What is a fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 67651?
A fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 67651 is a counterfeit copy of AP's 33mm quartz Royal Oak, sold in stainless steel, pink gold, and diamond-set styles. The real watch keeps the octagonal bezel, eight exposed screws, and integrated bracelet of the Royal Oak line, but runs on a battery instead of a mechanical caliber. That mix of a famous design and a cheap movement makes the reference a frequent target for counterfeiters.
Why the 67651 gets copied so much
A quartz movement costs pennies to produce. Copies of automatic Royal Oaks need a decorated rotor and a movement plate that passes a glance, while a 67651 copy needs a battery and a hand stack.
- The 33mm case is small, so dial and bezel errors are hard to see without a loupe.
- Solid casebacks hide the movement, so no faker has to finish a rotor.
- Diamond-set genuine versions sell for a large multiple of the plain steel one, which leaves room for profit on copies.
- Most buyers never handle a real 67651, so they have nothing to compare.
How to spot a fake Royal Oak 67651
Start with the screws, work through the dial, then check the case and the caseback. These are the tells that show up on the replicas sold online and in tourist markets.
Bezel screws
Genuine Royal Oak screws sit flush with the bezel and use a single slot. Collectors look for the slot running parallel to the edge of the case, a detail that is hard to copy at low cost. Fakes show raised screw heads, Phillips or hex heads, slots pointing in random directions, and heads that sit above the bezel surface.
Dial and date window
The tapisserie dial is stamped with a grid of small pyramids. Real dials have sharp ridges and deep, even grooves, while copies look soft and shallow under a phone light. Check the date window next: the aperture should have beveled, polished edges, and the date font should match AP's narrow, squared numerals.
Case, bracelet, and finish
A real Royal Oak mixes brushed and polished surfaces with a hard line between them. Copies blur that line, and the bracelet links feel loose or show uneven gaps at the end links. Run a fingernail along the bevels: genuine edges catch and stay sharp.
Weight and caseback
Steel Royal Oaks feel dense for their size. A 33mm copy often feels light in the hand and rattles when you shake it near your ear. Caseback engraving is the next check: real engravings cut deep with crisp edges, while laser-etched copies look shallow and gray.
Movement
The genuine 67651 is quartz, so a display caseback on a 33mm Royal Oak is a warning sign. If the watch has a running seconds hand, watch the beat: quartz steps once per second, a mechanical movement sweeps. A smooth sweep on a watch sold as a 67651 means the movement inside is not original.
What do fake Royal Oak 67651 watches cost?
Replica pricing splits into three rough tiers.
- Market-stall quartz copies: about $40 to $120. Heavy dial printing errors, plated cases that wear through, and clasps that break.
- Mid-tier quartz copies: about $150 to $350. Better dial stamping and a closer case shape, but wrong screw slots and soft edges.
- High-end quartz copies: about $400 to $700. These get the case proportions close. The dial, the screws, and the caseback engraving still fail a side-by-side check.
Any copy priced above that range is charging for a story, not for quality.
Is buying or selling a fake Royal Oak 67651 legal in the US?
No. Counterfeit watches infringe Audemars Piguet's trademarks, and US customs officers seize counterfeit imports, including a single watch shipped to a private address. Selling counterfeits adds exposure under the Lanham Act and, for large operations, criminal charges under 18 U.S.C. section 2320.
There is a practical cost too. Audemars Piguet will not service a counterfeit, and independent watchmakers often refuse them as well. A $300 copy with a dead quartz movement becomes a paperweight.
Quick checks before you buy
- Compare the screw slots against the case edge.
- Look at the dial grid under direct light for soft, shallow pyramids.
- Weigh the watch and compare it with the listed weight for the reference.
- Ask for a photo of the caseback with the serial number visible.
- Check the price against the real market. A new 67651 for under $1,000 is not a bargain.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Royal Oak 67651 have an automatic movement?
No. The 67651 is the quartz Royal Oak, and AP lists it with a battery-powered caliber. Automatic 33mm Royal Oaks exist under other references, so a seller who calls a 67651 automatic has the details wrong or is hiding something.
How much does a real Royal Oak 67651 cost?
Genuine steel examples trade in the five-figure USD range on the secondary market, and pink gold or diamond-set versions go higher. Prices move with box, papers, and service history.
Can a jeweler spot a fake Royal Oak 67651?
Yes. Screw alignment, dial stamping depth, and caseback engraving take seconds to check under a loupe. A trained eye does not need to open the case.
What is the biggest giveaway on a fake 67651?
Bezel screws. They are the hardest part of the design to copy at low cost, and most fakes get the slot direction, the height, or the head shape wrong.
The short version
A fake 67651 is easy to buy and easy to catch. Check the screws, the dial grid, the weight, and the caseback, and most copies fall apart in under a minute.