A fake Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars moon phase is a replica of AP's thin round dress watch that tracks the lunar cycle in a subdial above 6 o'clock, and that moon disc is the hardest detail to copy. Budget versions use a printed moon or a 24-hour day and night disc, while top-tier 1:1 replicas run a real 29.5-day lunar gear train. That single difference explains most of the price gap between a $90 copy and a $700 super clone.
What is the Jules Audemars moon phase?
The Jules Audemars line is Audemars Piguet's classic round dress family, built around ultra-thin automatic movements with hand-finished bridges. Moon phase versions combine the lunar subdial with a date display and, on some references, a power reserve indicator. Genuine cases run roughly 36 mm to 39 mm in yellow gold, rose gold, white gold, or platinum, with a sapphire display back.
How can you tell a fake Jules Audemars moon phase?
Start with the moon disc itself. Genuine discs show an engraved, crater-detailed moon over deep blue lacquer with applied gold stars, and the disc indexes forward once per lunar day. Replicas usually give themselves away with a flat printed moon, harsh white stars, or a sky that looks like a decal.
Then check the mechanical behavior over several days. A real moon phase advances at a steady crawl or one daily jump, while a day and night disc simply rotates a full turn every 24 hours. If the moon returns to the same spot the next night, the complication is fake even if the rest of the watch looks sharp.
- Dial texture: genuine guilloché is cut into the metal, copies often show printed or shallow stamping.
- Indexes and hands: applied gold markers and faceted hands sit flush on the real piece, replicas show glue lines or flat plating.
- Caseback: engraved reference numbers, hallmarks, and jewel counts should be crisp, with visible perlage and Geneva stripes on the movement.
- Thickness and weight: the genuine watch is slim, often 9 mm to 10 mm, and feels dense on the wrist.
What should you check on a 1:1 replica?
- Movement type: a decorated automatic with a working moon module beats a quartz or day and night disc every time.
- Case steel: 316L is common, 904L is closer to the genuine finish and takes polishing better.
- Gold plating: ask for micron thickness, since thin plating wears through at the lugs and crown.
- Crystal: sapphire with double anti-reflective coating, not mineral glass.
- Strap: alligator-embossed leather on a signed-style pin or deployant buckle.
How much do fake Audemars Piguet moon phase watches cost?
Three tiers dominate the market. Entry copies under $150 use quartz or a fake moon disc, mid-range automatics around $150 to $350 add a working lunar function with rough finishing, and 1:1 super clones from $400 to $900 get closest on dial texture, case profile, and movement decoration.
Frequently asked questions
Does the moon phase actually work on a replica?
On mid-range and high-end replicas, yes. The disc follows a 29.5-day cycle like the genuine complication, though accuracy drifts over months and needs resetting with the pusher or crown.
What size is the replica Jules Audemars moon phase?
Most copies follow the genuine 36 mm to 39 mm case diameter with a slim 9 mm to 11 mm profile, so they wear like a dress watch rather than a sports piece.
Are these replicas water resistant?
Typically 3 ATM to 5 ATM, which covers splashes and rain only. Do not swim or shower with one, since gasket quality varies by factory.
Which detail fails first on a cheap copy?
The moon disc and the dial texture. Both are visible at arm's length, so they expose a low-grade replica faster than the movement ever will.