Short answer
A fake Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 5200 is a look-alike of a Blancpain flyback chronograph. The replica copies the 43.6 mm case, the dial layout, and the bezel. It does not copy calibre F385, the 36,000 vph balance, the 50 hour power reserve, or the 300 m water resistance. Most builds use an ETA 7753 pattern movement or a clone of it. Plan on $300 to $600 for a chronograph build. Anything under $200 is a quartz watch with a set of fake pushers.
fifty fathoms bathyscaphe 5200 clone
What the reference 5200 is
Blancpain sells the Bathyscaphe Chronographe Flyback under reference numbers that start with 5200. The case measures 43.6 mm across. The watch is a flyback chronograph with a date at 4:30.
- Case: 43.6 mm, ceramic or steel versions
- Movement: calibre F385, automatic
- Frequency: 36,000 vph (5 Hz)
- Power reserve: 50 hours
- Chronograph: column wheel, vertical clutch, flyback
- Dial: 30 minute counter at 3, small seconds at 9, date at 4:30
- Water resistance: 300 m
Confirm the full reference number before you compare. Steel, black ceramic, and titanium cases carry different numbers and different dial finishes.
Checks that separate a replica from a gen
Balance frequency
Put the watch on a timegrapher. The gen calibre F385 runs at 36,000 vph. An ETA 7753 or a Chinese clone runs at 28,800 vph. The number on the screen gives a fast answer.
Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 5200 Imitation Watch Guide
Flyback action
Start the chronograph, let it run ten seconds, then press the reset pusher. A gen F385 flyback returns the hand to zero and keeps running. A 7753 based replica needs the stop pusher first. Press reset on a running 7753 and the movement can jam.
Case thickness and weight
Measure the case with calipers. Replica chronograph cases run thicker than the gen because the 7753 stack sits taller than the F385. Weight tells the same story. Ceramic and titanium feel light. Plated brass cases feel heavy for their size.
Dial and date
Look at the date window at 4:30. The disc should sit centered and flip at midnight. Check the print on the dial and the lume color under a lamp. Pale green or uneven lume points to a replica dial.
Bezel insert
The gen insert is ceramic. Many replicas use ceramic too, so the insert alone does not settle it. Check the marker fill. Filled markers sit flush with the surface. Painted markers sit above the surface and chip.
Pressure test
The gen carries a 300 m rating. Replicas leave the factory without a pressure test. Gaskets vary by batch. Do not dive with a replica. Do not swim with one unless a watchmaker tests it first.
Price ranges
- Gen Bathyscaphe chronograph: about $15,000 to $19,000 at retail, by case material and market
- Replica with a 7753 pattern movement: $300 to $600
- Replica with a quartz movement: under $200
Prices move. Check a Blancpain boutique for the current gen list price.
What no replica copies
Movement architecture, service parts, and the 50 hour power reserve. The F385 has finishing and a column wheel setup that a clone does not match. Resale differs too. A gen 5200 has a resale market. A replica does not.