Fake Patek Philippe split seconds: the short answer
A fake Patek Philippe split seconds watch copies the 5370P, a platinum chronograph with a rattrapante hand. Most replicas do not reproduce the rattrapante mechanism. The second chronograph pusher on a typical copy is decorative, or it stops the whole chronograph instead of splitting one hand. Replicas with a true working rattrapante exist. Supply is small and prices start near $600.
What the genuine 5370P does
Patek Philippe launched the 5370P in 2015. The case is platinum, 41 mm, with a grand feu enamel dial. Calibre CHR 29-535 PS Q is hand wound. It uses a column wheel, a horizontal clutch, and 65 hours of power reserve. The rattrapante function adds a second chronograph hand that runs with the main hand. A push at 4 o'clock stops that second hand while the first hand keeps running. That records an intermediate time or a lap. A second push sends the split hand back to rejoin the running hand in one jump.
How replicas handle the second pusher
Three arrangements appear on the market.
- Dead pusher. The button moves. The hand does not split. Common on cases priced under $250.
- Stop-all pusher. The button stops the chronograph hand and the split hand together. The watch then reads as a standard two-register chronograph.
- Working rattrapante. A module drives a second chronograph wheel and a clamp. Rare. Test the pusher action. The split hand should stop alone and catch up in one jump when released.
Movements used in replicas
Most replica chronographs use an Asia Valjoux 7750 clone or a Seagull ST19. Both are cam and lever chronographs. Neither is a rattrapante movement. A working split-seconds replica needs a module added by a workshop. The module adds parts, weight, and cost. Expect a case thickness of 12 mm or more.
Prices
Replica split-seconds listings run from about $150 to $1,500. The low range is cosmetic. The middle range, $400 to $700, is a 7750 chronograph with a copied dial and a non-working pusher. Listings above $1,000 claim a working module. Genuine 5370P examples sell in the six figures USD at retail and at auction.
Tells on a replica 5370P
- A pusher at 4 o'clock that stops both hands.
- Printed dial. The genuine 5370P uses enamel over a gold base. Enamel has depth. Print sits flat.
- Weight. Platinum has a density near 21 g/cm3. Most replicas use 316L steel at 8.0 g/cm3. A steel copy on a strap weighs far less.
- Hallmarks. Genuine Patek Philippe platinum cases carry a PT950 mark and the Patek Philippe seal on the case back.
- Movement finish. Replica plates are brushed or sprayed. Genuine CHR 29-535 PS Q bridges are hand finished with Geneva stripes and polished bevels.
- Serial and reference engraving. Font and spacing differ from the original.
Legal status in the US
A watch that carries the Patek Philippe name without a license is an infringing good. Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal offense under 18 U.S.C. 2320. Penalties reach 10 years imprisonment for an individual and fines up to $2 million for a defendant that is not an individual. U.S. Customs and Border Protection can seize and destroy shipments. Buyers in the US face seizure risk and no warranty recourse.
Unknown points
Production numbers for replica split-seconds models are not published. The count of replica references with a true working rattrapante is not known.