The phrase fifty fathoms 5050 reproduction describes a copy watch built to look like the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Grande Date, reference 5050. The short answer: a reproduction can copy the silhouette, the dial layout and the big date window, but it cannot copy the in-house movement, the case finishing or the factory water resistance testing of the original. Buyers who understand that gap make better decisions.
What the Reference 5050 Is
Blancpain introduced the Fifty Fathoms in 1953 for French combat swimmers, and the line has stayed in production in various forms since. The reference 5050 sits in the modern family, a dive watch of roughly 45 mm with a big date display, a unidirectional rotating bezel and a sapphire crystal. The official catalog is the only dependable source for case dimensions, materials and water resistance ratings, so check it before comparing anything else. Published reviews help with context and photos, but they are not a specification sheet.
Fifty Fathoms 5050 Lookalike: The Ultimate Guide
What Reproductions Usually Get Right
- Overall case size and lug profile, copied from published dimensions and photos
- Dial architecture: indices, hand shapes and the position of the big date aperture
- Bezel insert color and the font on the dive scale
- Caseback engraving style and rotor decoration on display backs
- Strap or bracelet look at arm's length
Where They Fall Short
- Movement: a decorated generic caliber instead of the in-house automatic used by the original. Beat rate, power reserve and date behavior differ.
- Bezel action: genuine bezels click cleanly with tight alignment. Copies often show soft detents and a slight offset at 12.
- Big date: the two disc mechanism is the hardest part to copy. Watch how both discs flip and whether they sit level in the window.
- Crystal and lume: anti-reflective coating and lume brightness are common places to save cost.
- Water resistance: a printed rating is not a tested rating. Never dive or swim with an untested copy.
How to Evaluate One in Person
- Compare it side by side with official product photos taken at the same angle.
- Set the date forward and backward to check both discs and the midnight change.
- Rotate the bezel a full turn and check alignment back at 12.
- Measure thickness and weight; thin or light cases usually reveal shortcuts.
- Ask who will service it and whether spare parts exist.
Legal and Ownership Points
A watch carrying the Blancpain name and logo without being made by Blancpain is a counterfeit. Counterfeits can be seized by customs, and no authorized service center will touch them, so a repair becomes a hunt for parts. Brands that build a dive watch in a similar style under their own name sell a legitimate product, which is a different category from a fifty fathoms 5050 reproduction. If resale value, warranty or long term servicing matters to you, that distinction decides the purchase.
Fifty Fathoms 5050 Version: What That Reference Actually Means
Quick Summary
A fifty fathoms 5050 reproduction can look convincing in photos and even on the wrist for a moment. It gets the outline, the dial text and the bezel scale. It does not get the movement, the date mechanism, the finishing or the water testing. Judge one on the details you can measure and operate, not on the listing description.