A fake 7787BR is a copy of the Breguet Classique 7787BR, a rose gold automatic watch with a power reserve sector and a moon phase. Replica sellers price these copies from about $150 to $900. Genuine examples trade in the tens of thousands of dollars. The gap sits in the case metal, the dial work, and the movement.
What the Breguet 7787BR is
Breguet is a Swiss maker founded in 1775 and owned by the Swatch Group. The Classique 7787BR/12/9V6 uses an 18k rose gold case. Dealer listings put the diameter at 39 mm. The dial is silvered gold with engine-turned guilloché. Breguet lists caliber 591 DRL, an automatic movement with a 38-hour power reserve. The dial carries a power reserve sector and a moon phase aperture. The caseback is sapphire.
What a replica 7787BR is
Replica 7787BR watches copy the case shape, the dial layout, and the Breguet name. They do not copy the movement. Most use a third-party automatic from Asia. Sellers use terms such as "Swiss made," "1:1," and "mirror." Those terms have no fixed meaning. The same case can appear under several sellers.
Tells on a fake 7787BR
- Moon phase. A real moon phase advances once per synodic month, 29 days 12 hours 44 minutes. Cheap copies use a 24-hour disc that shows sun and moon.
- Power reserve. On a copy the sector does not move, or it moves with winding rather than with the mainspring.
- Guilloché. Engine-turned lines on the original are cut in a repeated pattern. Copies use stamped or printed patterns that fade under a loupe.
- Case thickness. Copies run thicker than the original because the movement is taller.
- Caseback. Engraving on copies is shallow. Reference numbers and serial numbers do not match Breguet records.
- Hands. Breguet hands have a hollow eccentric tip and a polished finish. Copies show a blunt tip and tool marks.
Movement
The genuine 7787BR uses calibre 591 DRL. Copies use a Miyota, a Seagull, or an unbranded Chinese automatic. Rotors on copies carry laser etching meant to look like Breguet finishing. The finish is cosmetic. Beat rate on most copies is 28,800 vph, the same as the original, so a timing machine does not separate them.
Price tiers
- $150 to $250. Stamped dial, mineral glass, 24-hour disc in the moon aperture, plated base metal case.
- $300 to $500. Steel case, sapphire crystal, printed guilloché, Miyota movement.
- $600 to $900. Better dial, a power reserve sector that appears to work, gold plating, decorated rotor.
No tier matches the original in case weight or dial depth. Rose gold has a density near 15 g/cm3. Gold plating is a few micrometres thick.
Legal status in the US
Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. 2320. US Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit watches at import, including shipments to a private address. Trademark holders can sue sellers for infringement. A buyer risks losing the watch at the border. A seller risks fines and prison.
Checks before you buy
Ask for the serial number. Ask for photos of the movement. Ask for the case thickness in mm. Ask for a video of the moon phase disc moving. A seller who refuses all four cannot be checked. No replica 7787BR carries a Breguet warranty. Breguet service centers do not work on copies and do not supply parts for them.