What Is the Replica Patek Philippe Aviator Travel Time 5390?
A replica Patek Philippe Aviator Travel Time 5390 is a first copy of a Patek pilot-style dual time watch, built to match both the look and the two-time-zone display of the original. It puts two central hour hands on the dial, one for home time and one for local time, with a day/night window showing which half of the day each hand points to.
First copy makers sell this reference in stainless steel with a 42mm case, a wide fluted crown, and two pushers set on the left side of the case. The layout is the point. It reads like a cockpit instrument, not a dress watch.
Specs That Matter in a First Copy 5390
Most builds of this reference share the same basic spec sheet. The gap between a good copy and a poor one sits in the finishing and the movement, not in the measurements.
- Case: 42mm wide, about 11mm thick, stainless steel or two-tone.
- Crystal: sapphire with a light dome. Mineral glass is a downgrade.
- Movement: automatic with a jumping local hour hand, or a 24-hour hand on cheaper builds.
- Dial: matte black or blue with large luminous Arabic numerals and hands.
- Caseback: exhibition, with a decorated rotor and bridge plates in view.
- Water resistance: printed at 30m on most copies. Treat it as splash-proof only.
How the Dual Time Zone Works on the 5390
The Travel Time system uses two hour hands. The skeletonized hand shows home time and the solid hand shows local time. You set the local hand with the pushers on the left of the case, one push per hour forward or back, without stopping the movement.
A day/night indicator at 6 o'clock ties both hands to a 24-hour cycle, so you can tell if home is asleep or awake. On good replicas this window moves with the hour hand. On cheap ones it is a printed disc or a hand that stays put.
Original vs First Copy: What Changes
The case shape, dial layout, and pusher placement carry over from the original. What changes is the inside. The real watch runs an in-house movement, and a first copy runs a mass-produced automatic with a GMT module.
Lume color is the second giveaway. Originals use a warm cream tone that fades with age, while copies often ship with a pale green or bright white fill. A high-grade first copy gets this close. A budget one does not.
How to Judge a Replica 5390 Before You Buy
Dial and printing
Look at the numerals in a zoomed photo. Sharp edges, even lume fill, and a flat matte finish point to a decent dial. Fuzzy printing and a glossy surface point to a budget build.
Case and pusher finish
The original case has brushed flanks and polished bevels. Copies that skip the bevel look flat in photos, even when the size is right. Check that both pushers sit at the same height and press with a firm click.
Movement behavior
Set the local hand forward six hours and watch the day/night window. It should move with the hand. If it stays fixed, the watch is a lookalike and not a working dual time.
Weight and strap
An automatic movement inside a steel case puts a real 5390-style copy between 90 and 120 grams on a kitchen scale. A light watch with a hollow rattle points to quartz or a low-grade movement.
Setting and Wearing the Watch
Pull the crown to the first position and wind the movement by hand, then set home time on the skeleton hand with the crown in the second position. Push the upper left pusher to move the local hand one hour forward, or the lower pusher to move it back. The date follows local time on most builds, so set it before you travel, not mid-flight.
The 42mm case wears large on a 6.5 inch wrist and sits flat under a shirt cuff. If you plan to wear it daily, ask the seller for a spare strap in the same lug width.
Tells of a Low-Grade Aviator Travel Time Copy
- A printed day/night disc instead of a moving indicator.
- Pushers that do nothing, or that change the date instead of the hour.
- Mineral glass with a blue glare in photos.
- Dial text with the wrong font weight or letter spacing.
- A seconds hand that ticks instead of sweeping.
- Strap edges that look plastic, with a stamped buckle.
Buying Checklist
- Ask for a video of the local hour hand jumping with each pusher press.
- Request macro photos of the dial, caseback, and buckle.
- Confirm the movement name and the crystal type in writing.
- Check the return window and how the seller handles a dead movement.
- Compare crown position and pusher spacing against official photos.
FAQ
Does the replica 5390 keep good time?
A copy with a decent automatic GMT movement holds time to within a few seconds a day after regulation. Cheap quartz builds hold time well but lose the sweep and the jump hand.
Is the second time zone functional on every replica?
No. Some copies show a second hour hand that moves with the main hand and cannot be set on its own. Ask for video proof before you pay.
Can a first copy Travel Time be serviced?
Most watchmakers will service a common automatic GMT movement, and parts are easy to source. Servicing a copy movement often costs less than replacing the watch.
How close is a high-grade copy to the original?
At arm's length, a high-grade first copy reads like the real watch. Up close, the tells sit in the movement finish, the lume tone, and the depth of the dial printing.