A fake Breguet 7787BB is a copy of the Classique Moon Phase Power Reserve in white gold, and it normally gives itself away in two places: the dial and the movement. A genuine 7787BB has crisp dial printing, correctly shaped Breguet hands and a hand-finished in-house calibre, and most copies miss at least one of those. If a seller cannot show macro photos of the dial and a clear view of the movement, treat the watch as unverified.
The letters BB in the reference are Breguet's metal code for white gold, which is useful when you compare case weight, colour and hallmark placement against photos of a real piece.
What the Breguet 7787BB actually is
The 7787 belongs to the Breguet Classique line, a family defined by a thin profile, straight welded lugs and a fluted caseband running around the middle of the case. The reference pairs a moon-phase display with a power-reserve indicator, so the dial carries more furniture than a plain three-hand watch and the movement carries more parts.
Depending on the version, the dial is fired enamel or engine-turned silvered gold, and the case is about 39 mm across in the versions most often copied. Because Breguet has produced several dial and metal variations under the 7787 number, always confirm the exact specification for the piece in front of you rather than judging from memory.
Why the 7787BB is harder to copy than a basic watch
- Dial finish. Fired enamel and engine-turned guilloché both need equipment and skill. Copies usually rely on printing or stamping, which looks flat under a loupe.
- Moon phase. A real moon phase runs on a dedicated disc driven by the movement, while many replicas use a 24-hour disc that only looks similar at a glance.
- Power reserve. The indicator should track the actual state of the mainspring, not sit at the same position all day.
- Caseband fluting. Fine vertical grooves with consistent depth and a straight edge are expensive to cut and are often shallow or uneven on copies.
Dial and hand tells on a fake Breguet 7787BB
- Printed numerals, the signature and any dial text should be thin and sharp with no bleed under 10x magnification.
- Breguet hands have an eccentric hollowed tip and a polished or blued surface. Replica hands often look thicker, blunter or slightly misaligned with the chapter ring.
- The moon-phase disc should show an engraved moon face and stars against a worked sky, sitting flush with the aperture. Copies tend to be flat printed discs.
- Power-reserve markings should be evenly spaced with a slim polished hand of the right length.
- Some Breguet dials carry an additional hidden signature. Check where it sits and how finely it is drawn.
Case, lugs and caseback
Weight is one of the easiest comparisons to make, because white gold has a density that steel or plated brass cannot imitate. Run a finger over the caseband to feel whether the fluting is cut or moulded, and inspect the lug joins, which should be welded and blended rather than sitting on top of the case.
On the caseback, look at the engraving quality, the reference and serial numbers, and how the numbers correspond with the paperwork. Crystal coatings, crown shape and the finishing inside the lugs are all worth checking with a loupe.
Movement finishing and behaviour
A genuine 7787BB uses an in-house calibre with hand finishing that includes bevelled bridge edges, polished screw heads and striped surfaces. Modern Breguet calibres also use silicon components in the escapement area, which affect how the balance behaves and how resistant the watch is to magnetism.
Replica movements frequently show stamped decoration over a stock base, a rotor with crude engraving, incorrect jewel counts and a moon-phase complication that does not advance correctly. Ask for a photo with the movement visible, then compare it to reference images of the calibre.
A quick checklist before you judge a 7787BB
- Request 10x macro photos of the dial, hands and moon-phase aperture.
- Request a clear, well-lit photo of the movement.
- Match the reference number and serial to the case and any documentation.
- Compare font shapes and spacing with official product images of the same version.
- Watch the moon phase for a day and confirm it moves at the correct rate.
- Weigh the watch and feel the caseband fluting in person if possible.
- Have a watchmaker open the caseback before any money changes hands.
FAQ
Does a fake Breguet 7787BB keep time?
Many replicas run at reasonable accuracy in normal use, so timekeeping alone will not tell you whether a watch is genuine. Dial work, finishing and complication behaviour are more reliable indicators.
How much does a fake Breguet 7787BB cost?
Replica pricing varies widely by seller and does not reliably indicate quality. A high asking price is not evidence that the watch is authentic.
Can a watchmaker tell a fake Breguet 7787BB?
Yes, in most cases. A watchmaker with the caseback open can inspect the movement architecture, finishing, jewel count and moon-phase mechanism, and compare the numbers against Breguet's own records.