Answer
"470 10" is not a Cartier reference number. Cartier numbers the Santos in two formats: a four-digit vintage code such as 2960 or 2961, or a modern alphanumeric code such as WSSA0018. The string "470 10" appears in third-party marketplace listing titles. It does not appear in Cartier catalogs, service records, or guarantee cards. A watch sold under that string is an unlicensed copy of a protected design. US law bars import and sale of such copies under 19 U.S.C. § 1526 and the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1114.
What "470 10" may be
Marketplace sellers add number strings to listing titles to catch search traffic. The digits can come from a case-back stamp, an internal seller SKU, a bracelet code, or a photo file name. Cartier publishes no Santos reference in that format. A buyer cannot check the string against any Cartier source, which means the listing carries no verifiable model identity.
How Cartier numbers the Santos
- Vintage Santos and Santos-Dumont: four digits, e.g. 2960, 2961.
- Santos Galbée: reference 1564 and similar four-digit codes.
- Current Santos de Cartier: the prefix WSSA plus four digits, e.g. WSSA0018 for the large steel model.
- Current Santos-Dumont: the same WSSA prefix, with quartz movements on several entries.
Cartier designed the Santos in 1904 for the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. Serial production began in 1911. The name, the exposed screws on the bezel, and the case shape are protected marks and trade dress.
Legal status in the United States
US Customs and Border Protection can detain and seize counterfeit watches at the border when the trademark owner has recorded its mark. 19 U.S.C. § 1526(d) sets out that recording process. CBP fiscal year 2023 intellectual property seizure data lists watches and jewelry among the top product categories by seizure count.
Domestic sale carries civil liability under 15 U.S.C. § 1114. Criminal penalties sit in 18 U.S.C. § 2320: up to 10 years for a first trafficking offense, up to 20 years for a repeat offense. Statutory damages for counterfeiting reach $2,000,000 per mark for a willful violation under 15 U.S.C. § 1117(c).
What buyers of these listings report
- No Cartier warranty, no service history, no parts support.
- Movement type often differs from the listed description.
- Water resistance claims are not testable against a published standard.
- Case plating thickness and alloy are not disclosed.
- Resale value is close to zero, and resale of a counterfeit is itself unlawful.
How to check a genuine Santos
- Match the reference against Cartier's published list. WSSA codes and four-digit vintage codes are the two valid shapes.
- Check the case-back engraving for depth and edge quality. Genuine engraving is cut, not printed.
- Inspect the crown cabochon and its setting.
- Request a Cartier service record for the serial number.
- Take the watch to a Cartier after-sales center for verification.
Scope of this page
This page does not sell replica watches and does not name sellers. Facts above come from public statutes, CBP seizure reporting, and Cartier's published reference lists. Where a specific claim is not public, this page states that instead of guessing.