Today I got a sudden urge to mess around with a replica of the Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Rendez-Vous Moon, so I started digging around.
First, I hit up a few of those online replica watch forums I frequent. You know, the ones where everyone’s debating the tiniest details, like whether the shade of blue on the moon phase is just right. Found a couple of threads discussing recent batches of the Rendez-Vous Moon replicas. Some folks were saying good things about a version from this factory called “ZF,” and others were swearing by one from “GP.” I’ve had mixed luck with both, so I figured I’d check out both options.
Next, I started looking at the pictures of these replicas. The ZF one had a pretty decent-looking dial, and the moon phase complication seemed to be working correctly, at least in the pictures. But the crown looked a bit off to me. The GP version had a slightly better crown, but the finishing on the case didn’t seem as sharp as the ZF. Both used some basic movement – I think they used a Miyota 9015 as the base movement, but there are also some that use the Seagull movement, though these two factories haven’t used those.
I spent a good chunk of the afternoon comparing these photos, zooming in on every little detail. I even pulled up some pictures of the authentic JLC watch to compare. It’s a tough call. Both replicas had their pros and cons.
Then I started digging into the movements. Both factories claimed they were using a modified Miyota 9015, which is a decent enough movement. Not exactly a high-end Swiss movement, but it gets the job done. But there are different ways to modify them, from simple decoration to complete reconstruction, so I’m not entirely convinced. I read a few reviews from people who had taken these replicas apart, and they seemed to confirm the Miyota base, but there was some debate about the quality of the moon phase modification.
At this point, I was starting to get a headache. I really should be getting actual work done. But it’s like, I’m so close to figuring this out, I can’t stop now. I decided to hit up a few of the replica watch sellers I’ve dealt with in the past.
I messaged three different sellers, asking them about the ZF and GP versions of the Rendez-Vous Moon. I asked about the movement, the finishing, the accuracy of the moon phase, everything. One seller was pushing the ZF version hard, saying it was the best batch they had ever seen. Another was more impartial, saying both were good but had slight differences. The third seller, surprisingly, recommended a version from a factory called “AWS” that I hadn’t even heard of. Said it was a new release and had a better moon phase complication.
Decision Time
Now I was really confused. Three different recommendations, and a new option to consider. I went back to the forums, searched for “AWS Rendez-Vous Moon,” and found a few posts about it. It was indeed a newer release, and a couple of people were saying the moon phase was more accurate than the ZF or GP versions. But there wasn’t a lot of information available, and I’m always a bit hesitant about being the guinea pig for a new release.
- ZF: Good dial, questionable crown, known Miyota modification.
- GP: Better crown, less sharp case finishing, same Miyota modification.
- AWS: New release, potentially better moon phase, not much info.
After much deliberation, I decided to go with the ZF version. It seemed like the most established option, and I liked the overall look of the dial. The crown was a bit of a concern, but I figured I could live with it. Plus, the seller I usually buy from had it in stock and offered a good price.
I placed the order, paid with my usual method, and now I’m waiting for it to arrive. It usually takes about two weeks for these things to show up, so I’ll have plenty of time to obsess over the tracking information.
Once I get the watch, I’ll definitely do a full review, take some pictures, and maybe even take it apart to see what’s going on with that movement. Who knows, maybe I’ll even compare it to one of my other moon phase replicas. Stay tuned.
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