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The Royal Oak is a very popular and much-beloved watch from Audemars Piguet. We are here to teach you the main differences between an authentic AP Royal Oak watch and a top replica.
If you are struggling to learn how to authenticate an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch and you don’t want to get scammed with a much cheaper AP replica watch, or are simply curious about the main differences between those two watches when it comes to flaws, all you have to do is just follow this real vs fake AP Royal Oak guide.
That’s because, in our real vs fake AP RO authentication guide, we are going to show you the nine best ways to spot fake AP Royal Oak watches.
Even if this may sound discouraging and you might find too many steps to check for right now since we are talking about a really expensive watch, don’t worry – we are going to properly explain each step in order for you to learn how to spot fake AP Royal Oak watches.
Furthermore, we are also going to link reference genuine vs replica Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch images so that every step will be clear and easily understandable.
The fastest way to spot fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches is to verify the thickness of the case (authentic watches measure 9.8mm for the 15400 reference number, for example). Another main focus should be on the dial’s tapisserie. Most of the time the fake watches have the squares embossed on the dial too crisp (too high) with different inconsistencies, while the authentic AP RO watches always have their details consistent and properly shaped.
For the first step of the guide on how to spot fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches, we are going to look at the thickness of the case.
Just as we’ve mentioned before, we consider the thickness of the case as the most reliable sign of authenticity when speaking of the real vs fake AP Royal Oak, since the replica manufacturers cannot really get to the same thickness.
The thickness of the case found on the legitimate Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch is supposed to be 9.8mm (0.38 inches) for the 15400 reference number.
In most cases, the fake AP Royal Oak watches tend to have their case thicker. For other reference models, you can have a look at AP’s official numbers and specs.
For the same 15400 reference number, the replica Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches usually have their case as thick as 10.5-11mm (0.41-0.43 inches)
That is a difference visible with the naked eye if you have a comparison term. Otherwise, you can use a measuring tool to make sure you have the exact thickness.
With this being said on the first method for how to authenticate Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches, let’s move on to the next step of the guide on how to spot fake AP RO watches.
Since you’re here, you might like to read how to spot fake Rolex Submariner and Tag Heuer watches.
Proceeding into the second step of the guide on how to spot fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches, we are going to look at the squares on the dial of the real vs fake Audemars Piguet RO watches.
The pattern of the squares embossed on the entire dial is what we call the “tapisserie” for both the genuine and the replica Royal Oak Audemars Piguet watches.
As a tip, if you have a device with a camera that can zoom in properly on the dial, we recommend that you take a quick picture of the squares and analyse it, as it would be easier to see the dials at a higher resolution and size.
Because we’ve promised this at the top of the guide, let’s now have a look at the fake vs real Audemars Piguet Royal Oak image below, and after that, we will explain the flaw on the replica AP RO watch.
First things first, both the real and fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks have their squares on the dial embossed.
The difference between the two watches is that the authentic Royal Oak watches always have their squares embossed in a very smooth manner.
On the other hand, the replica Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches, in most cases, tend to have their squares embossed without a smooth transition, as they usually look like they are much crispier and more inconsistent.
To recap this information, the legitimate Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches always have their squares embossed in an elegant and consistent manner, fading smoothly, while the fake Royal Oak APs usually have their squares too thick, without a consistent transition.
Now it’s the time that we go and inspect the size of the screws found all around the bezel of the replica vs genuine Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches.
Even though this may not seem that important, we’d like to mention the fact that these little screws are noticeable in differences, since they are ranked as the third top tell in our guide on how to authenticate Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches.
In the image containing the genuine vs replica Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches above, we have pointed out how the fake watch has its screws improperly detailed.
Going deeper into the explanation, the fake watch has eight screws on the bezel at different thicknesses, depths and placements.
To make this clear, if you look at the genuine Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch, you can see how it has its screws perfectly symmetrical and consistent, at the same depth, size, and width for the flathead screwdriver line.
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Just as the heading states, for the fourth step of the guide on how to authenticate Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches, we are going to look at the authentic vs fake AP RO pieces for the engravings on the mechanism which is visible on the back.
In order to check the real vs fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches for their plate engravings on the mechanism, let’s flip the watches and check out the detailed pictures below.
In the picture with the real vs fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches above, we have pointed out how the fake watch has its “AUDEMARS” text looking too thick and too boxy.
To explain this, the fake watch has its letters look too boxy due to the thickness which caused the kerning between the letters to be too small, therefore the fake watch has its letters too thick and placed too close one to another.
Then, looking at the “PIGUET” inscription on the real vs fake AP Royal Oak watches, it is noticeable how the fake watch has its text too thin and too big.
The text on the fake item looks this big because it is too tall, looking more stretched than the authentic watch’s text, which is also thicker and is more defined than the one on the replica watch.
Lastly, looking at the “AP” main logo, you can see how the counterfeit Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch has its inscription too thin. The “AP” logo found on the legitimate Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch looks thicker and fitter than the fake watch’s logo.
The steps we’ve written so far are the best ways to authenticate this item.
The next few steps are still reliable signs of authenticity but are for non-top-versions of replicas available for this item. We recommend sticking to the steps we’ve explained above to make sure you’re not drawing the wrong conclusions.
Proceeding to the fifth method on how to spot fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches, we will have a look at the bracelet for its finishing and details.
For this step, we would recommend that you will also take a close-up picture of the clasp as it might be better than analyzing it with the naked eye.
Now, let’s brief the reference fake vs real Audemars Piguet Royal Oak image linked below, and after that, we will further explain this tell.
When you are touching the bracelet, on the authentic AP watch, you should feel its high-quality materials and the elegant manner in which it is polished.
The replica Audemars Piguet Royal Oak will offer a different feeling with its bracelet. It will not feel like you are holding a high-quality material in your hands and the bracelet will be either too flexible or too rigid.
At the same time, in the fake vs real AP Royal Oak image above, you can see how the fake AP watch has small spots of rust – those definitely cannot be easily seen with the naked eye.
For the sixth method on how to spot fake Royal Oak Audemars Piguet watches, we are going to look at the real vs fake AP Royal Oak items for the “SWISS MADE” inscription located at the 6 o’clock area on the dial.
In the image containing the fake vs real Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches above, we have pointed out how the replica AP RO watch has its text properly defined since all of the letters have the same thickness and are extremely consistent.
Since all of the letters on the genuine watch present the same thickness, they also have the correct kerning in between.
Things go down different on the replica watch because the “SWISS MADE” inscription on the replica watch is too thick.
In fact, all of the letters in the “SWISS MADE” text on the fake item are too thick, and on the genuine Royal Oak, they are all thinner.
On the replica Audemars Piguet watch, you can observe how in the “MADE” text, the letters are improperly shaped, as they have portions which are bigger than the ones found in the authentic text.
You may be concerned about how such an aspect can still be flawed on a fake watch, and that is most likely due to the size of the text. It also has to do with the machines used to manufacture the replica watches, those being low-quality ones.
If we would zoom out, the text wouldn’t even be noticeable, and so, since it is this small, it’s likely to accurately be printed on the dial. Still, the authentic item does not disappoint in terms of quality.
For the seventh step on how to authenticate Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches, we are going to look at the real vs fake AP Royal Oak watches for their logo present on the crown.
In most cases, the fake Royal Oak Audemars Piguet watches have their crown logo at the wrong font weight.
As you can see in the fake vs real AP Royal Oak image with the “AP” engraving above, it is noticeable how the fake watch has its letters too thick.
Of course, this may be harder to spot without the reference real vs fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak image above, and so, we recommend that you always refer to our images when you have to authenticate one of these watches.
On the other hand, looking at the authentic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch, it is noticeable how its “AP” engraving is thinner and how it looks cleaner, defined in a nicer way than the fake watch’s logo. The depth is also consistent with the genuine item.
Going on to the eighth step of the guide on how to authenticate Royal Oak Audemars Piguet watches, we are going to look at the reference fake vs real AP Royal Oak image below in order to find out how to check the watch’s clasp.
In the image with the fake vs real AP Royal Oak watches above, we have pointed out how the fake watch has its “AP” logo once again engraved at the wrong thickness, while also looking very inconsistent – the depth is different throughout the entire logo.
That is because the replica AP Royal Oak watch has its “AP” text logo looking too thin, while the legitimate Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch has its text thicker and more defined.
In fact, the authentic watch has its “AP” text logo engraved deeper into the metal, therefore being easily readable when compared to the fake watch’s thin text, which may be a bit harder to read.
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Going to the ninth method on how to spot fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches, we are going to look at the inscription on the interior side of the clasp on the real vs fake Royal Oak APs.
In the image with the real vs fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches above, we have pointed out a few flaws of the fake watch.
First things first, the three hand-emoji pointers on the right side of the fake bracelet show you how there is rust present on the fake watch.
On the legitimate Royal Oak Audemars Piguet watches, you are not going to see flaws such as rust.
Then, looking at the “AUDEMARS PIGUET” on the fake watch, you can see how the letters are too thick, and how the authentic watch has its text thinner.
The 9 detailed real vs fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak steps outlined above might not be so practical when you are in a hurry or when you want to buy the item online.
That is why we have compiled this quick 60 seconds solution to legit checking your AP Royal Oak watch. Below are the top 9 indicators that can help you determine if you have a fake or real Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch.
If you need help with the authentication of your Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch, we’ve got you covered.
All you have to do is send us high-quality pictures of your Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch and we will get back to you with the results within 24 to 48 hours. The results will also come with a report on why we believe your AP watch is fake or authentic.
That brings us to the end of our guide on how to spot fake vs real Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches. We will continue to update this article as better and newer comparisons are put out.
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Thank you for reading this,
Ch Alex
