Answer: a replica Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time is a copy of reference 5164, a steel sports watch with a second time zone. Copies sell for about $80 to $600. They copy the case, dial, hands and strap. Most run a modified third-party movement, not the Patek Philippe caliber 324 S C FUS. The part that separates a usable copy from a bad one is the local-time hand and the two pushers on the left side of the case.
Genuine reference 5164 facts
Patek Philippe released the Aquanaut Travel Time in 2011 as reference 5164A-001 in stainless steel. The case measures 40.8 mm across and about 10 mm thick. Water resistance is rated at 120 m. The dial carries the embossed Aquanaut pattern, a date window at 6 o'clock, and two day/night apertures. The strap is composite rubber with a fold-over clasp.
The movement is caliber 324 S C FUS. It runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) with a power reserve of 45 hours. The date is tied to local time, not home time. Later versions include the 5164R-001 in rose gold and the 5164G-001 in white gold with a blue dial.
How the Travel Time function works
Two rectangular pushers sit on the left case flank at 8 and 10 o'clock. A press on the upper pusher moves the local hour hand forward one hour. The lower pusher moves it back. The home-time hand stays where the owner set it. The date at 6 o'clock follows local time, so it advances when the local hand passes midnight. The two day/night apertures track both zones over a 24-hour cycle. On the genuine watch each press equals one hour and the hand lands on the index marker.
Replica grades and price bands
Sellers use labels such as AAA, 1:1, mirror, and super clone. The labels are marketing terms with no industry standard behind them. Price bands run about $80 to $150 for entry copies, $200 to $350 for mid-tier, and $400 to $600 for the top tier. Replica forums name factories such as ZF and PPF for Patek Philippe copies, but names, stock and batches change, and no factory publishes production numbers or movement specifications.
What to check on a replica
- Case size: measure with calipers. Target 40.8 mm wide and about 10 mm thick.
- Pushers: each press should move the local hour hand by one hour. A copy that jumps two hours, or that moves the home hand, is built wrong.
- Date: it should change at midnight in step with the local hand.
- Day/night apertures: both discs should rotate through a full 24-hour cycle.
- Dial texture: the embossed pattern should be sharp and even across the full dial, including near the edges.
- Case metal: a steel case should feel dense on the wrist. Plated brass cases feel lighter and lose color at the edges and lugs.
- Strap and clasp: composite rubber, fold-over clasp, clean engraving.
- Water resistance: assume none. Replica cases are not pressure tested.
What a replica does not copy
Movement architecture, finishing, and the Patek Philippe seal are not reproduced. Service access is limited because parts are not interchangeable with the genuine caliber. Resale is the largest gap: the genuine 5164A-001 traded above retail on the secondary market for years, while a replica has no resale market and no papers. Patek Philippe keeps a record for each genuine watch; a replica has none.
Legal position in the United States
Counterfeit watches are illegal to import or sell in the United States. 18 U.S.C. 2320 covers trafficking in counterfeit goods, and US Customs and Border Protection can seize shipments. Rules for personal purchases differ by country, and enforcement varies.