Short answer

A cloned Blancpain moon phase is a replica of the Blancpain Villeret Quantième Complet, most often reference 6654. The genuine watch is a 40 mm steel automatic with a complete calendar and a moon phase aperture above 6 o'clock. Replicas copy the dial, case and crystal. Most do not copy the lunar gear train. Searches that split the brand name as "bl pain" point to the same model line.

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The genuine reference

Blancpain lists the Villeret Quantième Complet 6654 at 40.00 mm case diameter and 10.88 mm thickness, in stainless steel, with sapphire front and back. Caliber 6654 is automatic with a power reserve near 72 hours. Four calendar correctors sit on the case band. The moon aperture sits above 6 o'clock on a dark blue disc with a gold moon face and stars.

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The synodic month is 29.53059 days. A 59-tooth moon disc runs 29.5 days, so the display drifts one day in about 2 years and 8 months. That gap is the part most replicas skip.

Mimic BL Pain Moon Phase Replicas: Real Moon Phase or Day/Night Disc?

What replicas copy well

  • Case footprint and 40 mm diameter
  • Stepped bezel and case band shape
  • Applied Roman numerals and leaf hands
  • Sapphire crystal and display back
  • Leather strap with a folding clasp

What replicas get wrong

  • Moon phase. Many clones use a 24-hour day/night disc. It turns a full circle each day. A real moon phase moves about 12 degrees per day.
  • Thickness. Clones with a stacked calendar module run 13 mm to 14.5 mm against the genuine 10.88 mm.
  • Correctors. The real case band has four recessed pushers for day, date, month and moon. Clones may show pressed dimples with no function.
  • Moon disc art. Genuine discs carry a gold moon face and stars. Clones print a flat disc, often with the moon face turned the wrong way.
  • Date ring print. Look at the numeral 4 and the serif on the 7.
  • Rotor engraving and bridge finish.

Test the moon phase in 5 minutes

  1. Pull the crown to the setting position and advance the hands past midnight. The date should jump once per 24 hours.
  2. Note the moon disc position. Note the time.
  3. Wait 24 hours with the watch running.
  4. Check the disc. A true moon phase moves about 1/30 of a full turn, near 12 degrees. A day/night disc returns to the same spot.

Some clones hide a 24-hour disc behind the aperture. Others use a printed disc that never moves. Both fail this test.

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Movement and beat rate

Replica moon phase builds use a Chinese automatic with a stacked calendar module, or a 2824 clone with an added plate. Beat rate on most builds is 28,800 vibrations per hour, 8 ticks per second. Some builds run 21,600 vph, 6 ticks per second. Count ticks with a timegrapher app. Then check the calendar: a complete calendar has four separate indications. One date wheel cannot drive all four.

Setting rules

Do not correct the calendar between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. The date wheel and the moon disc engage in that window. Setting the date in that window strips teeth on the gears. Set the watch to 6:30 first, then move the date forward to yesterday, then advance the hands past midnight.

Price tiers

  • $120 to $250: quartz or basic automatic, day/night disc, printed moon, correctors that do not work.
  • $350 to $700: 2824-based automatic with a calendar module, working moon phase on some units, sapphire crystal, applied numerals.
  • $700 and up: small runs, engraved rotor, closer case profile. Case height still runs above 10.88 mm.

Prices move. Treat these bands as a rough guide.

Questions for the seller

  1. Movement name and beat rate?
  2. Does the moon aperture track 29.5 days or 24 hours?
  3. Do the case correctors move the day, date, month and moon?
  4. Case thickness in mm?
  5. Photos of the moon disc 24 hours apart?

QC checklist on arrival

  • Measure case diameter and thickness with calipers.
  • Run the watch 48 hours off the wrist. Check power reserve.
  • Advance the date through a full month. Watch the month change at day 31.
  • Run the 24-hour moon test.
  • Check crown positions. A simplified module sets the calendar from the crown instead of the correctors.