Short answer
Replica listings for the Audemars Piguet ref 14791 describe a 36 mm Royal Oak with an integrated steel bracelet, a tapisserie dial, and a date window at 3 o'clock. Asking prices run from about $150 to $1,200. No replica uses an Audemars Piguet calibre. Public documentation for the exact 14791 reference is thin, so most sellers copy specs from the 14790 generation.
What the reference is
Audemars Piguet released the Royal Oak in 1972. The 14790 generation arrived in the early 1990s. Reported specs for that case family: 36 mm across, about 8 mm thick, octagonal bezel, eight hex screws, integrated bracelet. The 14790 used calibre 2225, a Jaeger-LeCoultre 889 base at 4 Hz (28,800 vph). The 14791 shares the case and bracelet architecture. Audemars Piguet does not publish an archive page for every reference number, and the 14791 is one of the gaps. Any published spec sheet is secondhand.
What replica sellers list
- Case: 36 mm, 9 mm to 10 mm thick, 316L or 904L stainless steel
- Crystal: sapphire, single anti-reflective coating on the inside
- Dial: stamped or printed tapisserie grid, applied hour markers
- Movement: automatic at 28,800 vph, or quartz in the cheapest units
- Bracelet: integrated, butterfly or folding clasp
- Water resistance: listed at 50 m, not tested
Movement
Replica movements in this size class come in three groups. Seagull and Hangzhou automatic clones use a 28,800 vph beat and a 38 to 42 hour reserve. The Miyota 9015 is a Japanese option with the same beat. Quartz movements appear in units under $200. Sellers add engraved rotors and bridge plates to copy the look of the 2225. That finish is cosmetic. Screw heads, jewel count, and perlage differ from the genuine part.
Case, dial, and bracelet checks
- Measure the case. A 39 mm or 41 mm case is not a 14791.
- Count the bezel screws. Eight. Genuine screws have slots aligned in one direction.
- Check the date window. On the genuine watch it sits close to the rehaut under flat sapphire.
- Look at the end links. Gaps over 0.5 mm are a common defect.
- Ask for a caseback photo from the inside. Engraving depth matters more than font.
Price bands
Entry units: $150 to $300. Steel case, mineral glass in some units, quartz or a low-grade automatic. Mid tier: $300 to $600. Sapphire crystal, 316L steel, Miyota or Seagull automatic. Top tier: $600 to $1,200. 904L steel, closer case geometry, decorated movement, tighter bracelet fit. These numbers come from listed asking prices. Invoiced prices vary by seller and order size.
Legal position in the US
Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 2320. US Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit shipments under 19 U.S.C. § 1526. A seized package is destroyed, and the buyer gets no refund from the carrier. Sellers who ship into the US carry that risk, and so does the buyer.
What is not known
Audemars Piguet publishes no verified 14791 archive entry that this guide can cite. There is no public production count. There is no confirmed list of dial colors for the 14791. Replica sellers fill those gaps with copy from the 14790. Treat a spec claim with no source as unverified.