Scroll to:

How To Spot A Fake Audemars Piguet?

Scroll to:

If you’re in the market for an Audemars Piguet watch, your dollars go much further if you purchase a pre-owned Audemars Piguet watch in lieu of an Audemars Piguet store or an authorized dealer. Here’s an example of an authentic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Skeleton Rose Gold:

As one of the most sought-after watch brands, Audemars Piguet has produced a watch that is among the world’s most copied models – the Royal Oak. Though the identification of a counterfeit is generally a sum of the parts, here are a few ways we check to help authenticate one of these watches.

How to Spot a Fake Audemars Piguet

Price

One of the first tell-tale signs that you are looking at a replica watch is the price at which it is being sold for. If the piece you’re eyeing is significantly cheaper than the competitors, this may be cause for concern as it could be an imposter watch. Price alone cannot determine whether that inexpensive Audemars Piguet watch is counterfeit or in fact a really great find but a suspiciously low price is worth taking into serious consideration.

Have You Seen Those Ads On Facebook Or Instagram For Audemars Piguet Watches, Louis Vuitton Bags, And More Premium Items For As Low As $99? THOSE ARE NOT REAL!

Here’s an example of a real watch Audemars Piguet Royal Oak series:

How to Spot a Fake Audemars Piguet

Location, Location, Location!

Just like in real estate “Location. Location. Location” is very, very important with watches. If you’re buying an AP on a side alley or at a local swap meet the chances are a lot higher that this watch is a fake. KNOW WHO YOU ARE BUYING FROM. RESEARCH THE SELLER.

There are plenty of reputable dealers, but it never hurts to do your homework to ensure that you get a genuine timepiece. Google does a very good job of showing you the most established, trusted retailers to help safeguard against non-genuine models from entering the market.

Comb through customer reviews across multiple sites. If reviews are terse, eerily similar to one another, or are identical across multiple review sites, the seller could be posting phony reviews. Alternatively, if you cannot find any information on the seller, it’s best to move on.

How to Spot a Fake Audemars Piguet

Track down where the seller is located. The majority of overseas sellers are based in Asia—which does not mean all sellers abroad are counterfeit; rather, this should be a point in a list of factors to determine the seller’s credibility.

At Brilliance Jewels, we provide a GUARANTEE OF AUTHENTICITY, A 24 MONTH WARRANTY, CERTIFIED APPRAISAL, and mostly always original paperwork and boxes by Rolex itself. Our in-house buyers meticulously inspect each watch in our inventory.

How to Spot a Fake Audemars Piguet

Material or Watch Quality

Luxury watches like Audemars Piguet (AP) boast exceptionally high-quality materials, crafstmanship, and precious metals. Keep an eye out for red flags in quality, and refer to the tips and images below for guidance.

Metal Finish

The Royal Oak has a very fine brush-finish that runs vertically throughout the watch. Additionally, customers should be aware that the real Audemars Piguet is made of titanium, while replicas are usually made with stainless steel.

How to Spot a Audemars Piguet - fake vs real 1

Weight: If It Feels Light, It Isn’t Right.

Check to see that the watch has the proper heft for its purported metal. Stainless steel and gold metals are much heavier than a base metal that could be used for a replica. Further to this, mechanical movements are much heavier than quartz, which is often used as an alternative to the more expensive mechanical movements. Also, replicas are usually three to four inches thicker, especially at the cover on the bottom.

Tapisserie Pattern

Audemars Piguet watches have a very specific design lasered onto the dial that forgers find difficult to replicate. Very commonly, forgers will either forgo the complicated Tapisserie pattern on the dial completely, or botch the design.

Dial

This specific part of the design is very important in distinguishing fake from real Audemars Piguet. Precisely the numbers, dates, space, and size between them as well as the size and shape of the logo are the best features to figure out a fake watch. Additionally, the design of the dial is featured with lines that mimic vinyl plates so therefore they are extremely hard to copy.

Rotor

Represents one of the features where you can spot the fake Audemars Piguet easily. The finish, to be precise how shiny and how smooth is the rotor, does it have any jagged edges or simply looks poorly made can tell you whether this is the copy or real watch you are looking at.

How to Spot a Fake Audemars Piguet
Real AP Rotor

Movement

One of the most important things to inspect is the movement of the watch. Counterfeit ones may look just the same as the real deal, but they will never have the internal mechanisms of authentic watches.

How to Spot a Audemars Piguet - fake vs real

AP Royal Oak Offshore watches, for example, have that trademark dial with a tapisserie pattern. Additionally, replicas can never mimic the same color pattern, so their color will be always paler. Besides this usually, mechanisms are set in a different direction than the original. Regarding the movement, the customer can also look at the friction behind buttons. If you actually push the button and give you the feeling like it is going to spring out, and it is not smooth means you are dealing with a copy.

How to Spot a Fake Audemars Piguet

Sound. Do You Hear a Ticking Sound?

Another giveaway that you are looking at a fake is the ‘ticking’ of the clock hands. High quality Swiss watches have an almost inaudible tick due to the hundreds of years of craftsmanship behind them. If an AP has an audible ticking sound, it’s highly likely that the watch is a fake.

Reminders Before Buying: Spot a Fake Audemars Piguet

Whether it’s a gift for a friend or a treat for yourself, nobody wants their money wasted on a fake AP. Creating a checklist may help identify fakes before making a purchase.

How To Spot A Fake Audemars Piguet - Reminders Before Buying

  • If it’s cheap, it’s fake!
  • Don’t rely on photos online, ask for a video showcase or physically check them first!
  • Choose sellers that guarantee authenticity, with a certified appraisal, and warranty!