Being a huge Audemars Piguet fan I decided to get a new genuine silver 15400st shortly after I received a blue and silver BP maker rep a few months ago.
The size is just a perfect balance between sporty and dressy.
A classy sportswatch if you like
Perfect with both jeans and T-shirt and a suite.
I have been wearing high end reps (and some gens) for lots of years now and no one ever notice any of my watches.
But when I started to wear my 15400 reps all of sudden I got compliments almost daily, even from strangers witch is quite unusual in Sweden
Not that it matters but don’t we all just love compliments now and then, I know I do :lol:
So there is something about these Royal Oak’s that just ooze elegance and understated class.
Gerald Genta [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Genta] know what he was doing when he designed this iconic shape.
Enough talk, lets begin.
There are two reps out, this BP maker and “Angus new maker” (we have to come up with a new name by the way).
There is a third makers 15400 in the pipeline, Angus miyota movement version.
Last I heard it will be released in couple of months but since that is rep-months it will probably be 6 months?
I have not had Angus new makes one in hand, I have only seen pics of it so its hard for me to make any fair judgment.
But from what I have seen I prefer the BP to be honest, simply because the flaws are less then on Angus one.
-BP has the correct dial logo with “something” between the A and P (on the gen there is laser engraving)
-BP has the correct hour markers with gen like thin lume.
-BP has the correct large date numbers that almost fill out the date window.
-BP silver dial have the (almost) correct off white date wheel background color. (I think Angus version is updated with it?)
-BP have better bezel screws that have flatter heads and is a bit sunken into the bezel.
But as far as I understand Angus new maker have better dials, sheen and Tapisseries.
Your choice what you prefer of course and I’m sure these both models will be updated in the future, the BP already updated to polished rehaut.
On my BP in this review I have polished the rehaut myself:
http://forum.replica-watch.info/vb/showthread.php/new-bp-maker-151893?t=151893
Even thou the reps are quite good they don’t look anywhere near the gen when you have them side by side.
The fit, finish and quality on the gen are very hard to replicate for the money we are paying for the reps.
Most have to do with tolerances in my opinion.
There are no gaps or uneven surfaces on the gen while the rep bezel screws don’t quite fill out the hexagon shape completely for instance.
I don’t think the rep makers would have any problem to achieve gen quality but the question is would we be willing to pay for it?
Lets say they start to only accept tolerances that the gen makers do, that would mean that maybe 3 out of 5 cases have to be thrown away and that will triple the rep prices.
The saying when viewing someone’s QC pics:
“It’s a $400 rep, not a gen” is somewhat the wrong statement in my opinion.
It would be more correct to say:
It’s a $400 rep, not a $1200 rep
Sorry for the slightly OT rant, back on track!
First of, finish
The shine and color of the case is different.
On the rep the metal look kind of yellowish (hard to capture in pics) while on the gen it look steel grey and the brushing makes the gen look like it have a satin finish that the rep lacks.
Thickness
The rep is much thicker as can be seen mostly on the caseback that are almost double in size.
Dials
The dial on the gen are more silver then the white BP rep and gen have lots more shine to it. It’s a bit like a pearl when the light hits the gen.
Some of this have to do with the Tapisseries (see below) that gives it a slight sunburst effect.
Tapisseries
Tapisseries, 'Clous de Paris' guilloché is one of these watches main features and since 2012 its made in-house by Audemars Piguet.
Today there are three kinds of Tapisseries:
Mega Tapisseries – ROO’s and Diver
Grande Tapisseries – RO and ROC (15300/15400, 26300/26320)
Petite Tapisseries – Royal Oak 15202 Extra-thin
(This is the short version, there are other models I have not included.)
I can really recommend this video (watch in HD) how it’s made on a near 100 year old machine.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0uW37FnCLM"]Audemars Piguet - Making a Royal Oak Dial with Tapisserie Pattern - YouTube[/ame]
Here is a great in depth article explaining the different Tapisseries:
http://www.watchcollectinglifestyle.com/home/macros-royal-oak-dials-different-types-of-tapisseries
The Tapisseries is of course not as detailed on the rep as it is on the gen, but to be honest it looks quite good anyway.
Hour markers
The BP rep, while better then Angus new maker, is not quite like gen.
First of the white gold on the gen sparkle a lot more then the plasic (?) one on the rep and reflect light different.
There is also some overspill of lume in the rep, but to be honest that can not be seen with the naked eye but it enhances the lesser finish and overall quality. Its not helped by the dirty rep markers..
The flat top section of the gen is ever so slightly narrower.
Dial logo
First off, the logo is a bit crooked on my rep as they unfortunate mostly are.
There are other difference as you can see.
The inner triangle of the A have a rounded top on the gen while the rep have it flat and the bar on the A is lower on the gen.
The two letters are wider on the gen.
The space between the two letters are filled with some paint or something on the rep and the gen have that space laser engraved.
Dial print
The printed text have a good font on the rep but its too thin, except the “Audemars Piguet” at the top that are to thick for some strange reason.
Date
Date window frame have the wrong appearance on the rep and it should be more “square” and be more close to the edges of the double numbers.
Date font is slightly off and are a bit too bold on the rep.
Date wheels background color is a few shades darker on the rep compared to gen.
Due to the movement the date wheel is a bit sunken on the rep and perfect flat up against the dial on the gen.
The gen date numbers are actually “sausage” and raised. A bit like sausage lume on some Panerai’s (like 000/005). On the rep they are just printed flat.
Hard to make out in pics but here is a close up of the gen sausage date numbers.
Hands
The hands on the rep are very good in shape. Only the lume is a bit too wide compared to gen.
The centre post is unfinished metal on the rep while the gen have it highly polished.
Reps seconds hand is a mm too short.
The shine from the gens white gold hands are hard to replicate with dirty steel..
Bezel screws
On the gen the bezel screws are slightly sunken into the bezel and the heads are perfect flat.
The screws look to be poured into the bezel, that’s the small tolerances I talked about in my opening text.
The reps screws are also sunken but they are not even, some are more sunken then others, and the cut outs are uneven as well. The edges of the reps screw heads are a bit rounded and there is some gap screw/hexagon holes..
The slot for the screwdriver is thinner on the gen, wider on the rep.
Gens white gold screws have a warmer tone to them and reflect light different to the reps polished steel.
Crown
Rep crown is slightly thicker but not by much.
On the gen the engraved AP logo is in line with the hexagon shape while the rep have it engraved “crooked” and its not centred in the middle of the crown.
The round “face” of the crown are a bit larger in diameter on the rep.
On both gen and rep the face of the crown is brushed but on the rep its more shallow.
The engraving is good on the rep.
Bracelet
The rep bracelet is quite good with the correct polished areas but the fitment is nowhere near gens.
The bracelet on the rep is not stiff but it’s not as flexible as the gen as can be seen in below pics.
The screws on the gen is a delight to work with compared to the screws made out of cheese on the rep.
The clasp on the rep looks very close to gen and operates in the same way, only not as smooth as the gen. AP logo on the bracelet have a bit of thinner font on the rep.
Movement and caseback.
There is not much to say about this.
A standard Asian movement with a nice gold plated rotor vs. one of the best and most beautiful movement:
Audemars Piguet in-house caliber 3120.
22 carat gold monobloc oscillating weight, 21,600 bph (3Hz) of pure sex.
The “Royal Oak” engraving is much deeper on the gen and the serial number have thinner font on the gen (you have to take my word for it..)
The oscillating weight/rotor on the rep is a really nice touch from the sticker rotors we are used to but its not quite like gen..
Just some watch p0rn
Here is a video showing the rep 28,800 bph vs. the gen 21,600 bph, there is a slight stutter on the gen but to me there is not much of a difference. (Gen 21,600 bph on the right)
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOBkixffWhg"]15400 21600bph right - YouTube[/ame]
In closing,
The rep is a very nice and good replication until you get a gen next to it.
Then the flaws stand out but mostly the fit and finish is obviously lacking.
Is it unfair to compare a $400 rep to one of the best manufactures of high end horology?
Maybe, but remember that this is macro pictures and most of these flaws is hard to spot in arm length.
I was very happy with my two (silver and blue) BP reps until I got the gen so there is no reason you should not get these (or the other version) very good and good looking reps and save a ton of money.
But if you are going to save up and buy just one high end gen in your life I can not think of a better candidate then the iconic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.
Thank you for reading
/Klockis
