Quick answer
A fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-Winding Flying Tourbillon is a replica of AP's 41 mm steel flying tourbillon, and the better first copies get the octagonal bezel, the tapisserie dial and the open cage at 6 o'clock close to right. The weak points are almost always the tourbillon cage finish, the dial stamping depth, and the bevels on the bracelet links. Judge a first copy on those three areas. Do not judge it on the logo or the box.
What the genuine watch gives you as a reference
Audemars Piguet lists the Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon in a 41 mm case with a flying tourbillon at 6 o'clock, an openworked cage, and the signature octagonal bezel held by eight hexagonal screws. The dial carries the tapisserie grid pattern, and the case mixes brushed surfaces with polished bevels. Those four features are what a replica has to match, and they are the four features you can check without opening the watch.
Before you start
- A 10x loupe or a macro lens for your phone
- Digital calipers that read to 0.1 mm
- The exact reference number the seller claims, written down
- A phone that records 240 fps slow motion video
- A bright, movable light source for raking light
How to inspect a first copy, step by step
- Write down the reference number the seller quotes and compare it against the reference on AP's own product page.
- Ask for a 10x macro photo of the tourbillon cage at 6 o'clock, shot straight on, not at an angle.
- Look at the cage arms in that photo and check for tool marks, uneven polishing and burrs on the inner edges.
- Ask for a dial photo in raking light so you can see whether the tapisserie squares have depth or look stamped flat.
- Measure the case across the bezel with calipers and confirm it reads close to 41 mm.
- Measure case thickness at the center of the caseback and compare it to the figure AP publishes.
- Record the running watch in 240 fps slow motion and count the tourbillon cage rotations over 60 seconds.
- Check the gap between the bezel and the case, which should be even all the way around with no step.
- Inspect the bracelet link bevels under the loupe and confirm the brushed grain runs in one direction.
- Ask for a live video call with the watch and a clock in frame so you can confirm it is the same piece you were shown.
- Ask the seller to confirm the return window and the return shipping cost in writing before you pay.
Red flags in listings
- Photos that are all at the same angle, with none of the tourbillon cage straight on
- A price far below the rest of the first copy market for the same reference
- No macro shots of the dial or the caseback
- A seller who refuses a live video call
- Case thickness claimed without a caliper photo
- Stock photos pulled from AP's site used as the listing image
After you receive it
Wear the watch for a few days before you decide. A flying tourbillon copy with a rough cage will show it in the timing: check the rate against a phone clock over 24 hours. Keep the watch away from strong magnets, including tablet covers and speaker grilles. Wind it at the same time each day if it is a manual-wind build, and set the date only when the hands are clear of the 9 to 3 zone. Wipe the case and bracelet with a soft microfiber cloth after wear, since sweat collects in the link gaps and dulls the brushed finish.