Quick answer

The Rendez-Vous Date is a Jaeger-LeCoultre women's watch. Genuine steel models use a 29 mm or 34 mm case and an in-house automatic movement made in Le Sentier, Switzerland. Replicas sell for about $150 to $600. Most carry a Chinese automatic movement, a gold-plated case, and a printed dial texture instead of a stamped one. The date font and the case diameter are the two fastest ways to spot a copy. Selling or importing a counterfeit watch into the United States is illegal under 19 U.S.C. 1526 and 18 U.S.C. 2320.

Genuine specs to compare against

  • Brand: Jaeger-LeCoultre, founded 1833, Le Sentier, Vallee de Joux.
  • Collection: Rendez-Vous, launched 2012.
  • Case: stainless steel or pink gold, 29 mm and 34 mm diameters.
  • Movement: JLC automatic, hours, minutes, seconds, date at 6 o'clock.
  • Crystal: sapphire, front and back on most references.
  • Strap: alligator leather on a steel or gold pin buckle.
  • Price: steel references sit in the four to low five figures USD. Confirm the reference number on the JLC site before you compare anything.

What replica listings claim

Three labels show up in most ads. "Swiss made" replica. "1:1 clone." "Japanese movement." A $200 to $600 watch seldom holds a Swiss movement. Chinese automatics such as the Seagull ST21 or a Hangzhou 6-series are the common fit. Gold cases are plating at 3 to 5 microns. Ten microns is the thicker option and costs more. No plating equals solid gold.

How to compare a copy against the real watch

  1. Measure the case. Copies often ship at 33 mm or 35 mm because one case serves several models.
  2. Check the date window. The genuine Rendez-Vous Date places the date at 6 o'clock. Print quality and numeral shape differ on copies.
  3. Inspect the caseback engraving. Laser etching is shallow and gray. Genuine engraving is cut and shows depth.
  4. Study the dial. The genuine uses a stamped pattern. Copies print the pattern flat.
  5. Ask for the reference number. JLC references start with Q. A seller who cannot name the reference is guessing.

Legal status in the United States

U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit watches at the border. Personal import of a counterfeit item is banned, even for private use. Trafficking in counterfeit goods carries up to 10 years for a first offense under 18 U.S.C. 2320. A "replica" is not a legal gray area in the US. Buyers also lose warranty, service, and resale value.