Short answer

A fake Calibre de Cartier is a watch that copies the case, dial, and bracelet of the Cartier Calibre de Cartier. Cartier launched the line in 2010. The genuine three-hand model uses the Cartier 1904-PS MC, an in-house automatic movement. No replica uses that movement. Replica prices run from $150 for a quartz copy to $700 for a copy with a decorated Asian automatic.

Genuine specs

  • Case: 42 mm steel, about 11 mm thick, sapphire crystal front and back.
  • Movement: Cartier 1904-PS MC, automatic, 27 jewels, 28,800 vibrations per hour, 48-hour power reserve.
  • Dial: one large Roman XII at 12 o'clock, Arabic numerals for the other hours, the word "Calibre" printed on the inner flange.
  • Date: window at 3 o'clock.
  • Crown: steel with a blue sapphire cabochon.
  • Diver version: reference W7100056, 300 m water resistance, rubber or steel band.

What replica makers use

  • Quartz movements in the $150 to $250 range. The second hand jumps once per second.
  • Asian copies of the ETA 2824-2 at 28,800 vph, $250 to $450.
  • Miyota 9015 with a stamped plate that copies the 1904-PS MC rotor, $400 to $700.

Case thickness on replicas runs 0.5 mm to 1 mm over spec. The extra spacer sits between the movement and the caseback.

How to check a watch

  1. Caseback engraving. Genuine script is cut deep with sharp edges. Copies show shallow laser marks.
  2. Movement. The 1904-PS MC has Côtes de Genève stripes, perlage on the mainplate, and a signed rotor. Copies show stamped plates and no perlage.
  3. Serial numbers. Cartier stamps a case number and a separate movement number. Many replicas repeat one number across a batch.
  4. Cabochon. A sapphire cabochon holds a scratch test. Glass and resin do not.
  5. Crown. The genuine crown unscrews in about four turns and stops against a hard stop. Copies turn free or grind.
  6. Dial print. The XII on the genuine dial has flat-cut serifs. Copies show rounded or filled serifs.

Prices

The steel 42 mm Calibre de Cartier sold for about $7,650 in the US in the 2010s. Pre-owned examples trade at $4,000 to $5,500. A $700 replica costs about 12 percent of a used genuine watch.

Open points

No replica factory publishes production numbers. No independent lab has published water-resistance results for a Calibre de Cartier replica. Treat any depth claim from a seller as unverified.