Short Answer
A replica Blancpain 5200-0113-52A is a counterfeit copy of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronographe Flyback. It copies the case shape, the dial layout, and the bezel, but it does not use a Blancpain calibre, and it comes with no service network, no parts support, and no resale value. Treat it as an unbranded watch that is being passed off as something else, and inspect it the same way.
Prerequisites
- Digital calipers accurate to 0.1 mm
- A 10x jeweler's loupe
- A kitchen scale that reads in grams
- A saved spec sheet for the genuine reference
- Access to a watchmaker with a pressure tester if you plan to swim with the watch
Inspection Steps
- Pull the genuine specifications first. Write down the case diameter, case thickness, lug width, bezel material, crystal type, movement family, and rated water resistance for the 5200-0113-52A before you look at the copy.
- Measure the case with the calipers across the 3 and 9 o'clock line. Record the number. Replicas of dive chronographs often run 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm off the original figure.
- Measure thickness from the back of the case back to the top of the crystal. Thickness is the hardest dimension to match because the movement inside is not the original calibre.
- Set the bezel to 12 and check the alignment against the dial marker. Turn it through a full rotation and feel for grit or back play.
- Hold the loupe over the dial and read the text. Compare letter spacing, font weight, and print depth against photos of the genuine dial.
- Check the date window if the reference has one. Look at the position of the number inside the aperture and the finish on the date wheel.
- Wind the crown and set the time. Note whether the stem feels loose, whether the threads catch, and whether the crown seats flush against the case.
- Run the chronograph. Start it, let it run two minutes, stop it, then reset. Repeat three times and watch whether the seconds hand returns to zero each cycle.
- Weigh the watch head on the scale. Titanium and ceramic references are light, so a steel copy of a ceramic watch reads heavy.
- Inspect the lugs, spring bars, and strap hardware. Confirm the spring bars do not bend under finger pressure.
- Look at the movement. Ask for a clear photo of the calibre, or open the case back with the correct tool. Identify the base movement by its bridge shape and rotor text.
- Have a watchmaker pressure test the case if water resistance matters. A printed depth rating on a replica is a claim, not a measurement.
Red Flags
- Hands that do not line up at 12
- A chronograph seconds hand that fails to return to zero
- Lume that fades within minutes
- Rotor engraving with wrong spacing or a generic movement name
- Crystal that scratches when tested with a steel tool, which means mineral glass
- Case back engraving that is stamped shallow instead of cut
- A seller who refuses to show the movement
What to Expect
Finishing on the better replicas has improved, but the internals stay the weak point. A Chinese-made chronograph movement will keep time for a while, then drift, and replacement parts are hard to source. Case back gaskets are the first failure point. Counterfeit watches are also illegal to import into the United States, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection can seize them at the border. If the watch arrives damaged or stops running, there is no factory service to fall back on, so any repair cost comes out of your pocket.