The reference "5167G" does not exist in Patek Philippe's catalog. The 40mm Aquanaut was sold as the 5167A in stainless steel and the 5167R in rose gold. The white gold Aquanaut is the 5168G, and it measures 42.2mm, not 40mm. Listings that say "replica Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5167G" are blending the steel reference with the letter Patek uses for white gold. That kind of mix-up is the first clue about how carefully the rest of the listing was put together.
What the suffix letters actually mean
Patek codes the case metal into the reference number. A is stainless steel, G is white gold, R is rose gold, J is yellow gold, P is platinum, and T is titanium. The 5167 line never carried a G. So a "5167G" is either a steel watch described as gold, a plated copy, or a seller repeating a term they copied from another listing. None of those answers point to a workshop that is measuring anything against a real watch.
The genuine 5167 in numbers
The Aquanaut launched in 1997 with the 5060A, and the 5167A arrived in 2007 as the modern 40mm version. Here is what the real thing is built to:
- Case: 40mm across, 8.1mm thick, water resistant to 120m
- Movement: caliber 324 S C, 3.3mm thick, 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz), 45 hour power reserve, 30 jewels, Gyromax balance, Spiromax spring, Patek Philippe Seal
- Dial: embossed grid pattern with applied white gold numerals and luminescent coating
- Strap: composite material carrying the same grid embossing, cut to meet the case
That 8.1mm case height is the number worth remembering. Thin cases with a sapphire back and a decorated automatic movement inside are hard to make, and that is exactly why copies of this watch announce themselves so quickly in person.
Where copies give themselves away
I look at four things first when someone hands me a suspected copy, and thickness sits at the top. Photos on a table hide it. On the wrist it does not, because the caseback sits too high off the skin and the watch rides differently. After that:
- Beat rate. The real 324 S C runs at 21,600 vph, which is a slow, slightly sweeping tick. Many copies use movements at 28,800 vph, so the seconds hand moves smoother than it should.
- Date change. The genuine movement snaps the date over close to midnight. Cheaper copies drag it gradually across the window.
- Dial texture. The grid on a real dial is embossed into the surface with sharp edges. On copies it is often printed, soft, or not aligned to the dial opening.
- Caseback engraving and rotor finish. Reference numbers, font weight, and the finishing on the rotor are where shortcuts show up under a loupe.
Weight and rotor noise are the giveaways you notice without any tools at all.
The legal side in the United States
This matters more than any dial detail. Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. section 2320, and it carries prison time, not just a fine. Brand owners can also sue for civil damages, and Customs and Border Protection can seize shipments under 19 U.S.C. section 1526. Importing a counterfeit watch is prohibited even when it is for personal use and even when it is a single piece. Reselling one is where the criminal exposure really begins.
A better use of the money
The 5167A is not an easy watch to buy at retail, and prices on the secondary market reflect that. If the design is what draws you in, the honest paths are saving toward a genuine Aquanaut, buying a steel sports watch from a brand that openly sells the style, or accepting the wait. A copy gives you the silhouette and none of the movement, and the person across the table who knows watches will spot it in about two seconds.