Answer first

Cartier sells no Tank Must chronograph. The Tank Must line returned in 2021 with three-hand quartz watches. Case sizes are 33.7 mm x 25.5 mm for the large model and 29.5 mm x 22 mm for the small one. A SolarBeat version runs a photovoltaic movement. No chronograph appears in that line. Search results for a "Tank Must chronograph" show a watch the factory never built.

fake cartier tank must chronograph watch

Where the name comes from

Cartier has built Tank chronographs. The Tank Française chronograph arrived in the 2000s with a steel case near 28 mm x 32 mm and a quartz caliber. The Tank Américaine chronograph used a larger curved case. The Tank MC chronograph, released in 2013, ran the in-house automatic 1904-CH MC movement with a column wheel. None of these carry the Must name. Sellers blend the names to reach search terms.

fake cartier tank must chronograph replica

Two build patterns appear in the replica trade:

How to Spot a Fake Cartier Tank Must Chronograph Gold

  • A Française chronograph case with a Must dial, printed logo, and a quartz chronograph module.
  • A case cut from scratch with a Must dial and three subdials at 12, 6, and 9.

Movements and prices

  • Quartz: Seiko VK64 mecaquartz or a Ronda 5021.D copy. $70 to $140. Subdials at 3, 6, and 9, with a 60-minute counter.
  • Automatic: Seagull ST19 hand-wind, 21,600 vph, 40-hour power reserve. $180 to $300.
  • Automatic: Asia 7750 clone, 28,800 vph. $260 to $450. Thick case, 13 mm and up.

Real Tank Française chronographs measure under 8 mm at the case edge. A replica with a 7750 sits near 13 mm. That gap shows under a cuff.

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Points to check

  • Thickness. Above 10 mm on a Française-style case is wrong.
  • Cabochon. Steel Cartier watches use a blue spinel, not glass and not a ruby.
  • Crystal. Sapphire on genuine pieces. Mineral glass on most replicas.
  • Logo. The Cartier script on a Must dial sits inside a rectangular frame. Replicas print the frame off-center or too thick.
  • Lume. Tank Must dials carry no lume. Glowing hands point to a fake.
  • Caseback text. Genuine engraving has sharp edges and a reference number that matches the case size.

Legal note

Counterfeit watches infringe Cartier trademarks. US Customs and Border Protection seizes shipments and can fine the importer. Resale carries civil liability under the Lanham Act.

If a listing says "Tank Must chronograph," that watch is not in the Cartier catalog. Check thickness, cabochon, and movement before you pay.