A replica Breguet 3317 is a Chinese-made copy of Breguet's vintage Type XX pilot chronograph, built around a stock chronograph movement in a steel case. Sellers price them from about $80 for quartz versions to $400 and up for automatic copies with a decorated movement. None of them match Breguet's real dial printing, movement finishing, or archive paperwork.
What is the Breguet 3317?
Reference 3317 sits in the Type XX family, the pilot chronographs Breguet supplied to the French air force and later sold to civilians. It is a two-register chronograph with a rotating bezel and lumed Arabic numerals.
Records for vintage Type XX references are thin, so sellers describe the 3317 in different ways. Some list it as a military contract piece, others as a civilian model from the 1960s.
What do replica Breguet 3317 listings cost?
Price tracks the movement and the case work, not the name on the dial. Most listings fall into three tiers.
- Quartz, about $80 to $150: stamped case, printed dial, mineral glass, a seconds hand that ticks.
- Automatic, about $180 to $300: Seagull or Hangzhou chronograph movement, sharper dial print, sapphire crystal.
- Top tier, about $350 to $500: better case finishing, applied numerals, anti-reflective coating, box and papers.
Anything above that range is seller margin, not a jump in quality. Ask what movement sits inside before you compare two prices.
How to judge a replica Breguet 3317 before you pay
Case and crystal
Vintage Type XX cases run 38 to 40 mm, so a copy that measures 43 mm will wear wrong. Ask for caliper photos with the crown at 3 o'clock. Check that the bezel turns with friction rather than clicks.
Dial and hands
Look at the numerals, the subdial spacing, and the weight of the print. Cheap copies crowd the subdials toward the center or use flat white paint that reads gray in photos. Ask for a straight-on macro shot in daylight, not a studio render.
Movement
A Seagull ST19 base is the common choice for these chronographs, and it is a column-wheel design. Ask for a video of the start, stop, and reset cycle. A snapping reset with no hand drift is a good sign.
Caseback and paperwork
Replica casebacks carry engraved reference text, and the depth of that engraving shifts between batches. Boxes and papers from these sellers are printed props, so treat them as packaging, not proof.
What should you ask a seller before buying?
- Which movement is inside, and can you send a video of the chronograph running?
- What is the case diameter, measured with calipers?
- Is the crystal sapphire or mineral, and does it have anti-reflective coating?
- What is the return window, and who pays return shipping?
- Can you send daylight photos of the dial and caseback, not renders?
Good sellers answer all five without pressure. A seller who answers two and pushes a discount is telling you something.
How does a Breguet replica compare to a Rolex replica from the same sellers?
Rolex copies get more attention from Chinese factories, so the best Submariner copy sits closer to its original than the best Type XX copy. Breguet sells fewer watches, so replica supply is thinner and dial details get less work.
If you already buy Rolex replicas, expect the same seller tiers and the same photo tricks. Expect weaker movement options and looser dial printing on the Breguet side.
What goes wrong with Type XX replicas?
- Subdial hands that fail to zero after a reset.
- Bezels that spin free or seize after a few turns.
- Lume that fades within a year.
- Case tubes that strip when the crown is screwed down.
Most of these faults appear in the first month. Buy from a seller with a stated return window and test the chronograph on day one.
Is it legal to buy a replica Breguet 3317?
No, in most countries. Counterfeit goods infringe a registered trademark, and customs agencies seize them on import. Breguet is a live brand with active trademarks, so a Type XX copy carries the same risk as a fake Rolex.
Selling one is a bigger problem than owning one, and penalties scale with quantity. If a parcel is stopped, you lose the watch and the money.
Frequently asked questions
Does a replica Breguet 3317 keep good time?
Yes, within about 15 to 30 seconds a day for a stock Chinese automatic. That is normal at this price. Regulating it costs more than the movement is worth.
Can a watchmaker tell it is a replica?
Yes, within seconds of opening the caseback. The movement finish, the caseback engraving, and the dial print give it away. From across a room a good copy passes. In hand, it does not.
Is a $400 copy worth it over a $150 one?
The step from quartz to automatic is worth the money. The step from $300 to $500 buys nicer finishing and a better crystal, not better timekeeping. Pick by movement first, then by dial.
Do replica Breguet 3317 watches come with boxes and papers?
Some sellers include them. They are reproductions, not Breguet documents, and they add no value. Pay for the watch.