A fake Cartier Santos white gold is a counterfeit watch sold as solid 18k white gold. Most are stainless steel with rhodium plating. Some use a brass core with gold plating. True solid 18k white gold counterfeits exist. They are rare and cost 1,000 USD or more.
What genuine white gold means
Cartier builds the Santos de Cartier in stainless steel, 18k yellow gold, 18k rose gold, 18k white gold, and two-tone steel and gold. An 18k alloy holds 75 percent gold by weight. The balance is palladium, silver, nickel, or manganese. The maker plates the finished case with rhodium, a hard white metal, so the surface reads bright. Cartier stamps the caseback with 750 or Au750 and a serial number. That number ties to a record in the Cartier service system.
What sellers list as white gold
- Stainless steel with rhodium plating. 39.8 mm large model. Sells from about 50 USD to 400 USD.
- Brass or copper core with gold plating 1 to 5 microns thick. Plating wears at the lugs and crown guards.
- Solid 18k white gold case, aftermarket. Prices run 1,500 USD to 4,000 USD. Few sellers can supply an assay mark.
Tests that settle the question
Four tests give useful data.
- Magnet. Most steel grades attract a magnet. Gold alloys do not. This test rules out a steel case. It does not detect plating.
- Weight. Gold runs about 1.9 times the density of steel. A solid white gold Santos weighs far more than the same case in steel.
- X-ray fluorescence. XRF reads surface composition to a depth of a few microns. Rhodium plating hides the core. A surface reading proves plating, not the core metal.
- Acid or fire assay on a scratch sample. This is destructive. It is the one field test that confirms the core.
Records and paperwork
Cartier keeps service records by serial number. A boutique or an authorized service center can confirm one. Sellers of counterfeit watches do not supply a valid serial. Some copy a number from a photo of a real watch. The same serial on two listings points to a copied caseback.
Legal status in the United States
Cartier holds registered trademarks on the Santos name, dial layout, and case shape. Selling or importing counterfeit goods is illegal. 15 U.S.C. Section 1114 covers civil liability. 18 U.S.C. Section 2320 covers criminal trafficking, with prison terms up to 10 years for a first offense. Customs and Border Protection can seize shipments under 19 U.S.C. Section 1526.
What is not known
No public data set reports how many Santos white gold fakes carry a solid gold case. Sellers publish those numbers. Assay offices do not.