Short answer
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 26331 is a 41 mm chronograph that AP built from 2017 to 2022. Fakes of it come in three tiers: quartz, Valjoux 7750 based, and modified clone movements. The 7750 tier is the most common. Those watches measure 2 mm to 4 mm thicker than the real case, and a subdial at 12 o'clock gives them away. A real 26331 carries counters at 3, 6 and 9 o'clock only.
audemars piguet royal oak chrono 26331 replica
What the 26331 is
- Case: 41 mm stainless steel, rose gold, or yellow gold. Thickness about 11 mm.
- Movement: calibre 2385, an automatic integrated chronograph built on the Frederic Piguet 1185 base. Column wheel and vertical clutch. Power reserve about 40 hours.
- Dial: Grande Tapisserie grid, applied hour markers, counters at 3, 6 and 9.
- Bracelet: integrated, tapering links, AP folding clasp.
- Production: 2017 to 2022. Replaced by the reference 26240.
How to tell a fake
- Subdial position. A stock 7750 puts a counter at 12 o'clock. The 26331 does not have one there. This is the first check.
- Thickness. Measure the case with calipers. A 7750 build reads 13 mm to 15 mm. The real watch reads about 11 mm.
- Movement finish. The 2385 shows Geneva stripes and polished bevels. A 7750 shows stamped parts and a plain rotor.
- Dial texture. Real Tapisserie squares have sharp walls and a matte top. Fake dials have shallow squares and soft edges.
- Caseback engraving. Reference numbers, serials, and the AP logo are cut deep on a real case. Fakes use a light etch and the wrong font.
- Bracelet bevels. The break between brushed and polished surfaces is crisp on the real watch. Fakes show rounded edges.
- Chronograph feel. The 2385 pushers start and reset with a short, firm stroke. A 7750 feels soft and the reset can jump.
Prices
The 26331 is discontinued. Steel examples on the secondary market trade above the original retail price of about $25,000, with blue and black dials at the top of the range. Replica sellers list 7750 versions from about $200 to $600. Clone versions cost more. Neither holds value.
Legal note for US buyers
Counterfeit watches are illegal to import, sell, or traffic in the United States under 18 U.S.C. Section 2320. US Customs and Border Protection can seize a shipment, and the buyer can lose the money. A replica carries no manufacturer warranty and no service support from Audemars Piguet.