What the term means

A fake Breguet Transatlantique is a replica of a Breguet Type XX, Type XXI, or Transatlantique chronograph. Workshops in China and Hong Kong build these. Dealer listings put replica prices at $100 to $600. Genuine examples of the same references sell for $6,000 to $14,000 pre-owned. No replica carries a Breguet calibre inside.

The genuine watch

Breguet supplied chronographs to French naval aviation from 1954. The military contract version was the Type 20. The civilian version sold as the Transatlantique. Reference numbers include 3800 for the Type XX, 3810 for the Type XXI, and 3820. Case sizes run 39 mm to 42 mm. Cases are steel, gold, or platinum. Crystals are sapphire.

Early watches use a Lemania 1350 or 1352 base. Later watches use calibres 582 and 584 from Breguet. The chronograph is a flyback type. Subdial layout and date position change between references. Compare a replica against one reference number, not the whole line.

Replica price tiers

  • $100 to $200: quartz or low-grade automatic, case height off by 2 mm or more, printed dial
  • $200 to $350: A7750 automatic, case dimensions closer to spec, sapphire or mineral glass
  • $350 to $600: Seagull ST19 or decorated A7750, subdials at 3 and 9, sapphire with coating, engraved caseback

Prices come from dealer listings and change with movement supply. A7750 supply affects the middle tier most.

Tells on a replica

  1. Case height. The A7750 adds 1 mm to 2 mm.
  2. Subdial position. A 7750 puts the 30-minute counter at 12, not at 3.
  3. Pusher feel. A 7750 pusher needs more force than a Lemania base.
  4. Date font. Breguet uses a serif font. Many replicas use a plain font.
  5. Caseback. Serial engraving is shallow, and the digits are uneven.
  6. Dial. Type XX dials use matte black with silvered printing. Replicas show thicker print and a gloss finish.
  7. Hands. Some genuine references use blued steel hands. Replicas use painted steel.

US law

Counterfeit watches are illegal to import and sell in the United States. 18 U.S.C. § 2320 sets a maximum of 10 years in prison for trafficking in counterfeit goods. Customs and Border Protection can seize and destroy shipments under 19 U.S.C. § 1526. Swatch Group, Breguet's parent, can sue sellers under the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1114.

Personal use in a home carries less legal risk than a sale. Import still carries seizure risk. A seized parcel is not returned to the sender or the buyer.

What to check before buying

  1. Reference number and calibre name.
  2. Case diameter and case height in millimeters.
  3. Photos of the caseback and the movement.
  4. Subdial positions against a factory photo of the same reference.
  5. Return terms and payment method.

One fact stays constant: a replica movement is not a Breguet movement. Servicing goes to a general watchmaker, not to Breguet.