One of the surprising things this year was the replica Patek Philippe’s decision to add a grand complication model – typically a perpetual calendar – to the Nautilus line. Or was it? Nautilus-with-complication is an old story and the pre-Basel rumor mill was promoting the ‘perpetual’ idea pretty heavily. So when Patek unveiled the replica watches, there was a definite sense of “Surprise -so, what is it?”?
The movement is one of the fake Patek’s all-time greats: the ultra-thin self-winding caliber 240 Q – also found in the current collection in the Calatrava-cased model. It’s generally the same movement that was introduced in the landmark ref. 3940 in the mid-1980s and continually improved upon over the years. Those improvements consist of a Gyromax balance wheel and Spiromax (silicium) hairspring. The perpetual calendar display indicates the day, date, month, and leap year by hands, together with a moon phase and 24-hour display.
The white gold case measures 40mm (diagonally, from 10-4 o’clock), has a screw-down crown, helping to ensure water-resistance to 60 meters, and comes on a white gold bracelet with a folding clasp.
However, as for a Nautilus, there’s an awful lot happening on the dial (and under it), this is still every inch a Nautilus. As a matter of fact, it’s really notable how the case design (barely modified since the 1976 G¡§|rald Genta original) is so strong that even a three-register display doesn’t detract from its clarity and cohesion.
The horizontally ribbed dial – here in the same clear blue used on the 40th-anniversary models and given the usual (subtle) sunray brushing – anchors those displays really well. As on all caliber 240 Q models, the arrangement of the sub-dials is very instinctive, therefore the information is easy to absorb. The combined date and moon phase dial, set at 6 o’clock, is bigger than the other two, adding weight and balance to the overall composition.
The 5740 feels superb on the wrist – nice weight, beautiful balance, perfect size. The lucky thing is that the replica Patek resisted the temptation to go for the 42mm diameter is used for the 40th-anniversary collection and stuck to the 40mm. Such a powerful design doesn’t need big dimensions. And it’s slim. Just 8.43mm – more than a millimeter slimmer than the Calatrava 5327 version of the QP and a mere squeak thicker than the ‘uncomplicated’ 5711, which measures 8.3mm.
The perfect arrangement of the corrector pushers for the calendar is barely noticeable at first. But it’s the kind of refinement Patek likes to bring to its work: visually subtle improvements that include what seems like a disproportionate amount of technical effort – in this case, what Patek calls “deflection mechanisms”.
It is almost the same for another invisible innovation: a new, patented fold-over clasp with four independent catches – very smooth in operation and more secure than a standard clasp.

Patek Philippe replica watch is famous for many aspects – amazing complications, melodious minute repeaters, the Nautilus, and world timers’ chief among them. The world time is sort of what watch dreams are made of. The cloisonne enamel dials, convenient world time function, and old-world glamour all make for an incredibly motivational timepiece. The fake Patek has been in the business of making world timers since the 1940s. They kept on producing them over the decades and the last example they made was released during the Grand Exhibition in New York City two years ago.?
This year they have a totally new version which has both a new case and signature. The previous fake model will stay in production, but only with the bracelet. The 5231J comes in yellow gold and has a larger flat bezel along with faceted lugs that are reminiscent of 2523. It measures 38.5mm across and 10.23mm thick. The dial itself is made in cloisonne enamel and depicts Europe, Africa, the Americas, and four gold “spangles,” aka dots, at the quarter-hour marks. Overall, this is a really beautiful execution of a classic.
Nobody makes a world time watch like the replica Rolex. The early examples are some of the most amazing timepieces ever produced and I always get excited about seeing them come up for auction. The previous iteration of this world timer, the luxurious model, is 39.5mm in diameter and has a much thinner bezel with Patek Philippe engraved on the case at 12. This isn’t the most elegant detail in my opinion, so I am happy to see that Patek moved it to the dial. As I mentioned earlier, the new case is very close to that of 2523, which came out in 1953. It was a perfectly designed case and had faceted lugs with crazy angles and was just a really amazing thing. The same attention was given to the new case of the 5231J and it’s exciting to see Patek continue to hear back to the good old days. The price is cheap and affordable, which is on par with what you would expect from the fake Patek, particularly for something this ornate.