The short answer
A fake Breguet automatic is a replica watch built to copy a Breguet model and fitted with a self-winding movement. Breguet is a Swiss house owned by the Swatch Group. The firm was founded in Paris in 1775. Automatic Breguet references include the Classique 5177, the Marine 5517, and the Type XX chronograph.
What an automatic movement does
An automatic movement winds itself from the motion of the wearer's arm. A rotor spins on a bearing and turns the mainspring. There is no battery. A crown wind is needed only after the watch sits unused. Power reserve on common automatics runs 38 to 80 hours.
Replica price tiers
- $60 to $150: quartz or low-grade automatic, mineral glass, printed dial markings.
- $150 to $350: entry automatic, often a Chinese copy of an ETA 2824 or Miyota design.
- $350 to $800: the 1:1 tier, sapphire crystal, decorated rotor, case sizes matched to the original.
Genuine Breguet automatics sit in five figures USD at retail. A replica at $800 is a copy of a watch that costs 20 to 30 times more.
Movements found in replicas
Most fake automatics use a Chinese calibre. Common families are the Seagull ST21, the Hangzhou 6300, and unbranded Miyota 9015 clones. A genuine Breguet Classique 5177 uses Calibre 777Q. Breguet fits silicon escapement parts to several automatic calibres. A replica has neither the silicon parts nor the hand finish.
Checks on the case and dial
- Case back: genuine Breguet engraves the reference number, the movement number, and gold hallmarks. Replicas laser-print a serial or leave it blank.
- Dial: Breguet numerals sit on hand-turned guilloche. Replicas print the pattern on a flat plate.
- Hands: Breguet hands carry a hollow ring near the tip. Copies use solid stamped hands.
- Movement finish: look for Cotes de Geneve stripes, perlage, and blued screws. Replicas show plain plates.
- Weight: an 18k gold case weighs more than a steel or plated copy.
Import law in the United States
Counterfeit watches are illegal to import into the US. US Customs and Border Protection seizes them at ports and by mail. Trafficking in counterfeit goods falls under 18 U.S.C. 2320. A buyer in the US can lose the watch and the money paid for it.
What to ask a seller
Ask for the movement name, the case material, the crystal type, and photos of the case back. A seller who cannot name the movement is selling a $60 watch at a $300 price. Ask about water resistance. Most replicas rate 3 ATM or less, which means splash resistance only.