Short answer
A Fifty Fathoms 5050 replica is worth your money only when the big date sits centered in its aperture and the case measures a true 45mm. That date window is the whole reason this reference exists, and it is the hardest detail for a factory to fake. Expect to pay $260 to $480 for one with a Swiss-pattern automatic and a sapphire bezel insert. Under $150 you are buying a watch with a sticker for a date wheel and a bezel that clicks like a toy. Past $500, you should be seeing a genuine ETA base, a working big-date module, and clean brushing on the case flanks.
Fifty Fathoms 5050 Reproduction: What Matches and What Does Not
Why this reference is a small replica market
Submariners get cloned to death because everyone wants one. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Grande Date is a niche dive watch that retails north of $15,000, and most people have never seen one behind glass. Fewer buyers means fewer factories tooling up. You will find ten decent Fifty Fathoms 5015 replicas for every good 5050. That shortage cuts both ways: less choice, but the sellers who stock it usually know the model instead of pushing whatever is in the box.
The big date, in detail
Look at the aperture before anything else. On a good example the two numerals share a baseline, a font weight, and a gap. On a bad one the tens digit sits a hair high, or the whole window leans. Ask for a straight-on photo and zoom in. If the seller only shoots the watch at an angle, that is rarely an accident. A big date needs two discs working together, so a lazy or dragging flip during the change is a bad sign. The genuine uses an in-house Blancpain caliber with an instant jump. Ask for a video.
Case, bezel, and dial checks
- Measure the case. Big-date modules add depth, so many replicas run a millimeter thicker than the real thing and wear top heavy.
- Bezel action should feel crisp with 60 clean stops. The insert should be sapphire, not mineral or printed acrylic that goes cloudy in a year.
- Charge the lume and compare the bezel pip to the hands. A weak pip next to a bright dial means sloppy assembly, not a design choice.
- Read the dial text. Check letter spacing on the Fifty Fathoms and Blancpain signature. Crooked or cramped printing is the giveaway you spot first in person.
- The crown should sit inside the guards without scraping. Caseback engraving should have real depth, not a shallow etch.
Movements you will actually find
Two families dominate. The first is a Miyota 9015 or an Asian 2824 with a bolt-on date module. It hacks, hand winds, and keeps time fine, but the module is where the thickness and the weak date change come from. The second is a decorated ETA 2824 or a well-built clone with smoother finishing. Ask for a movement photo. If the seller cannot name the base caliber, keep looking.
Fifty Fathoms 5050 Version: What That Reference Actually Means
Water resistance
Treat every replica as splash resistant only. Gaskets are cheap, case tolerances vary, and a date module does not enjoy moisture. If you plan to swim, have a watchmaker pressure test it first and accept that the 300m on the dial is decoration.
Price tiers at a glance
- $100 to $180: printed date, hollow end links, noisy rotor, mineral bezel.
- $250 to $450: the sweet spot. Sapphire insert, proper brushing, 2824 or 9015 with a module, decent AR coating.
- $500 and up: only worth it with a real ETA and documented QC photos. Otherwise you are paying for a label.
Red flags
- No straight-on photo of the date window.
- Factory stock images instead of the actual watch on the bench.
- Claims of Swiss 1:1 quality on a $200 listing.
- Sellers who go quiet when you ask about the movement.
FAQ
Is a 5050 replica waterproof?
No. Rain, hand washing, and splashes are fine. Swimming is not, unless a watchmaker tests the seals and you accept the risk.
Which factory builds the best one?
None of the big names treat the 5050 as a flagship, so judge the individual watch instead of a label. The QC routine that works on a Fifty Fathoms 5015 applies here too, with extra weight on that date window.
How close does it look on the wrist?
At arm's length a good one reads right: 45mm case, domed crystal, sapphire bezel, broad hands. Up close the tells are the date font, the finishing under the lugs, and the rotor sound. Most people will never notice. You will.