A replica Audemars Piguet Edward Piguet is a copy of a discontinued rectangular dress watch line made by Audemars Piguet and named after Edward Auguste Piguet, the brand's co-founder. Genuine Edward Piguet pieces are uncommon on the secondary market, so the replica audemars piguet edward piguet category draws buyers who want the case shape and dial layout without paying vintage-luxury prices. Quality ranges from simple quartz copies to automatic replicas built around a cloned movement.
What the Edward Piguet Line Actually Is
Audemars Piguet built its reputation on ultra-thin dress watches long before the Royal Oak arrived in 1972. The Edward Piguet collection continued that tradition with rectangular and tonneau cases, slim profiles, and restrained dials. Models in the family included chronographs, perpetual calendars, skeleton pieces, and tourbillons. Case shapes varied between a long rectangle and a softer cushion-style tonneau, and most examples used leather straps rather than bracelets.
As the brand concentrated its catalog around the Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore, the Edward Piguet line was phased out. That matters for anyone shopping for a replica: there is no current production reference, so most copies are based on archived photos and secondhand listings rather than on a watch the factory could study in a boutique.
Why This Line Is a Difficult Replica Category
- Rectangular cases are hard to machine. A curved, stepped case with proper bevels is far more complex than a round case, and cheaper replicas often show soft edges and uneven polishing.
- Low demand limits supply. Fewer factories bother with Edward Piguet copies than with Royal Oak copies, so the market has fewer sellers and less competition on quality.
- Reference material is thin. With the line discontinued, makers work from limited imagery, which shows up in dial proportions and font details.
- Dress watches are unforgiving. Thin cases and clean dials leave nowhere to hide small errors.
Quality Tiers You Will Encounter
Entry tier. Quartz movements, plated cases, mineral glass, and printed dials. These are the cheapest and the least convincing up close.
Mid tier. Automatic movements, sapphire crystal, and a case with some hand finishing. Dial printing is usually decent, but subdial spacing and date fonts often drift from the original.
High tier. A clone or modified automatic movement, solid case construction, applied markers, and closer dial geometry. This is where most of the money goes, and the differences between sellers are mostly in case finishing and strap quality.
What to Inspect Before You Buy
- Case profile: the side view should show a thin, even case with clean bevels, not a slab.
- Dial layout: subdial and date positions should match archive photos of the reference being copied.
- Hands and markers: length, shape, and finish matter more than any logo detail.
- Crystal: sapphire should be standard at mid tier and above.
- Strap and buckle: alligator-grain leather and a signed-style buckle are common tells on cheap builds.
- Caseback: engraving depth and font placement are easy to compare against reference images.
Legal and Practical Risks
Counterfeit watches are illegal to import into the United States, and shipments can be seized and destroyed. Selling replicas as genuine is trademark infringement and can lead to civil and criminal penalties. Beyond the law, buyers should expect no manufacturer service, no warranty, and effectively no resale value. Audemars Piguet will not service or authenticate a counterfeit, and an independent watchmaker may struggle to source parts for a cloned movement.
Price Expectations
Entry quartz copies sit in the low hundreds of dollars. Mid-tier automatics typically land a few hundred dollars higher, and the best-built copies can run into the high hundreds or beyond. Genuine Edward Piguet pieces trade for many thousands on the secondary market, so a listing claiming an authentic watch at a replica price is a warning sign, not a bargain.
Alternatives Worth a Look
If the appeal is the rectangular dress-watch shape rather than the AP name, several legitimate options exist. The Cartier Tank and Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso are the classic references in this space, and both have long production histories with serviceable movements. Vintage rectangular watches from Longines, Omega, and Seiko deliver the same silhouette for far less, and independent microbrands now offer slim rectangular automatics at accessible prices.
The Short Version
A replica Audemars Piguet Edward Piguet can look convincing at a glance, and the best examples get the case proportions and dial layout reasonably close. What you cannot replicate is the movement, the finishing standards, the service network, or the legal standing. Buy with clear expectations about all four.