Short answer
No. A counterfeit Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept sold as a 25979 is not a good purchase. The reference number does not appear in AP's published catalog, the Concept line depends on a hand-finished openworked movement that no replica workshop reproduces, and importing a counterfeit watch into the United States exposes the buyer to seizure and civil penalties. What you get is a cosmetic case with a generic movement inside, priced well above the value of its parts.
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Why the 25979 number is the first warning
Audemars Piguet catalogs the Royal Oak Concept line under references such as 25980 for the original 2002 Concept, with later pieces under 26265, 26267 and similar numbers. A seller who lists 25979 is either misquoting a real reference or inventing one. Either way you cannot verify the watch, cannot price it against a genuine sale, and cannot trace service history. Counterfeit sellers rotate fabricated numbers because no genuine record exists to contradict them.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept 25979 vs 26579: Which Reference Wins?
Where replicas of the Concept fail
- Movement: the genuine Concept uses an in-house openworked caliber with tourbillon or GMT complications. Replicas carry a decorated stock movement behind a fake bridge plate.
- Case materials: forged carbon, ceramic and sapphire parts are costly to machine. Copies use coated steel or resin.
- Finishing: hand chamfering, black polishing and perlage do not survive a close look under a loupe.
- Water resistance: a caseback sealed in a replica workshop is not rated, so swimming with one risks a flooded movement.
- Service: few independent watchmakers stock parts for a counterfeit case, so a broken pusher can mean a dead watch.
Legal and delivery risks in the US
Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal offense under 18 U.S.C. 2320, and CBP officers detain and destroy counterfeit watches arriving by mail. You lose the money and the watch. Domestic resale is a separate offense, which is why counterfeits sell at a deep discount on the secondhand market and stay there.
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How to evaluate one before you pay
- Ask the seller for the exact reference number and a photo of the caseback engraving.
- Check that reference against the Audemars Piguet catalog and a completed-sales archive.
- Request a timed video of the movement running with the caseback off.
- Compare the pusher layout and dial aperture against official product photos.
- Ask for the caliber number and confirm it exists in AP's own documentation.
- Walk away if the seller refuses any of the above.
What the money actually buys
At typical replica prices you can buy a well-finished steel sports watch from a legitimate brand, with a warranty, a service network and resale value. That is a better watch and a better asset than a copy of a watch that was never cataloged under that number.