Quick answer

A replica Breguet Classique 7787 is a copy of a 39 mm Swiss dress watch. Breguet builds the original in 18k rose gold or white gold and fits the 591 DRL self-winding movement. The dial carries a power reserve indicator and a small seconds hand. Copies use third-party automatic movements, gold plating over steel, and printed dials. Street prices run from about $80 to $700. The genuine reference sells above $25,000 at retail. No copy holds a Breguet movement, and Breguet will not service one.

What the genuine 7787 is

  • Case: 39 mm diameter, 18k rose gold or white gold, sapphire crystal front and back.
  • Dial: hand-cut guilloché pattern, Breguet numerals, small seconds, power reserve sector.
  • Movement: 591 DRL, self-winding, 38-hour power reserve on the maker's spec sheet.
  • Water resistance: 30 m, per the maker.
  • Origin: Swiss assembly. Breguet is owned by Swatch Group.

How copies are built

Three tiers show up in the wholesale market. The tier decides which parts are real and which are decoration.

  1. Entry tier, $80 to $150. Mineral glass, stamped dial, plated base metal case, 21,600 vph automatic movement. The power reserve sector is printed and does not move.
  2. Mid tier, $180 to $350. 316L steel case with gold plating, sapphire crystal, printed guilloché pattern, working power reserve on some samples.
  3. Top tier, $400 to $700. Modified Chinese or Japanese automatic, closer case finishing, applied markers on some builds, better dial printing.

Checks that separate a copy from the original

  1. Diameter. Genuine is 39 mm. Many copies measure 40 mm to 42 mm because the movement inside is larger than the 591 DRL.
  2. Weight. A gold case has more mass than a plated steel case. A kitchen scale shows the gap.
  3. Power reserve hand. On copies it sits at full or never moves. On the original it tracks the mainspring.
  4. Dial surface. Genuine guilloché is cut into the metal by a rose engine. Copies print the pattern on a flat blank.
  5. Caseback text. Fonts, spacing, and serial depth differ on copies. The reference number is often wrong.
  6. Movement finish. Look through the sapphire back. Genuine bridges carry Geneva stripes, chamfered edges, and engraved text.

What copies cannot do

  • No Breguet service, no Breguet parts, no factory warranty.
  • Resale value near zero. Gold content is absent, so scrap value is low.
  • Water resistance is untested. A 30 m rating on a copy is a marketing line, not a test result.
  • Accuracy drifts. Third-party movements in this price band are not chronometer certified.

Legal position in the US

Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 2320. US Customs and Border Protection can seize shipments. Selling a copy as a genuine watch is fraud. Breguet and Swatch Group enforce trademarks against sellers and marketplaces.

Buying note

If the listing shows a 39 mm case, a moving power reserve hand, and a $150 price, one of those three claims is false. Ask for a photo of the caseback and a measurement of the case with calipers. Sellers who cannot supply both are reselling stock they have not handled.