A Villeret Complete Calendar replica is worth your money only if the calendar functions actually work. The genuine Blancpain Villeret Complete Calendar 6654 shows the day and month in twin windows under 12 o'clock, the date by a central hand, and a moonphase at 6 o'clock, all inside a 40mm case. A good copy reproduces that layout and runs a live moonphase disc. A bad copy paints the subdials onto the dial and hides a plain three-hand movement behind it.
Budget $400 to $900 for a copy that gets the layout right and runs an automatic movement. Below $150, assume the calendar is a sticker.
What a Complete Calendar Must Show
- Day and month windows side by side under 12 o'clock
- Central date hand with a 31-day track printed on the dial edge
- Moonphase aperture at 6 o'clock with a rotating disc
- Blued serpentine date hand on most 6654 variants
- 40mm diameter and roughly 10.9mm thickness
- Recessed correctors set into the case band for day, month, and moonphase
Before You Inspect
- A 10x loupe or a phone macro lens
- A bright light you can angle across the dial
- A microfiber cloth
- A watchmaker you trust if you plan to open the case back
How to Inspect the Watch
- Measure the case with calipers. A 40mm width and about 10.9mm thickness mean the case was cut from a proper CNC mold. Copies that run 42mm or thicker sit wrong on the wrist and never match the reference.
- Check the calendar layout. The day and month windows should be two separate apertures, not one shared opening. Uneven spacing between them is the fastest tell on a low-grade copy.
- Turn the crown and watch the date hand sweep. It should advance once per 24 hours and land centered in each day marker. A hand that stops between numbers points to a cheap date module.
- Push the moonphase corrector with the supplied tool. The disc should jump one full lunar day and stay in place. A disc that spins freely or never moves is decorative.
- Inspect the dial print under magnification. Look for sharp applied indices, clean text edges, and a sunburst or opaline finish free of bubbles.
- Check the crown and correctors for play. They should depress with a firm click and return without sticking.
- Open the case back if the seller allows it. Look for an automatic winding rotor, a signed bridge, and finishing on the plates. A bare brass movement with no decoration is a budget build.
- Test the strap and clasp. Alligator-grain leather and a signed deployant clasp at this price point are normal. Plastic-feel leather signals corner cutting elsewhere.
Movement Tiers
Three groups dominate the market. Entry copies use a Chinese automatic with a bolt-on calendar module; the functions work but the module wears out. Mid tier copies run a clone of a Swiss automatic with a full calendar plate and a smoother date change. Top tier copies use a customized high-grade automatic with a 40 to 72 hour reserve, perlage on the bridges, and a crisp moonphase jump. The price gap tracks the movement, not the case.
Villeret Complete Calendar Lookalike: Buyer's Guide
Flaws That Give a Copy Away
- Printed moonphase instead of a real rotating disc
- Wider day and month windows than the genuine dial
- Date hand that skips or drags
- Case thickness above 11.5mm
- Logo engraving that is shallow or off center
Final Check
Wear the watch for a full week before you judge it. Set the calendar to a known date, note the time, and confirm the day, date, and month all advance at midnight together. A complete calendar that stays synchronized for seven days is a keeper. One that drifts is a return.