Dr. N.
Here a Chronosect we always try to meet the needs of watchmaking enthusiasts. A problem among the most serious that afflict the world of luxury watches it's that of gods fakes. We have considered for you a rather common example of a fake, but which can lead to nasty surprises for those who are not experts: the imitation of a Audemars Piguet Royal Oak in steel, with blue dial. One of the most requested and appreciated models of the House of Le Brassus and, unfortunately, for this reason, among the most falsified.
To write this article we relied on the experience of Giampiero Caserini, owner of the Jewelery Tempi Moderni Trento watches e Chronosect Certified Seller.
But does the fake really suit me?
When buying a not original watch, not only feeds an underground sector, but there are significant risks. First of all, to make a copy of a famous watch, you spend money and effort in building something that is as similar as possible to the original, rather than investing it in making a good quality watch. A two hundred euro Orient or Seiko watch sees all its cost turn into robustness, quality, reliability. An imitation of a famous Swiss brand made at the same price will necessarily compromise on movement, materials, gaskets, because part of the amount has already been spent on imitating the original. It is therefore likely that, for example, to imitate the bezel of the Royal Oak di Audemars Piguet more weight has been given to the aesthetic appearance than to the actual waterproofness of the case.
The reader will now ask: if I appreciate the style of a watch like the Royal Oak di Audemars Piguet, but I can't or don't want to spend tens of thousands of euros to put it on my wrist, do I have to resign myself to not seeing my favorite watch except in the picture? Absolutely not. There are many cheap alternatives that retain the style of the original, without being counterfeit copies.
The fakes, the Homages and the "inspired"
The world of “Homage”, watches that take the shapes of a famous model without copying its logo and name, is very broad and includes quality watches. An example are the Steinharts and Invicta inspired by Rolex Submariner: they have reliable movements and are made with components of an adequate level, all for a few hundred euros. By purchasing a "Homage" instead of a copy, you have greater guarantees of reliability over time.
The "Homages" also, of course, have flaws. First of all, a watch is worn on the wrist without any contribution from the manufacturing companies in terms of style, if not the logo. That is, the work of others is exploited, not illegally but in any case without having contributed to an original design. The personal preference of the author of this article therefore goes to watches "inspired" by a particular model. For example, those who love the aesthetics of the Royal Oak di Audemars Piguet can turn to timepieces such as the D1 Milan, or Bulova Maquina, which, even if inspired by shapes conceived in the Eighties, create something of their own, personal, unique.
How to recognize a fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak: with sight
We come then to the subject of our article, the fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. A counterfeit, this particular specimen, which can deceive inexperienced eyes. If it is on the wrist and there is no time to observe it carefully, even a medium-level enthusiast may find it difficult to distinguish the fake from the original.
Giampiero Caserini, owner of Tempi Moderni Watches, he knew, simply by looking at the photos that we show you in this article, identify the fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. And you, could you do it? We offer you some suggestions of Tempi Moderni to help you.
In the non-original watch, there are numerous clues that can make it clear that we are dealing with a fake Audemars Piguet. First of all, the tapestry, a distinctive feature of the dials Audemars Piguet, it will never be done as well as the original, however much the forger may try to do it. This is because, to create a finely worked, haute horlogerie dial, you need a combination of technique and dexterity that a numerically controlled machine simply cannot match. Not for nothing, the big ones maison fiercely contend for the few machines and the few existing operators capable of creating these beauties of luxury watchmaking.
The dial reveals the fake not only for the workmanship, but also for the color tone. The imitation does not have the exact same shade as the original. Even the date window reveals that we are not dealing with a true one Audemars Piguet: the execution of the fake leaves something to be desired in some details.
Moving from the dial to the bezel, one of the differences that an expert eye can notice is the coarser and less refined workmanship of the screws in the imitation, compared to the original of Audemars Piguet. Then let's move towards the lugs: here we see an attachment of the bracelet less aligned with the trend of the case. Going down the bracelet itself, the imperfections and irregularities between one link and another are evident. Not to mention the glass back, where the difference with the original is clear.
How to recognize a fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak: by touch
To the touch, the sensation made by the fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak it is of course a lot different from the original. The overall weight is less, indicating the use of a lower quality steel. But what is most noticeable is the low quality of the workmanship of the sweaters. The bracelet ofCounterfeit Audemars Piguet Royal Oak it pulls out the hairs and sometimes almost scratches the skin. Problem in itself is not very serious, a bit of annoyance can also be endured manfully, but what causes us to worry is the unknown of the composition of the steel. Often, nickel is added to increase the gloss of ferrous alloys. Many people have allergies to this material: for this reason, in watchmaking, it has long been eliminated or reduced below the danger thresholds. But no one guarantees that, in a counterfeit watch, produced illegally and, therefore, not subject to quality controls by the competent authorities, there are no harmful substances: if combined with the fact that the natural barrier of the skin can be scratched at because of the bad workmanship of the shirts, there is something to think about. Here because buy a fake watch, in addition to being in bad taste, it can also end up compromising your health.
How to spot a fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak: the expert's help
An expert opinion is always the best guarantee of buy exactly the product you want. The most rational choice, especially when it comes to important purchases such as in the case of a luxury watch, is to turn to a professional.
Let us remember that some false they are now so perfected that even an enthusiast can be deceived. Only those who have been working with watches for a long time, like i Chronosect Certified Sellers, acquires such experience to be able to recognize an original watch. Just think that some of the finest fakes contain both original and non-original parts, and if you focus only on the dial, for example, or just the case, you could be misled. An expert, on the other hand, knows how to evaluate the whole watch as a whole, something that no self-taught person, however willing, is able to do.
Thanks Giampiero Caserini, owner of Tempi Moderni Watches, for the invaluable help in preparing this article.
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