The version worth starting with is a 34 mm stainless steel case, mother-of-pearl dial, diamond-set bezel, and a real rotating day/night disc at 6 o'clock. That mix follows the proportions and dial layout of the Rendez-Vous Night & Day reference most closely, and it is the combination that holds up when someone looks at your wrist from a normal distance. Judge a first copy on six points: case geometry, the night and day display, dial material and printing, bezel and stones, movement behavior, and the strap or bracelet. Score each one on its own, because a good case with a flat printed disc still reads as a fake at a dinner table.

Case Geometry: Diameter, Thickness, and Lugs

The Rendez-Vous is a slim, rounded watch, and that silhouette is where most copies slip. Measure the case with calipers if you can, then check the thickness against the reference. A 34 mm case that stays near 9 mm thick sits low and looks correct. A 38 mm case with a 12 mm profile looks like a different watch that borrowed the dial.

• Pros: 34 mm steel cases match the reference footprint; curved lugs let the watch sit flush on a smaller wrist; a slim profile slides under a shirt cuff.
• Cons: Oversized 36 mm and 38 mm versions are common and look wrong; thick cases sit high and throw off the balance; sharp lug edges catch on fabric.

Use case: On a wrist of roughly 6 to 6.75 inches, the 34 mm case is the safe choice. Larger wrists can carry a 36 mm, but the proportions start to drift.

The Day/Night Disc at 6 O'clock

This is the feature that gives the model its name and the hardest part to copy well. On the reference, a disc rotates under an aperture at 6 o'clock, showing a sun on one half and a crescent moon on the other. The disc should move in step with the hour hand through the day, not jump at random.

• Pros: A working disc adds depth under the aperture; correct phase timing means the moon appears in the evening and the sun in the morning; a clean aperture edge with no gaps looks finished.
• Cons: Many copies print the sun and moon on a flat plate behind glass; others snap from day to night at the wrong hour; loose discs wobble or sit off center.

Use case: If you wear the watch daily, pay for a version with a true rotating disc even if the case finish is simpler. The disc is the one detail people notice.

Dial Material, Texture, and Printing

Natural mother-of-pearl has depth. It shifts from pink to silver as light moves across it, and no two dials look the same. A printed pearl effect looks flat under a phone flash and turns gray in dim rooms.

• Pros: Real shell dials catch light the way the reference does; applied numerals and indices cast small shadows; thin, crisp printing on the track.
• Cons: Printed pearl effects look chalky; fat numerals and a heavy logo crowd the dial; date windows cut without a frame look raw.

Use case: Choose a natural shell dial if the watch is for evenings and events. A sunray or guilloche finish suits daily wear better, since it hides small marks.

Bezel, Stones, and Metal Tone

Stone setting separates a convincing copy from a costume piece. Look at spacing, height, and the seat of each stone. They should sit level, at the same depth, with the metal between them filed smooth.

• Pros: Hand-set stones with even spacing; steel or two-tone cases that match the reference options; a gold tone that stays warm in daylight.
• Cons: Glued stones that fall out; uneven gaps that make a bezel look lopsided; plating that wears at the crown and lug edges within months.

Use case: Pick plain steel for a watch you wear four or more days a week. Save the stone bezel for a piece that lives in a box and comes out for occasions.

Movement Feel and Setting Behavior

You cannot see the movement, but you can feel it. Wind the crown and set the time before you commit. The seconds hand should sweep, the rotor should stay quiet when you tilt the case, and the crown should engage without skipping.

• Pros: Quiet rotor; smooth sweep; crown that sets the time and the day/night disc without slipping; a power reserve that covers a full day off the wrist.
• Cons: Rattling rotors; stuttering seconds hands; crowns that skip teeth; discs that fall out of phase after a few days.

Use case: If you work in quiet rooms or take meetings, rotor noise matters more than the finish on the caseback. Test it in a silent room before buying.

Strap, Bracelet, and Clasp

The strap is the cheapest part to replace and the easiest place to hide a low grade build. Check the stitching, the edge paint, and the way the clasp closes.

• Pros: Leather with a fine grain and tight stitching; a clasp that closes flush with no rattle; quick release pins that make swaps easy.
• Cons: Stiff embossed leather that cracks at the lugs; thick tang buckles that sit proud of the wrist; sharp clasp edges.

Use case: Plan to swap the strap on any first copy. A plain neutral leather strap in the right width makes the watch look better and costs little.

Before You Buy: Trademark and Service Realities

Brand names and model names are trademarks, and a first copy that carries them sits in a different legal space than an unbranded homage. Nothing on a first copy comes with a manufacturer warranty, parts support, or service from the original maker, and no independent watchmaker will guarantee work on a movement they cannot source parts for. Treat the purchase as a fashion item with a limited life, buy from a seller with a stated return window, and inspect the watch in daylight before you accept it.

Which Version Suits Which Buyer

• Daily wear: 34 mm steel case, sunray dial, plain bezel, quiet movement, spare strap.
• Evening and events: 34 mm case with a diamond bezel, natural mother-of-pearl dial, and a real rotating day/night disc.
• First purchase: Start with steel and no stones. You learn what the case and disc should feel like before you spend more on finish.

The single test that matters most: set the time to 6 p.m., watch the aperture, and see whether the moon slides in as the hour hand moves. If it does, you are looking at the right version.