What a fake Audemars Piguet Edward Piguet is

A fake Audemars Piguet Edward Piguet is a watch sold as an AP Edward Piguet that Audemars Piguet did not make. The Edward Piguet line was a rectangle-case collection from Audemars Piguet. The line is discontinued. Audemars Piguet no longer lists it. Any new Edward Piguet sold as new stock comes from a replica source, not from AP.

Fakes of this line are less common than Royal Oak fakes. The Edward Piguet sold in small numbers. Few replica factories copy it. The fakes that exist fall into two groups: low-grade quartz watches and mid-grade mechanical watches.

Why the Edward Piguet is hard to copy

The case is a rectangle with curved sides. The lugs sit at an angle. Case finishing includes satin brushing on the top and polishing on the sides. A replica case uses one finish on all surfaces. The edges are sharp on a fake. The edges are soft on the real watch.

Audemars Piguet made the movements for the line. The movements have Geneva stripes, circular graining, and polished screws. A fake movement has stamped plates and no hand finishing. Some fakes use a quartz movement. A quartz movement has a ticking seconds hand. A mechanical movement has a sweep.

Checks on a fake Edward Piguet

Case and case back

• Serial and reference numbers are stamped on the case back. On a fake, the font is wrong. The numbers are too deep or too shallow.
• The case back has a sapphire window on some references. A fake uses mineral glass or plastic.
• The Audemars Piguet logo on the clasp or case back has uneven letters.

Dial and hands

• The dial print on a real Edward Piguet is crisp. A fake has thick print and bleeding edges.
• The applied logo has sharp edges. A fake logo has rounded edges and a dull finish.
• The hands are blued steel or polished. A fake uses painted metal.

Movement

• A real movement has a free-sprung balance or a regulated balance with a swan neck. A fake has a standard balance.
• The rotor on an automatic Edward Piguet has a guilloche pattern. A fake rotor has a plain finish or a sticker.
• A quartz fake has no rotor and a battery hatch.

Papers and box

Papers and boxes are copied. A box with a fake watch does not prove the watch is real. The serial on the papers must match the serial on the case back. A mismatch is a red flag.

Market context

Audemars Piguet Edward Piguet watches sold at retail from the 1990s to the 2010s. Auction results for the line range from a few thousand dollars to over twenty thousand dollars, based on reference and metal. A seller who offers a new Edward Piguet at a low price is selling a fake. Replica wholesalers list these watches on their sites. Many use stock photos. Ask for a photo of the case back and the movement. A seller who refuses is a risk.

Limits of a photo check

A photo check cannot confirm a watch. A real case back and movement can be copied. A watchmaker with an AP parts account can open the case and check the movement. For high-value pieces, a service quote from Audemars Piguet is the firm answer. Audemars Piguet does not authenticate watches for the public in all regions. Check the policy before you buy.