Short answer
Patek Philippe Reference 1735 is a platinum wristwatch with 24 complications, launched in 1991. Replica versions copy the case shape, dial layout and strap. No replica carries a working minute repeater or a true perpetual calendar. Check case metal, weight, hallmarks and movement before you pay.
What the Reference 1735 is
Patek Philippe introduced the Reference 1735 in 1991. The case is platinum. Patek Philippe lists 24 complications, among them a minute repeater, a perpetual calendar with moon phase, a split-seconds chronograph and a power reserve display. Patek Philippe has not published production numbers. Auction houses cite estimates under 20 pieces for the full run.
The case is thin for the complication count, and its diameter is small by current standards. The watch sits close to the wrist under a shirt cuff.
What the replica market sells
- Case: 316L stainless steel with platinum-color plating or PVD. Some sellers use tungsten to add weight.
- Dial: printed subdials, applied markers, sapphire or mineral crystal.
- Movement: quartz, or a low-beat automatic where a date wheel drives the calendar discs.
- Strap: alligator-grain leather, sometimes genuine leather.
Prices run from about $150 to $600. Price tracks the movement grade and case finish, not the complication count.
Complications that do not work
A minute repeater needs a rack, a hammer and two gongs. Replica cases hold no chime mechanism. Pressing the slide does nothing, or moves a dummy lever.
A perpetual calendar tracks leap years. Replica calendar discs advance once per day from the date wheel and need a reset after months with 30 days. A listing that says perpetual calendar refers to dial text in most cases.
A split-seconds chronograph needs two chronograph hands and a split lever. Most replicas use one chronograph hand, or two hands that move together with no split function.
How to check a platinum replica
- Weight. Platinum density is about 21.4 g/cm3. Steel is about 7.9 g/cm3. A platinum case of the same size weighs near 2.7 times a steel one. A light watch means a steel case.
- Hallmarks. Genuine platinum cases carry a stamp inside the caseback, such as PT950 or a Plat mark. Replica stamps are shallow and often off-center.
- Caseback engraving. Reference numbers, movement numbers and hallmarks sit in a straight line on genuine pieces. Replica engraving is laser-cut and shallow.
- Movement. Watch the seconds hand. A quartz movement ticks in one-second steps. A 21,600 vph automatic sweeps. A 28,800 vph movement sweeps smoother.
- Dial printing. Check the date window edge and the moon phase disc. Replica moon discs are printed paper or thin metal.
What is unknown
Replica makers do not publish factory names, movement origins or case-metal assays. Sellers list platinum cases that test as steel on an X-ray fluorescence gun. Ask for a metal test before payment. No public test data exists for most replica batches.
Cost of ownership
A replica repeater or calendar needs service like any mechanical watch. Few repair shops accept replica work. Parts come from the same sellers, and lead times stretch to weeks. A quartz replica needs a battery change and little else.