Short answer
A fake Patek Philippe 5320G is a counterfeit copy of a white gold perpetual calendar watch. The genuine reference is 5320G-001, shown at Baselworld in 2017. It has a 40 mm white gold case and caliber 324 S Q. Replica copies sell for $300 to $900 from Chinese sellers. The genuine watch sells for about $85,000 to $92,000. Copies match the dial layout. They do not match the movement.
The genuine 5320G in numbers
- Reference 5320G-001. White gold case. Cream lacquer dial.
- Case diameter 40 mm. Sapphire crystal front and back. Water resistance 30 m.
- Movement: caliber 324 S Q. Automatic winding. Power reserve 38 to 48 hours.
- Functions: day, date, month, leap year, moon phase, 24-hour indicator.
- Retail price at launch: about $85,000 to $92,000 USD. Resale prices depend on condition, box and papers.
What the replica does
Most copies of the 5320G use a Miyota 9015 or a Chinese automatic base. A calendar module sits on top of that base. The module drives the day, date and month windows. It does not store the leap year cycle. On March 1 of the year after February 29, the date needs manual correction. A perpetual calendar does not need that correction.
Case metal is the second gap. Stainless steel has a density near 7.9 g/cm3. 18k white gold sits near 15.5 g/cm3. A steel case of the same size weighs about half as much. Swiss precious metal hallmarks on the caseback are missing or stamped wrong. The Patek Philippe Seal on the movement bridge is not present.
Checks that take one minute
- Weight. A steel case of 40 mm feels light for the size.
- Calendar behavior. Ask the seller to show the leap year indicator against the current year.
- Caseback. Look for the hallmark, the serial and the case number.
- Papers. Patek Philippe offers an Extract from the Archives for a fee. A seller who refuses that step is a signal.
- Price. A 5320G does not sell for $600.
Legal status in the United States
Counterfeit watches are illegal to import, sell or traffic. 18 U.S.C. § 2320 covers trafficking in counterfeit goods, and penalties include prison terms and fines. U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit goods at ports of entry. A buyer of a seized item loses the watch and the payment, and has no legal recourse against the seller.
What is not known
Replica factory output changes by batch. Case thickness and dial print quality differ between runs of the same model. Numbers quoted by sellers, such as “1:1” or “ Swiss grade,” have no standard definition.