A fake Breguet 3317 is any watch sold as reference 3317 that Breguet itself cannot confirm. That is the only test that matters. The number is not part of Breguet's current lineup, and older Breguet references are documented unevenly, which is exactly why this listing keeps turning up with vague descriptions and no paperwork. If a seller cannot hand you a case number and a movement number, you are looking at a copy, a redial, or a mislabeled watch.
Why this reference is hard to pin down
Breguet built small numbers of watches compared with Rolex or Omega, and its records live with the manufacture in the Vallée de Joux rather than in public databases. Dealers recycle reference numbers. Auction text gets copied into forum posts. A "3317" can mean three different things depending on who typed it. Treat the number as a starting point, not proof.
Because production volume is low, the counterfeit trade never bothered much with Breguet the way it did with Submariners. Fakes exist, and some are passable, but they cluster around the famous models. A "3317" replica is usually a generic case with a printed dial and a stock movement inside.
Where counterfeits give themselves away
- Dial work. Genuine Breguet guilloché is cut with a rose engine, and the pattern has depth. Printed imitations look flat and slightly blurry under a loupe.
- Hands. Breguet hands are blued steel with a hollow eccentric tip. Copies use painted or plated hands that lose the shape at the tip.
- The secret signature. Many Breguet dials carry an etched signature visible only at certain angles. Fakes either skip it or etch it deep enough to read straight on.
- Case numbers. A genuine case carries a number that matches the movement and the paperwork. On fakes it is stamped too deep, in the wrong font, or repeated across "different" watches.
- Movement finish. Look for Geneva stripes, perlage, polished screw heads, and a signed rotor. Cheap clones show raw brass and machine marks.
Checks that settle the question
- Ask for the case number and movement number in writing, then confirm they match each other and any certificate.
- Contact Breguet with those numbers. The manufacture can confirm whether a watch left the workshop and in what configuration.
- Have an independent watchmaker open the case. Ten minutes on a bench beats an hour of forum opinions.
- Check the service history. A real Breguet of that age usually has one, and it comes with paperwork.
The part people skip
Counterfeit watches are illegal to sell in the United States and most of Europe, and customs agencies seize them at the border. A seized watch is gone, and the money with it. There is also no parts supply, no service from the maker, and no resale market. What looked like a bargain on a 3317 is a watch you cannot fix and cannot sell.
Bottom line
If a Breguet 3317 comes with a case number, matching paperwork, and a manufacturer confirmation, it is worth a look. If it comes with photos, a story, and a price that feels reasonable, it is almost certainly a fake. Verify first. Buy second. Or walk away.