Short answer

A replica Patek Philippe chronograph copies the case, dial, and pusher layout of a genuine reference. It does not contain a Patek Philippe movement, and it is not made in Switzerland. Prices run from about $90 for a quartz model to $900 for a copy with a decorated clone movement. Genuine Patek Philippe chronographs start near $60,000 on the secondary market. Steel Nautilus chronographs trade above $150,000.

Genuine references that copies follow

  • 5172G: 41 mm white gold case, CH 29-535 PS manual movement, 65-hour power reserve, 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock, small seconds at 9 o'clock.
  • 5960: annual calendar chronograph, 40.5 mm case, CH 28-520 IRM QA 24H automatic movement, 55-hour reserve, 60-minute and 12-hour counters.
  • 5980/1A: Nautilus chronograph, 40.5 mm steel case, 12.2 mm thick, CH 28-520 C automatic movement, 60-minute counter, date window at 3 o'clock.
  • 5990/1A: Nautilus travel time chronograph, 40.5 mm, CH 28-520 C FUS movement, dual time zone plus chronograph.
  • 5968A: Aquanaut chronograph, 42.2 mm, CH 28-520 C movement.

Pusher placement on these references sits at 2 and 4 o'clock. A copy with pushers at 2 and 5 o'clock, or at 3 and 9, matches no reference.

Movement tiers in the replica market

  1. Quartz, $90 to $180. The seconds hand ticks once per second, which no Patek chronograph does. Battery life is 2 to 3 years.
  2. Asian 7750, $200 to $450. Automatic winding, 28,800 vibrations per hour, 25 jewels, 40 to 44 hours of reserve. The cam and lever system gives a firm click at the start pusher.
  3. Decorated clone, $500 to $900. Same 7750 base or a Seiko NE88 pattern, finished with Cotes de Geneve stripes, perlage, and a rotor engraved with a Patek reference number.

Checks before payment

  • Diameter. A 5980/1A measures 40.5 mm across. A copy that tapes out at 42 mm or more uses a different case.
  • Weight. A steel Nautilus copy with a full bracelet weighs 120 g to 150 g. Under 100 g points to a hollow case or aluminum.
  • Thickness. The 5980/1A is 12.2 mm. Copies with a 7750 inside often run 14 mm or more.
  • Caseback. A plastic movement spacer ring is a low-tier sign. High-tier copies use a metal ring and case clamps.
  • Water resistance. Makers claim 30 m to 50 m. No independent test backs that claim. Do not swim with one.

What is not known

Replica factories publish no production numbers. Many change names every 12 to 18 months. A claim about one specific factory is hard to verify.

Legal limits in the United States

19 U.S.C. § 1526 bars import of goods that carry a copied registered trademark. U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit watches and destroys them. A single watch in a personal shipment can be seized. Sale of a counterfeit watch in the US is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 2320. A first offense carries up to 10 years and a $2,000,000 fine.