The top pick for a fake Patek Philippe Aviator Travel Time 5390 is the clone-movement tier: an automatic watch with a working local hour hand, a separately set remote hour hand, a day and night indicator, and a sapphire caseback. It wins on four criteria that decide every version of this model. First, whether the travel time function actually works or is just printed on the dial. Second, how close the case, bezel and lugs sit to the genuine profile. Third, dial printing, hand finish and the color of the applied details. Fourth, the strap, buckle and overall weight on the wrist. The rest of this guide sorts the market into three tiers and names the buyer each tier fits.
What the 5390 keyword points to
Patek Philippe sells this pilot style travel watch inside the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time family, a line built around a second time zone display rather than a rotating bezel. Reference numbers in that family blur together in search results, and the 5390 label shows up in listings as shorthand for the same look: a wide steel-toned case, a matte dial, applied numerals, a date, two day and night apertures, and pushers on the left flank for the remote hour hand. Before you compare a replica against anything, compare it against the official product photo on the brand site. Numbers get copied from listing to listing. The dial layout does not.
Top pick: clone movement with a real travel time
This tier uses an automatic movement with a genuine GMT style module, so the remote hour hand jumps in one hour steps when you press the case pushers. The caseback is sapphire, the rotor is decorated, and the date changes with the local time hand. Case thickness runs closer to the genuine piece than anything below it.
Pros
- Both hour hands work, so the complication reads as real on the wrist.
- Day and night apertures follow the hands instead of sitting static.
- Sapphire crystal and display back give the watch depth and light play.
- Heavier case and solid end links make the bracelet or strap sit correctly.
Cons
- Costs the most of the three tiers.
- Needs a service mindset: dirt, magnets and hard knocks hurt a module movement.
- Thicker than the genuine piece in most builds, which shows under a cuff.
Who it fits
The buyer who wants to set a second time zone, wear the watch daily, and show the caseback without flinching. If you travel or work across zones, this is the only tier worth the money.
Mid tier: decorated automatic with a fixed 24 hour hand
Here the movement is a plain automatic with a 24 hour hand that you set by pulling the crown, not by pushers. The dial looks close at arm's length. The left flank pushers are often cosmetic.
Pros
- Noticeably cheaper than the clone tier.
- Reliable base movement with easy parts sourcing.
- Good dial and hand finish for the price band.
Cons
- Pushers do nothing, which any owner of the genuine watch will spot.
- Day and night apertures may be painted rather than functional.
- Case profile tends to be softer at the lugs.
Who it fits
The buyer who wants the silhouette for daily wear and rarely uses a second time zone. Hand the watch to someone for ten seconds and it passes. Hand it over with a request to set the remote hour hand and it does not.
Budget tier: quartz and cosmetic subdials
Quartz power, a printed date, and subdials or apertures that never move. The case is the thinnest here, which cuts both ways: it slides under a sleeve, but it loses the presence of the pilot design.
Pros
- Lowest entry point and no winding routine.
- Light on the wrist and simple to keep running.
- Fine as a spare or a gift for a casual wearer.
Cons
- Ticking second hand gives the movement away on sight.
- No working travel time function at all.
- Printing and applied details fall short under close light.
Who it fits
The buyer chasing a look for occasional wear who accepts that the complication is decoration.
Criteria that decide the pick
- Movement function: press the pushers. The remote hour hand should jump a full hour and stay synced to the minute.
- Case geometry: lugs should be sharp, not rounded, and the bezel should sit flat against the mid case.
- Dial: numerals should be applied, not printed, and the day and night dots should be clean circles.
- Hands: hour and minute hands should be flat polished with no burrs at the tips.
- Caseback: engraving should be crisp and centered, with a sapphire window on the top tier.
- Strap: leather should be thick and stitched straight, and the buckle should carry matching markings.
Checks before you pay
- Ask for a short video showing the pushers moving the remote hour hand back and forth.
- Ask for a photo of the watch on a measuring tape to confirm diameter and thickness.
- Confirm the crystal material, since mineral glass scratches and looks flat.
- Confirm the strap type and buckle style, because these are often swapped for cheaper parts.
- Check the date window position against the official photo.
Verdict
Buy the clone movement tier if the travel time function matters to you, because that function is the whole point of this reference. Drop to the mid tier if you want the profile and can live with a fixed 24 hour hand. Choose the budget tier only as a casual wearer. One practical note: counterfeit watches are restricted or illegal to import in many countries, and the resale market for them is thin, so treat any purchase as a wear-and-keep decision rather than a collectible one.