The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar reference 25659 belongs to one of watchmaking's most complicated families, and there is no legal replica of it. Listings that use this reference number usually describe a generic calendar watch in an octagonal Royal Oak–style case, sold through overseas sites or social-media sellers. Before you spend anything, it helps to know what the original is, what the fakes actually contain, and the legal risk that comes with them.
Key Features
- A true perpetual calendar complication that tracks day, date, month, moon phase and leap years without manual correction
- Gérald Genta's octagonal bezel with eight visible hexagonal screws, a Royal Oak signature since 1972
- A textured tapisserie dial, produced on specialised engine-turned machinery
- Solid gold, platinum or two-tone cases with hand-finished bevels and brushed surfaces
- A hand-finished mechanical movement with Geneva stripes, circular graining and a signed rotor
- Small production runs, with individual references recorded in the brand's own heritage archives
- A verifiable serial number, factory service history and a genuine manufacturer warranty
What materials and specs do “replica” versions actually use?
Counterfeit versions of this reference are normally brass or zinc-alloy cases with gold plating that wears through at the lugs. The calendar apertures are often printed or painted on rather than mechanically driven, and the movement is usually a low-grade automatic or quartz unit with a decorated rotor cover. Fonts, dial texture, screw heads, crown threading and caseback engraving rarely match the original, and the weight and case proportions feel noticeably wrong in the hand compared with a solid precious-metal case.
Is buying a fake Royal Oak perpetual calendar legal?
Not in the United States. Counterfeit trademarked goods are illegal to import, and shipments can be seized and destroyed, with civil penalties possible for the buyer. Reselling one carries additional exposure.
What about shipping, returns and warranty from replica sellers?
Replica sellers typically operate outside consumer-protection rules. Returns are rarely honoured, orders are frequently seized in transit, and there is no serviceable movement or warranty behind the watch, so repairs usually mean replacing it outright.
How can you tell a fake from a genuine one?
Confirm that the calendar actually advances correctly, inspect the movement through the display back, compare case proportions, dial texture and engraving against documented examples, and have the watch authenticated by a qualified watchmaker or the manufacturer before purchase. The safest route remains an authorised dealer, a reputable auction house or a specialist dealer with verifiable provenance.