Quick Answer

A fake Breguet Classique perpetual calendar moon phase copies the look of Breguet reference 5327 and similar models. Most replicas do not contain a true perpetual calendar. They use a modified annual calendar or a day-date module. The moon phase is often a 29.5-day disc that drifts over time. Before you buy, check the leap year indicator, the pushers, and the moon phase accuracy. Expect a 40 to 42 mm case, a guilloché-style dial, and an automatic movement with a decorated rotor.

Prerequisites

  • A 10x jeweler's loupe
  • A reference photo of a genuine Breguet Classique perpetual calendar
  • A watchmaker's caseback tool
  • A soft cloth and a toothpick
  • A timing app or a watch timer

How to Inspect a Fake Breguet Classique Perpetual Calendar Moon Phase

  1. Set the watch to January 31 and advance the calendar to February 1. A true perpetual calendar jumps from 31 to 1. A fake may skip or jam.
  2. Check the leap year indicator. A genuine perpetual calendar shows years 1, 2, 3, and 4. Most fakes use a static disc or a 12-month wheel.
  3. Examine the moon phase aperture. The moon disc should have a dark blue or black background with a silver or gold moon. The moon should move one click per day.
  4. Look at the pushers. Genuine Breguet perpetual calendars use recessed correctors on the caseback or side. Fakes often use protruding pins that feel loose.
  5. Use the loupe to inspect the dial printing for crisp, raised text and the secret signature. Fakes show flat, blurry text and a missing signature.
  6. Check the caseback and movement for a decorated rotor, Geneva stripes, and clean jewel settings. Fakes show glued-on jewels and poor finishing.

How to Set the Moon Phase and Calendar

  1. Find the moon phase pusher, often at 8 o'clock or 10 o'clock on the case side.
  2. Look up the current moon age in days since the last new moon.
  3. Press the pusher once for each day until the moon disc shows the correct phase.
  4. Avoid pressing between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. because the calendar mechanism is engaged.
  5. Set the date and day first, then set the moon phase.

How to Maintain a Replica Perpetual Calendar

  1. Wind the watch at the same time each day if it is manual.
  2. Keep the watch away from magnets and shocks.
  3. Have the movement cleaned every 3 to 5 years by a watchmaker who works on replicas.
  4. Do not use the pushers when the watch is wet.
  5. Store the watch in a dry box with a silica packet.

Red Flags

  • The date jumps at noon instead of midnight.
  • The moon phase disc moves with the hour hand.
  • The leap year indicator never changes.
  • The pushers are stiff or do not click.
  • The dial uses a printed moon phase instead of a moving disc.
  • The caseback screws are soft and strip.

Legal and Service Limits

Replica watches are not genuine Breguet. Breguet will not service them. You cannot sell a replica as a genuine watch. Some countries seize counterfeits at customs. Treat a replica as a costume piece, not an investment.