Quick Answer
A fake Fifty Fathoms 1953 is a watch built to imitate the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms that Maurice Maloubier and Claude Riffaud developed for French combat divers and Blancpain put on sale in 1953. Genuine examples trade for five figures, so copies fill the gap. Almost every fake gives itself away in one of four places: the case measures wrong, the bezel does not lock, the dial text sits wrong, or the movement is a modern automatic instead of the period AS 1361N.
What Sets the 1953 Original Apart
The original runs 41 mm across, about 13 mm thick, with 22 mm lugs and a black dial with radium numerals. Its bezel locks so a diver cannot knock the timing ring loose. Early versions carry no crown guards, later ones add them. Blancpain reissued the design in 2023 as the 70th Anniversary Act 1, a 42.3 mm watch with caliber 1315 and a 120 hour power reserve. Knowing which version you are looking at decides which checks matter.
Before You Start
- A 10x loupe or macro lens
- Digital calipers
- A caseback wrench
- Reference photos of a confirmed genuine example
Step-by-Step Checks
- Measure the case with calipers. A 1953 original reads 41 mm wide and roughly 13 mm thick. Copies run 42 to 44 mm and taper the lugs at the wrong angle.
- Turn the bezel. The original locks into place with a spring mechanism so it cannot drift mid-dive. A fake spins free with light clicks and no resistance.
- Study the dial print under the loupe. Check the weight of the Blancpain script, the arc of the Fifty Fathoms text, and the moisture indicator dot above 6 o'clock. Fakes print a flat disc or leave the dot out.
- Read the caseback. Genuine engraving is deep and sharp, and the serial falls inside a known range for that reference. Lasered text with soft edges points to a copy.
- Open the caseback and identify the movement. Original 1953 watches use the AS 1361N automatic. The 2023 reissue uses caliber 1315. A generic clone under a decorated rotor settles the question.
- Weigh the watch. Original steel cases sit in a narrow weight band. Hollow, light cases use thinner metal.
- Compare against auction archives from Christie's or Phillips, which publish photos, serials, and movement shots for sold lots.
Replica Grades and What They Mean
First copy and AAA grade watches differ by bezel action, crystal material, and movement. Entry grades use mineral glass, printed dials, and unbranded automatics. Better grades add sapphire, applied markers, and cloned movements, but the case proportions and the locking bezel still miss. Super clone builds copy the outside closely and often skip the moisture indicator entirely. If a seller cannot show the movement, assume the lowest grade.
Sourcing and Price Signals
A 1953 Fifty Fathoms listed far below market value is a fake or a stolen watch. Ask for movement photos, serial numbers, and a return window. Compare those details against published auction results before you pay.