Short answer

Jaeger-LeCoultre sells the Rendez-Vous as a women's watch line. The line launched in 2012. Replica Rendez-Vous watches are made in China and sell for $60 to $600. None carry a Jaeger-LeCoultre movement. Bezels use cubic zirconia in place of diamonds on nearly every copy. In the United States, trafficking in these watches is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 2320.

What the real Rendez-Vous is

Jaeger-LeCoultre was founded in 1833 in Le Sentier, Switzerland. The company sits inside Richemont. The Rendez-Vous line uses round cases that measure 34 mm to 38.2 mm.

  • Rendez-Vous Classic: steel or gold, 34 mm case, Calibre 898A/1.
  • Rendez-Vous Night & Day: a 24-hour disc at 6 o'clock, Calibre 898A/1, 38-hour power reserve.
  • Rendez-Vous Moon: moon phase at 6 o'clock, Calibre 925, 43-hour power reserve.
  • Rendez-Vous Dazzling: diamonds set on the bezel and the case sides.
  • Rendez-Vous Celestial: a rotating star chart on the dial.

What replicas change

  • Movement. Copies use Miyota, Seiko NH35 or Seagull ST automatic movements. Beat rate is 21,600 or 28,800 vph. There is no JLC 898A/1 gear train.
  • Moon phase. Low tiers print a static disc. Mid tiers fit a disc that turns on a 24-hour cycle, not the 29.5-day lunar cycle.
  • Stones. Cubic zirconia. Mohs hardness 8.5 against 10 for diamond.
  • Case metal. 316L stainless steel. Gold-colored copies use 3 to 5 microns of plating. Plating wears through in 12 to 24 months of daily wear.
  • Weight. A plated copy weighs less than a gold watch of the same size. Ask for a gram figure.
  • Engraving. Caseback text on copies shows the wrong font weight. Reference numbers come out misspelled.

Price tiers

  1. $60 to $120. Quartz movement. No moon phase. Mineral glass. Case diameter varies by 1 mm or more from the stated size.
  2. $150 to $300. Automatic movement. Sapphire crystal. Working date. Plated steel case.
  3. $350 to $600. Closer case profile. Better dial printing. Gold-tone plating. Still no Jaeger-LeCoultre parts.

Checks before you buy

  • Ask for a movement photo. A rotor with an engraved logo is not proof.
  • Ask for total weight in grams.
  • Ask for case diameter measured with calipers.
  • Ask if the moon phase advances. Static discs sell at the same price as working ones.
  • Assume zero water resistance. Gaskets on copies fail. Do not swim.

Legal position in the US

18 U.S.C. § 2320 covers trafficking in counterfeit goods. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison. U.S. Customs and Border Protection can seize and destroy shipments, including single-item personal orders. Jaeger-LeCoultre and Richemont hold the trademarks and can file civil suits. Buying a copy for personal use is not trafficking, but the item can still be seized with no refund.

Where Rendez-Vous sits in the JLC catalog

The Reverso dates to 1931 and uses a rectangular case. The Master line uses round cases for men, sized 39 mm to 42 mm. The Rendez-Vous is the round women's line. Replica output follows demand. Reverso and Master copies are common. Rendez-Vous copies are fewer and less accurate.