

What is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15416CE?

It is the Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked in black ceramic, reference 15416CE.OO.1225CE.01: a 41 mm ceramic case and bracelet, an openworked slate grey dial and the selfwinding Calibre 3132 with a 45-hour power reserve.

What is the difference between the 15416CE .01 and .02?

The .01 has a slate grey openworked dial with pink gold hands and markers. The .02 is a limited edition of 150 pieces, according to Audemars Piguet, with a pink-gold-toned movement and inner bezel and blackened rhodium hands and markers.

How much is the Royal Oak 15416CE?

Bizak's sourced catalogue listed the 15416CE.OO.1225CE.01 at US$319,300 on 4 October 2026, sourced to order, and the .02 at US$417,149. Asks move with suffix, year and documents, so request a dated quote.

What movement is in the AP Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked?

Calibre 3132, a selfwinding openworked movement with two balance wheels and balance springs on one axis, 245 parts, 38 jewels and 45 hours of power reserve. The same calibre powers the steel 15407ST and the 37 mm 15467OR.

Is black ceramic scratch-resistant?

Very, compared with steel or gold. The weakness is brittleness: a hard knock can chip an edge, and a chipped ceramic part is replaced rather than polished.

Request a Royal Oak 15416CE sourcing quote

Bizak & Co. sources the 15416CE to order: tell us the suffix, preferred year range, whether the full set is required, your budget and timing through our sourcing enquiry form. We send real photos and today's price for a specific watch, and you can reserve it with a US$200 deposit credited to the price. Catalogue entries: Royal Oak 15416CE.OO.1225CE.01 in black ceramic and 15416CE.OO.1225CE.02 limited edition. Browse the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak collection, the ceramic watches collection, skeleton and openworked dial watches and the Audemars Piguet collection, or sell or trade your watch.

Related reading: Royal Oak skeleton and openworked references · Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked 15467OR guide · Audemars Piguet watch prices in 2026 · Royal Oak authentication and collecting guide.