Quick answer
A replica Cartier watch is a copy of a Cartier design made by a company that is not Cartier. Cartier does not make them and does not sell them. In the United States, importing or selling a counterfeit watch is a federal offense. Buying one for personal use is a different charge than selling one, but US Customs can seize the item at the border.
What the word covers
The watch trade splits copies into groups. "Replica" often means a close cosmetic copy. "Homage" means a design that borrows a shape without the brand name. "Counterfeit" means the item carries the Cartier name, logo, or a protected mark without permission. US law uses the counterfeit definition.
Common Cartier targets include Tank, Santos, Ballon Bleu, Panthere, Ronde, and Tank Francaise. Each of these names is a registered trademark. Santos dates to 1904. Tank dates to 1917. Ballon Bleu dates to 2007.
US law and enforcement
Trafficking in counterfeit goods falls under 18 U.S.C. 2320. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison and a $2,000,000 fine for an individual. Civil claims sit under the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. 1114. Cartier International AG, part of Richemont, holds the marks.
US Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit watches at ports of entry. Watches and jewelry rank among the top seized counterfeit categories by value. Importing a counterfeit item for personal use is barred under 19 U.S.C. 1526.
Price and material gaps
A genuine Cartier Tank Must in steel lists near $3,000 to $4,000. A Santos de Cartier steel model lists near $7,000. Gold models run higher. Replica sellers quote $50 to $800 for the same model names.
The gaps show in parts. Genuine Cartier cases use 316L steel or 18k gold. Many replicas use plated brass or 304 steel. Genuine sapphire crystals rate Mohs 9. Replica crystals are often mineral glass at Mohs 5 to 6. Cartier does not sell its quartz movements or its 1847 MC and 1904 MC calibers to third parties.
Checks that separate real from copy
- Crown cabochon. Genuine Cartier crowns hold a blue spinel or sapphire set in gold or steel.
- Caseback engraving. Reference numbers, serial numbers, and "Swiss Made" print are crisp and shallow.
- Movement. Cartier records the caliber tied to each serial number at service.
- Papers. Cartier issues a numbered warranty card. A seller without one cannot verify a watch.
- Price. A new "Tank" at $200 with a full box set has no path to a genuine origin.
What is not known
Exact annual counts of counterfeit Cartier watches seized are not public. Cartier does not publish a list of factories or sellers.