The short answer: "fake Tourbograph 510.105" is a shopping phrase used by replica sellers, not a factory reference. The digits may match a genuine catalog number, an internal production code, or nothing at all. What actually differs between listings is the escapement, the case finishing, and whether anyone will service the watch after the sale. Judge a listing on those three things rather than on the code in the title.
What a tourbograph is on a genuine watch
A tourbillon puts the balance and escapement inside a rotating cage so positional rate errors average out across the day. A tourbograph adds a chronograph on top of that. The word was coined by A. Lange & Söhne for a tourbillon chronograph driven by a fusée and chain. That construction is hand-built, holds hundreds of parts, and does not exist in a mass-produced replica. Sellers reuse the name for three very different products, and those products are not close to each other in quality.
Option 1: a replica with a working tourbillon escapement
This is the only tier where the cage you see is the mechanism doing the work. The movement is usually a hand-wound Chinese tourbillon, and it is sometimes sold on its own by parts dealers.
Pros
- The cage and balance rotate for real, so the watch survives a loupe inspection from anyone who knows what to look for.
- Because the movement exists as a standalone part, a dead watch can sometimes be fixed by a swap instead of a repair.
- Case, dial, and hand finishing on this tier is usually the best the seller offers, since the price has to be justified.
Cons
- Highest tier of the three and the least predictable for quality control.
- Service is specialist work. Many independent watchmakers decline tourbillon movements, and replica sellers rarely have a real service channel.
- Timekeeping is often worse than a basic clone automatic, and power reserve claims tend to be optimistic.
Best for: a buyer who wants the genuine complication and accepts that the watch is a novelty rather than a daily wearer.
Option 2: the open-heart look-alike with a fake carriage
Most listings that carry a code like 510.105 sit here. Inside is a plain automatic, usually a 2824 or 2892 clone, with a window cut in the dial and a small spinning or oscillating element added to imitate a cage.
Pros
- Reliable movement that any local watchmaker can regulate or replace for a modest fee.
- Case can be built closer to a sensible thickness because the movement is thin and uncomplicated.
- Lower entry cost, so a damaged or lost watch hurts far less.
Cons
- The rotating piece is decorative. Under magnification the balance wheel sits outside it, or the element is driven straight off the seconds pinion.
- Subdial positions and hand lengths are frequently shifted to hide the missing mechanism.
- Nothing about the watch rewards a close look, so it reads as costume jewelry to anyone who handles watches.
Best for: someone who wants the silhouette for regular wear and does not care what powers it.
Option 3: quartz and animated discs
Pros
- Lowest cost of the three and the best timekeeping by a wide margin.
- No winding, no servicing, and a light feel on the wrist.
Cons
- Any small seconds hand jumps once per second, which is an instant giveaway.
- No cage motion at all, and the chronograph pushers usually feel hollow.
- Case, strap, and clasp quality drop sharply at this tier.
Best for: a single evening, a costume shoot, or a gift where the dial will never be inspected.
Criterion: verify the reference before you pay
Treat 510.105 as unverified until it matches a printed catalog entry. Then compare real measurements: case diameter and thickness in millimeters, lug width, crown and pusher spacing, subdial angles, hand lengths, dial typography, date font, caseback engraving depth, and the strap or bracelet pattern.
Pros of this step
- Filters out listings with the wrong case size or a misplaced subdial, which are the two errors people notice first.
- Gives you a written baseline to quote if the delivered watch does not match the photos.
Cons of this step
- Many sellers never publish caliper measurements, so the check takes back-and-forth messages.
- Matching a reference tells you nothing about which workshop assembled the watch.
Best for: every buyer, at every tier. Skip it and you are buying a photo, not a watch.
Criterion: ten checks to run before the order ships
- Ask for video, not stills, of the dial under magnification.
- Time the cage. A real tourbillon cage completes one turn per minute.
- Confirm the balance sits inside the rotating cage, not beside it.
- Watch the chronograph start, stop, and reset. Reset should snap to twelve with no creep.
- Ask for a photo of the subdial hands at the twelve o'clock reset position.
- Request a caliper shot of diameter and thickness against the genuine figures.
- Check the date change at midnight, if the watch has a date.
- Ask for a video with sound, and listen for rotor rattle or a scraping cage.
- Verify the clasp, crown, and engraving details match the reference pattern.
- Get the return terms in writing before payment, because tourbillon service is often impossible.
What to expect after the sale
Assume no warranty worth the name. Parts for the tourbillon tier arrive through the same unofficial channels as the watch, so a repair can take weeks and may cost a large share of the purchase price. The automatic tier is the practical choice for anyone who plans to wear the watch often. The honest positioning for all three tiers is the same: this is a look and a bit of mechanical theater, not an investment and not a substitute for a serviced watch.