Short answer
A fake Patek Philippe 5178 does not chime. The real 5178 is a minute repeater, and a repeater needs a chime train, two gongs, hammers, a rack and a governor. Copy factories do not build one. The watches sold under this reference number use a stock automatic movement and a slide piece with no function. You get the shape of the case and the look of the dial. You do not get the complication.
What the genuine 5178 is
Reference 5178 sits in the Patek Philippe Grand Complications line. It is a white gold, hand-wound watch with an enamel dial. Push the slide on the left flank of the case upward and the watch strikes the hours, the quarters and the minutes on two gongs.
Patek fits caliber R 27 PS. The movement has several hundred parts, a balance running at 21,600 vph, and a power reserve near 43 hours. The Patek Philippe Seal is stamped on the movement. The case carries the 750 stamp and the Swiss hallmark for 18k gold.
Production is small. Retail and auction prices sit in the six figures.
What the replica contains
- Case: 316L stainless steel with rhodium or gold plating. Most copies weigh 90 g to 130 g. Gold has about twice the density of steel, so an 18k case of the same size feels heavier in the hand.
- Movement: Miyota 9015, Seagull ST21 or a Chinese 2813. One rotor, no chime train, no rack, no governor.
- Gongs: none in most builds. Some sellers glue two wire rings to the inside of the caseback. They make no sound.
- Slider: fixed, or spring loaded with a cosmetic lever. Nothing moves inside the case.
- Dial: printed lacquer over brass. An enamel dial on the genuine watch shows a glassy edge at the chapter ring and depth under light.
- Markings: the 750 stamp and the Patek Philippe Seal appear on steel cases, or they are missing.
Price range
Copy listings for a 5178 sell for $180 to $900. Some sites quote four figures for a Swiss made version. No factory makes a working minute repeater at those prices. A working Swiss repeater movement costs far more than the whole replica listing.
How to test one
- Ask for a video of the watch chiming, with a clock or a timestamp in frame.
- Count the tones. A repeater strikes a low note for each hour, two notes for each quarter, then a high note for each minute.
- Weigh the watch on a kitchen scale. Steel copies come in light for the size.
- Look at the movement. A repeater shows hammers, springs and a chime train through the caseback.
- Check the hallmarks. Gold cases carry the 750 stamp and the Swiss gold hallmark.
If the seller cannot show the chime on video, the watch does not chime.
Legal status in the United States
Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. 2320. A first offense by an individual carries up to 10 years in prison and a $2,000,000 fine. U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit watch shipments under 19 U.S.C. 1526 and destroys them. A buyer can lose both the watch and the money paid for it.