The "Patek Philippe Aviator Travel Time 5390" is a replica market label, not a genuine Patek Philippe reference number. Patek has never catalogued a 5390, and the watch that fake listings describe under that name is almost always a copy of the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time reference 5524, a 42mm white gold dual time zone pilot's watch introduced in 2015. Buyers searching that phrase are usually shopping a replica, so the useful question is which real model it copies and how closely the fake matches the genuine details.

Is there a real Patek Philippe 5390?

No. Patek Philippe's published collections and auction archives show no reference 5390 in a pilot or travel time line. The number appears on replica catalogs and forum posts, where sellers attach it to Calatrava Pilot Travel Time homages to make the listing look like a discontinued rare model.

Genuine Patek references around this design are the 5524G in white gold with a blue dial, the 5524R in rose gold with a brown dial, and the smaller 7234G for women. If a listing insists 5390 is the factory reference, treat that as a red flag about the seller's knowledge.

Which genuine Patek does the fake copy?

Nearly every "Aviator Travel Time 5390" replica is built from the 5524G blueprint: a 42mm round case, a sunburst blue dial, applied Arabic numerals with luminescent fill, and a fluted crown. The giveaway layout is on the left side of the case, where two pushers at roughly 8 and 10 o'clock advance the local time hand forward and backward in one hour jumps.

The genuine watch runs the caliber 324 S C FUS, an automatic movement with a local time hand, a home time hand, day and night apertures for both zones, and about 45 hours of power reserve. Reproductions rarely replicate the day and night windows at all, and when they do, the aperture edges often look stamped rather than polished.

How can you tell a fake Patek 5524 from the real thing?

Genuine white gold has a dense, cool heft that stainless steel and gold-plated brass cannot match, and it rings differently when tapped. Check these points before buying any replica or a supposed original:

• Case size: real 5524G is 42mm and about 10.8mm thick; many fakes run 43mm or thicker because of the movement spacer.
• Pusher placement: the two left-side pushers sit close to the case band on the original, and they should click crisply with no wobble.
• Dial printing: look at the letter spacing in "PATEK PHILIPPE" and the Geneva seal text; fakes often show heavier ink and uneven kerning.
• Day and night apertures: the original has two, one per zone, with clean chamfered edges.
• Caseback engraving: the genuine reference is stamped 5524G-001, not 5390, and the movement decoration is hand-finished with Geneva stripes and beveled bridges.

What movement do replica Aviator Travel Time watches use?

Most replicas use a Japanese Miyota 9015 or a Chinese clone with a decorative rotor plate added to imitate Patek finishing. Some higher-tier builds install a modified ETA 2892 or a custom dual time module, which lets the wearer jump the local hand independently.

The cheaper route keeps the second time zone as a simple 24-hour hand geared to the main hour hand, so the wearer cannot set the zones separately. Ask the seller directly whether the local hand jumps in one hour steps, because that single answer separates a functional homage from a cosmetic fake.

How much should a good replica cost?

Entry replicas with a basic 9015 and printed dial typically sell between 150 and 350 US dollars. Top-tier builds with a real jump-hour module, sapphire with inner anti-reflective coating, and better case finishing run roughly 450 to 900 dollars.

Anything above that range should come with movement photos and a measured case thickness, since sellers inflate prices for the same watch across storefronts.

Frequently asked questions

Does the replica have a working second time zone?

On better builds, yes. The local hour hand jumps independently while the home time hand keeps running, matching the genuine 5524G behavior.

Is 5390 a discontinued Patek model?

No. Patek never issued a reference 5390, so the name exists only in the replica market.

Can a jeweler tell the replica apart instantly?

Usually yes, based on weight, case thickness, and movement finishing, even without opening the caseback.