Quick answer
A replica Audemars Piguet Millenary Tourbillon is a copy of AP's oval-case tourbillon watch. Listings quote a 47 mm x 42 mm oval case, a Chinese tourbillon movement, steel with gold plating, and sapphire glass. Street prices run from about $250 to $1,100. The genuine watch sells in the six-figure USD range. No copy matches the hand finishing, the gold content, or the AP caliber.
The genuine Millenary Tourbillon
AP introduced the Millenary line in 1995. The case is oval, not round. The dial sits offset to the right. The movement stays visible on the left. Tourbillon references put a one-minute cage in view.
Case size on most references lands near 47 mm by 42 mm. Thickness and lug shape change by reference. AP does not use a single caliber across the line. The caliber number changes with the reference and the year. Check the caseback engraving or the AP archive for the exact number. Genuine retail prices sit in the six-figure USD range. Secondary prices move with reference, metal, and condition.
What the copies contain
- Case: 316L or 904L steel with gold plating. Plating on most copies measures 3 to 5 microns. "Gold wrapped" listings claim more. Lab checks on that claim are uncommon.
- Case size: listed at 47 mm x 42 mm. Caliper readings land between 45 mm and 49 mm.
- Weight: gold has a density of 19.3 g/cm3. Steel sits near 7.9 g/cm3. A plated steel case weighs much less than a solid gold case of the same size.
- Crystal: sapphire on the front with better copies, mineral glass with cheap ones. Caseback glass varies the same way.
- Water resistance: 30 m at best. Crown gaskets on copies leak. Keep one out of water.
Movements
A real tourbillon rotates the balance and escapement inside a cage, one full turn per minute. That part carries the cost.
Working tourbillon copies use Chinese tourbillon movements. The Seagull ST8000 family is the common base. Beat rate is 21,600 vibrations per hour on that family. Power reserve lands near 40 to 46 hours. Hand winding is standard.
Many listings show an open-heart dial with a spinning rotor or a visible balance wheel. That part is not a tourbillon. A balance wheel swings back and forth. A tourbillon cage rotates. Look for a full cage that completes one turn each minute.
Genuine AP tourbillon calibers carry hallmarks, perlage, polished bevels, and hand-applied anglage. Copies show machined edges and printed text.
Price bands
- $200 to $350: automatic open-heart, no tourbillon, mineral glass, plated case.
- $400 to $650: Chinese tourbillon, steel case, gold color plating, sapphire front.
- $700 to $1,100: better tourbillon, closer oval profile, cleaner dial print and strap.
Prices move with the seller, the factory name, and the exchange rate. The figures above come from listing ranges, not invoices.
Legal status in the US
US law bars the sale and import of counterfeit goods. 18 U.S.C. 2320 covers trafficking in counterfeit goods and marks. CBP seizes counterfeit watches at ports of entry. There is no personal-use exemption for trademarked counterfeit goods. A seizure can take the watch and the shipping paperwork.
Checks before you buy
- Ask for caliper photos of case width, length, and thickness.
- Ask for a 60-second video of the tourbillon cage running.
- Confirm the movement name and the beat rate.
- Ask for the plating type and thickness in microns.
- Check photos of the caseback engraving and the strap stamp.
- Get the return window in writing.
Unknowns: AP does not publish one full spec sheet that covers every Millenary tourbillon reference. Production counts are not public. Replica factory names change over time, and one name can cover different builds.