Fake Audemars Piguet Edward Piguet watches are counterfeit copies of a rectangular AP dress watch line that the brand introduced in 1999 and phased out in the 2010s. Replica sellers offer them with quartz or low-grade automatic movements, forged dial branding, and no connection to Audemars Piguet. In the United States, importing or selling one is a federal crime, not a gray-market shortcut.
What was the Audemars Piguet Edward Piguet?
The collection honored Edward Auguste Piguet, who founded Audemars Piguet with Jules Louis Audemars in 1875 in Le Brassus, Switzerland. AP built rectangular watches in the early 1900s, and the Edward Piguet line revived that shape at the end of the century as a quiet counterpoint to the Royal Oak.
Cases came in platinum, rose gold, white gold, and steel, in sizes that ran from about 29 x 41 mm to 35 x 48 mm. Inside were hand-wound and automatic movements, and a few complicated pieces carried tourbillons, skeleton work, or chronograph modules.
Why do counterfeiters copy this model?
- The line is discontinued, so there is no current catalog to compare against.
- A rectangular case is easier to machine than the Royal Oak's octagonal bezel and tapisserie dial.
- The name pulls search traffic from buyers hunting a watch that AP no longer makes.
Where do these fakes come from? Most are built in Asian factories that stamp out a generic case, drop in a cheap movement, and print whatever brand name sells. The same workshop often ships dozens of unrelated brands from one catalog page.
How can you tell a fake Edward Piguet from a real one?
Case and finishing
Genuine AP cases have crisp bevels and a clear contrast between polished and brushed surfaces. Fakes show rounded edges, uneven brushing, and a case that feels light for its size because the metal is plated brass or plain steel.
Movement
Real Edward Piguets run on AP-signed movements with finished bridges, blued screws, and Cotes de Geneve stripes. Replicas use stock ETA clones or Chinese quartz, and the engraving on the rotor or bridges is shallow and off-center.
Dial and hands
On the original, printing is sharp under a loupe, numerals are applied in gold, and the hands carry clean facets. Fakes show thick printing, flat painted numerals, and hands that look stamped.
Serial numbers and paperwork
A real Edward Piguet has a serial number engraved on the caseback that matches its certificate and any AP service record. Replica sellers ship a certificate with a mismatched number, a printed signature, or a box that copies the AP logo in the wrong font.
Price
If the asking price is a few hundred dollars, the watch is fake. Genuine pre-owned Edward Piguet timepieces trade in the thousands and move higher with complications, precious metal, and condition.
Is buying a fake Audemars Piguet Edward Piguet illegal in the US?
Yes. Trafficking in counterfeit goods falls under 18 U.S.C. section 2320, and a first offense carries up to 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine for an individual. US Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit watches at ports, so an overseas order can be destroyed with no refund and no recourse.
Selling a replica as a genuine watch adds fraud exposure on top of trademark infringement. Buyers who resell a fake can face civil suits from the brand.
How do you verify a used Edward Piguet before you buy?
- Ask for the caseback serial number and compare it against the certificate.
- Request clear photos of the movement through a display back or a watchmaker's photo set.
- Call Audemars Piguet with the serial to confirm the reference and any service history.
- Pay an independent authenticator, or use a dealer who offers authentication in writing.
- Use escrow or a credit card so you have a dispute path if the watch fails inspection.
What should you buy instead?
Start with a real Edward Piguet from an auction house or an established vintage dealer. Budget for a service, since parts for a discontinued line come from AP's own workshop and turnaround takes months.
If the rectangular shape is the draw and the budget is smaller, look at the Cartier Tank, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, the Vacheron Constantin Historiques, or the Nomos Tetra. Each is made by the brand on the dial and holds value on the secondary market.
FAQ
Does Audemars Piguet still make the Edward Piguet?
No. The line was retired, and the current AP catalog centers on the Royal Oak, Royal Oak Offshore, and Code 11.59. An Edward Piguet listed as new is pre-owned, mislabeled, or fake.
Do replica Edward Piguets keep time?
Some do, because a quartz module keeps time on its own. That says nothing about the watch. The case, dial, and branding are still counterfeit goods.
Will a watchmaker service a fake?
Independent watchmakers refuse counterfeits, and AP will not touch them. With no parts support, a broken replica becomes scrap metal.
Are all Edward Piguet watches sold online fake?
No. Auction houses and established dealers sell genuine examples with provenance every year. Judge the listing by price, serial, and paperwork, not by the platform.