Direct answer
A fake Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 is a counterfeit copy of reference 5711/1A-010, a 40mm steel watch Patek Philippe built from 2006 to 2021. The genuine watch carries caliber 324 S C, a 21K gold rotor, an 8.3mm case, and a 120m water resistance rating. Copies use third-party movements, thicker cases, and dials that fail under magnification. No replica matches the movement finish, the bracelet build, or the paperwork of the real piece.
What the genuine 5711 is
- Reference 5711/1A-010, stainless steel, 40mm across, 8.3mm thick.
- Caliber 324 S C, automatic, 45-hour power reserve, 21,600 vibrations per hour, 29 jewels.
- Blue-black dial with a horizontal embossed pattern, applied white gold markers, luminous fill.
- Sapphire caseback, screw-down crown with the Calatrava cross, 120m water resistance.
- US retail near $35,000 in 2021. Secondary prices passed $200,000 in early 2022.
Patek Philippe ended the reference in 2021. A green dial version, 5711/1A-014, was announced the same year and left production within a year. Both left dealers with waiting lists and no walk-in stock.
Case and thickness
The 5711 case measures 8.3mm from the caseback to the top of the crystal. Most replicas run 9mm to 10.5mm because the swap-in movement is thicker than caliber 324 S C. A caliper settles the question in seconds. Check the flanks. Genuine Nautilus flanks carry a two-piece construction with a bevel that catches light at the hinge. Copies show one unbroken slab.
Dial and hands
The genuine dial is brass with horizontal grooves stamped into the surface, then coated. Light rakes across the ridges. Replicas print the pattern or stamp shallow grooves with wider spacing. Other checks:
- Date font and aperture. The genuine date wheel uses a narrow serif-free font, centered in a beveled window.
- Marker plots. Applied markers sit flush. Lume plots are level and even in color.
- Hands. Genuine hour and minute hands have a beveled edge and clean lume fill.
- Text. "PATEK PHILIPPE" and "GENEVE" sit at set distances from the center, and the gilt print sits above the dial lacquer.
Bracelet and clasp
The integrated bracelet tapers from the lugs to the clasp. Genuine links are brushed on the flat surfaces with polished bevels at the edges, and each link moves on a fitted pin. Copies show uneven gaps, rough edges after polishing, and hinges that rattle. The clasp carries an engraved Calatrava cross and a stamped "Patek Philippe" in a font that stays clean at 10x magnification. Replica engravings are shallow and soft.
Movement and caseback
The 5711 has a sapphire display back, so the movement is visible. Caliber 324 S C shows Geneva stripes, chamfered bridge edges, blued screws, and a 21K gold rotor with the Calatrava cross. The balance is a Gyromax with four poising weights. Replicas use a Miyota 9015, an ETA clone, or a Chinese copy of the 324. Those movements show stamped finishes, plated rotors, and a standard balance wheel with a regulator index. Weight is another tell. A steel case with a solid gold rotor feels different in the hand than a plated brass rotor.
Papers, serials, and service
Genuine watches ship with a certificate of origin, a serial on the caseback and the movement, and often a Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives. Counterfeit sets include printed cards with mismatched numbers. Patek Philippe does not run a public authentication service. Its service centers will not work on counterfeit watches, and in many cases they keep them. A watchmaker with Patek parts access can open the case and confirm the movement in minutes.
Price signals
Reference 5711/1A-010 has not sold at retail since 2021. Auction and dealer listings for steel 5711s sit in the tens of thousands of dollars and up. Any offer near the price of a first copy watch is a replica. Sellers who list a "Nautilus 5711" at $300 to $800 are selling a counterfeit, and the listing terms say so.
Legal position in the US
Trafficking in counterfeit watches is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. 2320. US Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit watches at ports and borders under its intellectual property enforcement program. Buyers of counterfeits face seizure of the goods and, in some cases, civil penalties.