The Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar 26574 replica is a complex watch with numerous functions. In the replica market, few factories produce this watch. Previously, only the APS factory made a replica of this model. While the quality was good, it had a notable flaw: the central hand with an arrow tip, which on the genuine watch indicates the current week of the year, functioned as a sweeping seconds hand on the APS replica. Recently, BBR factory has addressed this issue and corrected all functions. However, the question remains: is it worth buying the BBR replica immediately? I don’t think so.
The AP 26574 is a highly complicated watch, and even the genuine model has a high repair rate due to its movement. Therefore, it’s unrealistic to expect the newly released BBR replica to function flawlessly without any issues. The replica needs to be tested thoroughly. If there are few complaints, it may then be a good time to purchase one. Currently, I still recommend choosing the APS factory replica, despite its major flaw with the hand.
I have watched several video reviews of this new replica watch. One or two dealers mentioned that BBR’s quality control is lacking, with some minor issues present. Achieving full functionality on the replica required significant modifications to the movement, which could result in less stability and more future problems. Although APS made an error with the hand, the functions and movement have been tested and proven stable. Both BBR and APS use the Miyota 9015 as a base movement. The BBR replica measures 11.5mm in thickness, while the APS replica is only 10.5mm thick, which is closer to the thickness of the genuine watch.
The functions, including time, date, month, week, and moon phase, can be easily adjusted. Pulling out the crown to the second position adjusts the central “week” hand. Pulling out the crown to the last position and rotating it adjusts the time, and as the hour hand moves, the moon phase indicator, small date hand, and small week hand will also move accordingly. Additionally, there are several buttons on the case for quick adjustments to specific functions, but these should not be used too frequently. Adjustments should be made between 6 AM and 2 PM to avoid potential damage. There are various dial colors available—check the pictures below for options.
