Here’s what to do when you need a Royal Oak fix on a budget. Check out these Audemars Piguet Royal Oak alternatives.
When I look at the evolution of the luxury watch industry, I view it in two separate eras. A time before the launch of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and a time after.
Put simply, it’s a cultural icon. Being so iconic, it’s natural that you don’t have to look far to spot an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak alternative.
There’s a lot of fascination and hype surrounding this watch. And, quite frankly, if you don’t “get it,” I’d have to ask if you even have a pulse.
I don’t own any Royal Oak watches, but if I did, I know I could never own enough of them. They come in several different case sizes, dial colors, and materials, and they’re all highly covetable.
For many watch enthusiasts like me, they’re out of my budget (ever so slightly. Ahem!). If I want to get my Royal Oak fix, I need to put my realistic head on and look at more affordable options.
While doing so, I thought I’d kill two birds with one stone and comprise this handy little list.
This selection is for like-minded souls who are shopping on a similar budget to me. It ranges from budget to mid-range models, each resembling the cultural sports watch of the 1970s.
Table of Contents
Why Should You Get an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Alternative?
Are you big on your luxury watches? If so, you shouldn’t need me to list all the desirable features of the world’s most popular sports watch. Still, I’ll go there — briefly.
Royal Oaks epitomizes the archetypal integrated bracelet steel sports watch. Few watches on the market carry such an exciting history and backstory. The history of Audemars Piguet is truly fascinating.
They feature octagonal case structures, hobnail-patterned dial surfaces, and eight hexagonal-shaped screws bolted onto their bezels. Let’s not forget the integrated steel bracelet, either.
These features sound simple and unadventurous on paper, but they sing to a different tune on the wrist.
You see, a somewhat legendary guy named Gerald Genta created the Royal Oak. You may recognize the name since he did more than design this icon alone.
History of the AP Royal Oak
The story of the Royal Oak’s birth went a little like this:
4 pm April 10th, 1970: AP approached Genta, and the brief was simple. “We need a steel sports watch that no one has ever seen before, and we need it quick!”. In AP parlance, “quick” means tomorrow morning!
Gerald got to work, creating a sketch that eschewed the norms. It didn’t feature the traditional round case or look contemporary.
This unconventional design took inspiration from a deep-sea diver’s helmet. It took its name from British Royal Navy vessels, keeping in line with its aquatic theme.
Here’s the weirdest part of the story. The Royal Oak wasn’t even an instant success. It was odd-looking. Different, in fact. But pretty soon, collectors began to catch on, and it became the world’s most popular sports watch, dominating the era.
Since then, the Royal Oak’s popularity has grown even further, and so has its price. That said, there are some affordable options. (Here are some of the cheapest Audemars Piguet watches.)
Now that you can appreciate the appeal of the AP Royal Oak, let’s look at some affordable alternatives.
The Best Mid-Range Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Alternatives
I’m kick-starting this list with some super cool mid-range options. You may have to part with a little more cash than the budget options shown in this guide. But for what each watch offers, they’re still absolute steals.
Maurice Lacroix Aikon
The Maurice Lacroix Aikon captures the Royal Oak’s no-nonsense, durable sports watch style. It has to be one of the best alternatives in the mid-range bracket on the current market.
This model, presented in shades of chocolate and latte brown, measures 42mm in diameter. It takes inspiration from the brand’s earlier Calypso watch of the 1990s and features a bronze chiseled bezel.
A sapphire crystal glass front protects an indulgent brown textured dial in the Clous de Paris decoration. Rose gold hands and indexes add a super luxurious touch, too!
Baume et Mercier Riviera
Audemars Piguet blew the walls off horological mastery in the 1970s with the Royal Oak. Perhaps Baume et Mercier didn’t get quite the same recognition when it released the Riviera in 1973. Still, the watch shares some very similar features.
The slender lines and twelve-sided bezel of this Riviera are hard to resist. It communicates a clean and mature design for purists. And for $30k cheaper in some instances, its affordable price is the cherry on the top!
Recently, Baume et Mercier began venturing into sapphire glass dials, adding a new dimension to this sports watch. Capturing all the hallmarks of the original 1973 Riviera, modern iterations like this include an automatic movement and sapphire caseback.
You can also glimpse the movement and date wheel through this 42mm model’s blue see-through dial.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato
The Laureato watch by Girard-Perregaux is a gem of a sports watch. The design boasts an unmissable raised octagonal bezel and an incredibly slim quartz movement, giving the watch its slight dimensions.
I’m in love with the color scheme of this Royal Oak Audemars Piguet alternative. The reference 81010-52-3333-1CM is a 42mm model with an 18ct rose gold case.
The dial is a stunning sage green color that appears to change shade in different lights. I think you’ll agree that the Laureato dial looks very similar to Audemars Piguet’s famous “Grande Tapisserie” dial.
For its price, you can’t grumble at an in-house movement, either. Girard-Perregaux fully assembles, manufactures, and designs the GP01800 at its ateliers. It also shows Cotes de Geneva decoration through a sapphire caseback.
Feice Azure Heritage
The Feice Azure Heritage ref FM019 fully borrows from the AP Royal Oak’s design. It takes on the porthole-inspired look of the bezel with eight hexagonal screws.
This is one of many Chinese homage watches and is well within a reasonable price range. It even has a stepped bezel and legible paddle hands. Turn the case to the side, and you will appreciate horizontal brushing across the surface.
This adds more detail and dimension to the design. Plus, you get the double indexes at 12 o’clock, sitting against a textured dial.
At a glance, you could say this Grande Tapisserie-like dial is almost a clone of the original. Feice also equips this Azure Heritage with an integrated steel bracelet to finish the job nicely.
Budget-Friendly Royal Oak Alternatives
OK, maybe you don’t have a couple thousand dollars to splash out on an AP Royal Oak alternative. That’s OK.
Check out these even cheaper options from world-recognized budget watch brands.
Cadisen Automatic
While the Royal Oak heavily influences the Cadisen Automatic (just look at that octagonal bezel), it comes with its own cool set of specifications.
The Cadisen Automatic has a minimalistic dial with a single 12 o’clock baton, setting it apart from many other like-for-like designs.
In ways, this makes the dial even cleaner and more legible than watches like the Feice Azure Heritage. The bracelet also looks far less technical too.
Affordable, minimalist, and sturdy, this automatic sports watch has a softly faceted bezel and generous lume on the dial elements. A Hardlex front keeps costs down and protects a rich blue dial from scratches and dust.
Citizen Men’s Sport
The great thing about the Citizen Men’s Sport being so cheap is that you can wear it for work or play. In fact, it’s just a great all-rounder watch.
This sports-focussed watch in stainless steel features the faceted bezel that many collectors love about the Royal Oak. Add to that an H-link bracelet and a 100-meter water-resistant rating, and you have a rugged, durable daily companion.
Citizen watches are a great recommendation anyway, regardless of whether or not you’re looking for a Royal Oak alternative.
This model offers Citizen watch’s eco-drive technology, guaranteeing superior precision. It is sustainable by light power and promises continual battery power as opposed to having to replace a quartz battery.
This Citizen Men’s Sport watch boasts a stunning deep green textured dial with luminous appliques and a crisp date window.
Festina
The Festina reference F16757/7 is more of a Royal Oak Offshore alternative since it’s a chronograph complication. Still, it packs a ton of sportiness and exudes luxury with its rose gold-colored dial elements.
The 41.5mm steel model shows the time on a black dial under mineral glass. Whether you’re looking for functionality or elegance, this watch ticks both boxes.
For under $100, you can enjoy a reliable Japanese quartz movement and a robust steel bracelet with a double pusher. The chronograph counters at 2, 6, and 10 o’clock offer a 24-hour, small second, and 30-minute totalizer.
In terms of value for money, Festina has to be one of the best brands offering a Royal Oak alternative right now.
Timex Essex Avenue
I can’t create a list of great budget-friendly watches without including Timex. Luckily, the brand does offer something similar to the Royal Oak. The Timex Essex Avenue watch is large.
But if you’re looking for a Royal Oak alternative, that’s something you have to consider. Most of AP’s Royal Oak watches are large in size and wrist presence.
This 44mm steel model with a striking green dial gives the sports watch an unusual selling point. It also has a day-date feature, so you can track the days of the month on this legible dial.
Above all, this Timex watch is durable and has great build quality for its price tag. Its octagonal bezel and brushed finish are clear giveaways of its Royal Oak-like design.
Casio Edifice
The Casio Edifice is probably the brand’s closest take on the Royal Oak. It’s not exactly a clone, but that’s quite understandable since Casio doesn’t tend to do homage watches.
Casio has a design language of its own, yet the Edifice has some subtle Royal Oak characteristics. Its softly carved bezel is round, but it does have four screws integrated into its surface.
It’s more the dial where you start to see elements of the Royal Oak style shine through. This black dial features luminous baton hour markers and a date window at 3 o’clock. Casio experts choose a strong sapphire glass to protect a textured charcoal black dial.
I like the shots of turquoise in this Casio watch. And while it’s not the strongest Royal Oak look-a-like, it’s a neat watch to own.
Christopher Ward the Twelve
The Christopher Ward The Twelve watch isn’t for everyone. In some lights, the dial effect looks slightly like a hologram, and the hour markers aren’t exactly Royal Oak style.
Still, The Twelve retails for around the $100 mark and can pair easily with elegant attire and casual clothing. I like the tonneau shape of this watch. It allows the faceted edges of the bezel to stand out with a little more prominence.
Strength and robustness are solid guarantees, too, since this steel model features an integrated bracelet that gives it some beefiness. With its 1970s sport-esque styling, you can easily pass this watch off as a five-figure sports watch.
However, the “Twelve”-sided bezel is where Christopher Ward shows off some of its identity. The watch also features a classic Sellita movement and guarantees a 38-hour power reserve!
FAQs
Take a look at these FAQs if you’re serious about finding a Royal Oak alternative.
Which watch looks like Royal Oak?
Many watches look like the Royal Oak. Those closely resembling the iconic sports watch will feature an octagonal bezel, textured dial, and integrated bracelet.
What Casio is similar to the Royal Oak?
The Casio Edifice is the watch that resembles the Royal Oak the most. Its dial is clean, and its similar-looking screws bolted to its surface.
Is Audemars Piguet Royal Oak a good investment?
The Royal Oak watch from Audemars Piguet is one of the best investment pieces you can pick up on the luxury watch market.
This covetable design comes in several iterations, each one holding its value well. In many cases, a Royal Oak watch will appreciate in value.
The Takeaway
So, there you have it — a guide to the market’s best Audemars Piguet Royal Oak alternatives. You’ve seen that you can get the basic look and feel of an AP Royal Oak without breaking the bank.
While your alternative might not be exactly like the original, it can help give you an idea if you like this watch style. Then, you might decide to start saving up for the real McCoy.
The great thing is that there are so many options out there. From mid-range options to budget-friendly choices, you have a great deal of designs to choose from.
Did I leave anything out? Comment below to let me know what you own and tell me what you love so much about it.
