Fake Breguet Tourbillon 5287: Short Answer
The fake Breguet Tourbillon 5287 is a copy of a hand-wound gold watch. Breguet prices the genuine reference near $130,000. Replicas sell for $200 to $1,500. No replica uses a Swiss movement. Most use a Chinese tourbillon caliber from Seagull or Hangzhou. On cheap copies the tourbillon cage is decoration and does not turn.
What the Reference 5287 Is
The 5287 sits in the Breguet Classique line. It has a round case in 18k rose gold or platinum, a one-minute tourbillon at 6 o'clock, and a hand-wound movement. Breguet engraves the caseback with the reference and serial number. Case size, dial finish, and metal change between variants. Check the Breguet spec sheet for the version you are comparing before you judge a replica.
What Replica Makers Copy
- Case diameter and lug spacing, taken from photos and forum measurements.
- Dial layout: Roman numerals, a small seconds track on the tourbillon bridge, a power reserve scale on some variants.
- Breguet hands with the eccentric hollow tip.
- Caseback text, cut with a laser on low-end copies.
How to Spot the Difference
Dial
Breguet engine-turns dials on a rose engine. The cut lines have sharp edges and constant depth. Stamped replica dials show rounded ridges and shallow grooves. Hold the watch at an angle under a lamp. Light breaks on real guilloche and washes out on stamped metal.
Hands
A Breguet hand has a hollow circle near the tip, set off center. Many replicas solder a solid disc in that spot.
Tourbillon Cage
Time the cage for 60 seconds. The genuine carriage makes one full turn per minute. Fake cages sit still, or they spin with the balance wheel at a different rate.
Case and Weight
Gold weighs more than brass or plated steel. A solid gold case in this size runs near 70 grams without the strap. Plated replicas land at 45 to 55 grams. A kitchen scale settles the question.
Serial Numbers
Breguet keeps records of each serial. Replica sellers reuse one number across a batch. Search the number before you pay.
Price Bands
- $80 to $250: quartz or basic automatic with a fake tourbillon aperture.
- $300 to $700: automatic with an open balance wheel posed as a tourbillon.
- $800 to $1,500: real one-minute Chinese tourbillon, sapphire crystal, plated case.
- Above $2,000: sellers claim Swiss parts. Ask for a movement photo and a 60-second video of the cage.
Legal Status in the US
Federal law makes it a crime to traffic in counterfeit goods under 18 U.S.C. 2320. Penalties reach 10 years for a first offense. Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit watches at ports of entry. Personal orders get seized and destroyed, and the buyer loses the money.
Service and Water Resistance
Chinese tourbillon movements use parts that independent watchmakers cannot order. A service runs $150 to $400, close to the price of a mid-range replica. Factories do not pressure test these cases. Do not swim with one.
Bottom Line
A replica 5287 can look close in photos. It will not match the movement, the dial finishing, or the case metal. Buyers who want a tourbillon at a low price are buying a Chinese movement in a Breguet-shaped case. That is the trade.