Audemars Piguet is one of the Holy Trinity of Luxury Watches or the Best Three, along with the other two, Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin. When we talk about Audemars Piguet or AP, of course, the most popular in line is the Royal Oak model. It is the first sports watch of AP and yet the most innovative one.
The thinness of Royal Oak as a sports watch is quite unusual but comfortable to wear. Though it has a thin case, still, its water resistance of up to 50 meters proved that its quality is one-of-a-kind. Now, if you’re planning to buy a Royal Oak watch, you must consider some things to know if it is original or fake. Here are some of the items you may look at for authenticity. Keep reading to find out more.
Features of the luxurious Royal Oak
Acquiring an Audemars Piguet watch is a luxury. It is most widely recognized by its Royal Oak collection, releasing numerous editions, and has incorporated more features with each. Royal Oak offers a variety of cases, all of which are made of stainless steel, platinum, titanium, and gold. To acquire one, you will need to have the money as low as $29,100.
This pricier version of Royal Oak has an estimated price between $600,000 and $800,000. The other qualities of this renowned watch are listed below.
- Eight-hexagonal-headed screws make the distinctive octagonal bezel.
- On dials, there is an etched “tapisserie” pattern or an emblematic pattern.
- Models are available in sizes ranging from 37mm to 41mm.
- Hand-wounded, self-winding, and quartz movements are examples of model movements.
- Grande complexity, minute repeater, and perpetual calendar are just a few of the vintage characteristics.
- With a thickness of only 6.3mm, the Royal OakRD#2 is the world’s thinnest automatic timepiece.
- The Royal Oak Offshore Diver can withstand 300 meters of water.
- A split-second chronograph is a distinctive feature of the Royal Oak Grande Complication.
Find out your Royal Oak’s authenticity in a minute
Audemars Piguet, as one of the Best Three watches in the world, won’t compromise its quality that will turn its fans away. Its legacy is known for high-end luxury watches with proof of its incredibility. That’s why finding out that replicas are imitating and somehow tainting its name is a big insult to the brand.
To avoid obtaining a fake Audemars Piguet watch, always buy from an authorized retailer shop. For a quick check of your AP Royal Oak watch, here’s a checklist to know if it is authentic.
Thickness
A replica often has a thicker case, this is the first you could notice. For example, the Royal Oak Ref. 15400, its legit thickness size is 0.38 inches while the fake ones usually tend to get higher from 0.41 to 0.43 inches. Surely, with that difference, you can already spot the authentic from an imitation.
Square patterns
Royal Oak has square patterns on its dial that you won’t be able to see clearly but with a high-resolution camera. These embossed square patterns, called tapisserie, are applied smoothly on the dial surface while a fake one looks more rough and inconsistent.
Bezel screws
The screws around the bezel are one of the few things you may notice among Audemars Piguet watch models. If you take a little closer, you will find out how consistent the symmetry is of the screws. Other than that, they have the same size, width, and depth. Meanwhile, these eight screws are set at varying depths, locations, and thicknesses on the fake watch’s bezel.
Engravings and logo
Let’s look at the back case where the logo “Audemars Piguet” is etched. You’d find out that the engraving of the logo name is quite thick and has little spaces in between letters in the replica. With the authentic AP, they are more defined and have thinner letters.
All the texts or logos in the replica have thicker letters and are improperly proportioned such as the word “Swiss Made” at the 6 o’clock position. The crown has an engraved AP logo too. The authentic watch has defined and precise depth for the two letters etched on the crown while the replica has thicker letters.
The interior side of the clasp has another AP engraving too – “Audemars Piguet”. Some fake APs have additional “AP” logos aside from the name. And of course, the usual flaw of the replica is the thicker letters that the genuine watch doesn’t have. Also, be aware of the rusts that enveloped the clasp. Authentic APs have high-quality materials that won’t corrode.
Bracelet
When examining the bracelet, you must look closely at the clasps. The replica’s clasps and the smoothness of the polished finishing are incomparable to the original one. You may need a clearer view to find out the quality of the replica’s bracelet as some of them are keeping spots of rust in between.
Why is Audemars Piguet expensive?
Audemars Piguet is a high-end luxury watch that became popular with more celebrities and watch enthusiasts for a very long time. You might want to ask why it is so expensive. They are cutting-edge in their usage of new technology, using innovation to produce their best work. The expenditure needed to develop novel mechanisms and engineering unique watches is rather costly.
Additionally, materials cost is considerably expensive, increasing the cost of the watch. AP uses premium quality materials such as black ceramic, golden screws, and satin-brushed cases that last a lifetime. The craftsmen behind the production are well-trained and skillful as each of the watches undergoes their hands and rigorous tests before finally releasing a finished timepiece.
Final say
Everybody wants to purchase genuine products and one of them is the desire to buy an authentic timepiece such as Audemars Piguet. It may incur a high price but with the quality and aesthetics, it shouldn’t be a question at all. Besides, its value never depreciates over time unlike the replicas, so it’s a good investment too.
