What a fake Fifty Fathoms 5050 is

A fake Fifty Fathoms 5050 is a replica of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Grande Date. Blancpain reference numbers for that model start with 5050. The genuine watch has a 45 mm case, a two-disc big date at 3 o'clock, and caliber 6918B with a five-day power reserve. Replicas copy the silhouette. They do not copy the movement, the case metal, or the date mechanism.

Genuine reference points

  • Case: 45 mm, titanium on most 5050 versions.
  • Date: two-disc big date at 3 o'clock.
  • Movement: Blancpain caliber 6918B, automatic, five-day power reserve.
  • Bezel: unidirectional, sapphire or ceramic insert by version.
  • Water resistance: 300 m.

What replica sellers ship

  • Case: 45 mm steel, thickness near 15 mm.
  • Movement: Asian automatic 2836-2, 2813, or a Seagull ST21. Some listings say "Swiss ETA 2836".
  • Power reserve: 36 to 40 hours on most replica movements.
  • Bezel: sapphire insert with printed markings, or mineral glass on budget builds.
  • Date: single-disc big date, or two discs that sit off center.
  • Crystal: sapphire with inner coating on one side.
  • Lume: C3 or BGW9 on mid-tier builds, weak or absent on cheap ones.
  • Water resistance: no pressure test. Do not swim with it.

How to tell the difference

  1. Weight. Titanium weighs less than steel at the same size. A steel 45 mm replica on a strap lands near 150 g.
  2. Power reserve. Five days against 40 hours.
  3. Date jump. The genuine big date changes in one step at midnight. Many replicas drag or split the change.
  4. Caseback markings. Genuine reference and serial text is etched and sharp. Replica text is shallow.
  5. Bezel print. Replica font sits thicker and wider than the genuine insert.
  6. Lugs and crown guards. Replica lugs run thicker at the case join.

Replica market labels

Sellers use terms like "AAA", "1:1", and "Swiss made". These terms have no fixed standard. Two sellers can apply the same label to different movements and different cases. Ask for the movement name, the case diameter, and the thickness in millimeters. Ask for photos of the unit you will receive, not stock images.

Price

Budget builds run about $80 to $150. Mid-tier builds with a 2836-2 or ST21 run about $200 to $400. No new 5050 replica ships with a Blancpain movement. Caliber 6918B does not trade on the open market.

What is not known

Replica factories do not publish batch numbers, so quality shifts between runs. Water resistance and lume output go untested by most sellers. A listing alone cannot confirm which factory built a watch.