A replica Breguet 7787 is a copy of the Breguet Classique 7787, a 39 mm rose-gold dress watch with a moon-phase display and a power-reserve indicator. The good copies get the case profile, the guilloché dial texture, and the open-tipped Breguet hands close to right. The bad ones fail on dial printing, complication placement, and the moon-phase disc. Judge a copy on dial layout first, case finishing second, movement behavior third.
The Genuine 7787 at a Glance
Use the original as your checklist. Anything a seller cannot match against these points is a shortcut you will see on the wrist.
- Case: about 39 mm in diameter, roughly 9 to 10 mm thick, 18k rose gold on the original.
- Movement: self-winding Breguet caliber 591 DRL, moon phase and power reserve, power reserve in the region of 38 hours.
- Dial: silvered guilloché, Roman numerals, a discreet secret signature, and a moon-phase aperture with a hand-finished disc.
- Case furniture: fluted caseband, welded lugs with fixed spring bars, sapphire crystal front and back.
- Water resistance: nominal only, rated around 30 m, which means no swimming.
How to Evaluate a Replica 7787
- Measure the case with calipers. Anything outside 38.5 to 39.5 mm changes the proportions and looks wrong next to a genuine 7787.
- Photograph the dial under direct light and zoom in. Check that Roman numerals sit level, that the minute track is continuous, and that printing is raised rather than flat ink.
- Look at the moon-phase aperture. On a proper copy the disc is a deep blue with defined stars and a clean moon; on a cheap one it is a printed sticker with washed-out color.
- Run the moon phase through a full cycle by setting it forward with the pusher or crown. It should advance in clean jumps, not drift or stick.
- Inspect the caseband with a loupe. The fluting should be cut, even, and sharp, not cast and rounded.
- Check the lugs and spring bars. Welded lugs with fixed bars are correct; loose drilled lugs with generic bars are a tell.
- Turn the watch over and read the caseback engraving. Lettering should be crisp and correctly spelled, and the movement should be visible through the sapphire.
- Wind it fully and let it sit. A working power reserve should hold most of its rated run; if it dies overnight, the mainspring or the gear train is a problem.
- Ask for a short video of the seconds hand and the moon phase in motion before you pay. A still photo hides a stuttering sweep.
Flaws That Should End the Deal
- Moon phase printed on a flat disc that does not rotate.
- Power-reserve hand that never moves or moves in the wrong direction.
- Roman numerals that are painted decals with visible edges.
- Case thickness well above 11 mm, which ruins the dress-watch profile.
- Rose-gold plating that shows yellow brass at the lug edges.
- Caseback text with spelling errors or the wrong reference number.
Price Bands and What They Buy
- Entry tier: quartz or basic automatic, printed dial, non-working complications. Buy only as a costume piece.
- Mid tier: automatic with a working moon phase and a decorated rotor, decent plating, dial flaws visible under a loupe.
- Top tier: clone-style movement, proper guilloché stamping, sharp caseband, solid moon-phase disc. Expect to pay several hundred dollars and to receive real photos.
Legal and Practical Notes
Replica watches are counterfeit goods. Selling them is illegal in the United States, and US Customs can seize shipments at the border. There is no manufacturer warranty and no service network, so any repair falls to a local watchmaker who is willing to touch it. Buy from a seller who shows the actual watch in hand, accepts a return window, and does not hide behind stock photos.