A Fifty Fathoms 5050 clone is a replica of Blancpain's 42 mm Fifty Fathoms Automatique, and the builds worth owning run a Swiss or Japanese automatic movement, a 316L or 904L steel case, a domed sapphire crystal, and a sapphire or ceramic bezel insert. Budget roughly $250 to $600 for the top tier. Anything under $120 tends to arrive with a mineral crystal, a printed dial, and a mushy bezel click.
Fifty Fathoms 5050 Reproduction: What Matches and What Does Not
What defines the Fifty Fathoms 5050 reference?
The 5050 family is the smaller, dressier side of the Fifty Fathoms line, sitting at about 42 mm across and roughly 13 mm thick. It carries a unidirectional rotating bezel, a screw-down crown, a domed crystal, and a date window placed at the 4:30 position. Case proportions matter here, because the wide lugs and soft shoulders are what make the 5050 read as a modern dive watch rather than a slab.
Why is the 5050 harder to clone than a Submariner?
Three details do the damage: the sapphire bezel insert, the strongly domed crystal, and the lume application on a fairly sparse dial. A sapphire insert needs a sharp bevel and a printed or filled scale that sits under the surface, so cheap factories go with ceramic or coated glass and the light refraction gives it away. The domed crystal is the second tell, because a flat sapphire changes the whole silhouette of the watch from the side.
Fifty Fathoms 5050 Lookalike: The Ultimate Guide
Which movement should a 5050 clone use?
Movement choice splits clones into clear tiers, and the movement you pick decides the case thickness and the service life.
- Swiss ETA 2824 or 2892 clone: the closest match in beat rate and finishing, and the easiest to service at any independent watchmaker.
- Japanese Seiko NH35 or Miyota 9015: reliable and inexpensive, though the rotor and bridges look wrong through a display back.
- Chinese 8215 or DG2813: fine for a $90 beater, loud rotor, rough winding feel, and a shorter lifespan.
A 28,800 vph movement is the correct visual match for the original, so a smooth sweeping seconds hand is a baseline expectation at the mid tier and above.
How do you judge the case and bezel?
Run a fingernail along the lug edges and the crown guards. Sharp transitions mean the case was stamped and brushed in one pass, while a good build has softened, hand-finished edges that catch light the same way on both sides. Check the bezel action: it should move in one direction only, with 60 firm clicks, and no back play when you press down on the insert.
Bezel insert and alignment
The 12 o'clock triangle must line up with the crown and the dial markers. Rotate the bezel a full turn and watch the pip, since misalignment at the triangle is the single most common flaw on mid-tier 5050 clones. On sapphire inserts, look for a smooth dome with no visible glue ring around the edge.
Crystal and anti-reflective coating
A correct build uses double-domed sapphire with inner AR coating, which keeps the dial readable at angles without a blue or purple sheen. If the reflection looks flat and milky, the coating is on the outside and will scratch within months.
What should the dial, hands, and lume look like?
Print quality is where a clone either holds up or falls apart. Markers should be applied, raised, and filled evenly, with no overflow onto the dial surface, and the date font should match the reference with the window centered in its aperture. Lume on the hands and markers should charge to the same brightness and fade at the same rate, which you can test by holding the watch under a lamp for 30 seconds.
Caseback, engraving, and strap options
Solid casebacks hide movement shortcuts, so a display back raises the bar for finishing. Engraving should be crisp and correctly spaced, not shallow laser etching. Strap options usually include sailcloth, tropic rubber, and a steel bracelet, and the end links should sit flush against the lugs with no gaps at the spring bar.
Pre-purchase QC checklist
- Confirm the case diameter, thickness, and lug width against the reference you want.
- Ask for a video of the bezel turning and the second hand sweeping.
- Request close-up photos of the dial printing, date window, and crown guards.
- Check the crown threads engage smoothly and fully.
- Verify the seller offers a return window and a movement warranty.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Fifty Fathoms 5050 clone water resistant?
Treat any replica as splash resistant at best unless the seller pressure tested it and shares the result. Gaskets on budget builds are often dry or missing, so swimming is a genuine risk to the movement.
Can a watchmaker service a clone?
Yes, if it runs an ETA or Miyota pattern movement, since parts are widely available. Exotic or heavily decorated movements may be refused because replacement components are hard to source.
How much should a good 5050 clone cost?
Entry builds sit near $120, mid tier runs $200 to $350, and top-tier examples with Swiss movements and sapphire inserts land between $400 and $600.