Answer
A fake Patek Philippe chronograph is a counterfeit watch that copies a Patek Philippe chronograph reference. The references copied most often are the 5172G, 5170, 5905/1A, 5960, 5980/1A and 5990/1A. Street prices run from about $150 for a basic automatic copy to $2,000 for a so-called super clone. No counterfeit carries a Patek Philippe movement.
Genuine calibers and what copies use instead
Patek Philippe builds its own chronograph movements. The CH 29-535 PS is a hand-wound caliber with a column wheel and a horizontal clutch. The CH 28-520 is an automatic caliber with a column wheel and a vertical clutch. Both sit under a sapphire caseback on most references.
Counterfeit chronographs use bought-in movements. The Seagull ST19 is a Chinese hand-wound caliber derived from the Venus 175 design. Automatic fakes use a clone of the Valjoux 7750, sold as Shanghai 7750 or labeled Swiss ETA. The subdial layout of these movements does not match the genuine dial layout, so the date window or the counter at 6 o'clock sits in the wrong place.
Checks that separate a copy from a real watch
- Pusher feel: a column wheel gives a short, light click. A 7750-based copy has a longer, heavier travel.
- Chronograph start: a genuine center seconds hand starts with no jump. A copy hand jumps or coasts.
- Subdials: the 5172G has a 30-minute counter at 3 and small seconds at 9. Copies shift these toward the center.
- Caseback: reference number, movement number and the Patek Philippe Seal engraving. Copies show shallow laser etching and wrong fonts.
- Gold: genuine cases are 18k with Swiss precious-metal hallmarks. Copies are gold plated over brass or steel and weigh less.
- Dial: applied gold markers, crisp printing, even lume. Copies show thick text and uneven lume.
- Papers: the Certificate of Origin ties a movement number to a case number. Copies reuse numbers across batches.
United States law
18 U.S.C. 2320 makes trafficking in counterfeit goods a federal crime. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison and a $2,000,000 fine for an individual, or $5,000,000 for a company. U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit watches at ports and in international mail. A seized watch is destroyed and the buyer gets no refund. Civil claims under the Trademark Act, 15 U.S.C. 1114, reach sellers and anyone who resells a counterfeit.
Market notes
Chronograph copies are fewer than three-hand copies of the Datejust or the Nautilus. A working chronograph module adds cost, so sellers push plain models first. Terms such as AAA, 1:1 and mirror grade describe cosmetic quality, not origin. An Extract from the Archives confirms production data for a case and movement. A Patek Philippe service center inspection confirms the parts inside the case.