Answer
A fake Cartier Tank Must in yellow is a replica of a Cartier watch. The genuine Tank Must is a steel watch. Cartier does not list a yellow gold Tank Must in its current catalog; yellow gold appears in the Tank Louis Cartier and Tank Française lines. A yellow replica often means a yellow strap, a gold plated case, or a copy of a different Tank model sold under the Must name. Genuine Tank Must prices start near $3,000. Replicas sell for $40 to $700. US law bans importing and trafficking them.
fake cartier tank must yellow gold
What the genuine Tank Must is
Cartier relaunched the Tank Must in 2021. The line uses these specs:
Top Pick: Best Fake Cartier Tank Must Yellow Stainless Steel Watch
- Case: steel, brushed and polished
- Large: 33.7 mm x 25.5 mm, about 6.6 mm thick
- Small: 29.5 mm x 22 mm
- XL: 41 mm x 31 mm, automatic 1847 MC movement
- Standard sizes: quartz movement
- Crystal: sapphire
- Water resistance: 30 m
- Crown: octagonal, set with a blue spinel cabochon
- Strap: calfskin or steel bracelet
The SolarBeat version uses a photovoltaic cell in place of a standard battery. US retail for the steel quartz models sits near $3,000 to $3,400. Prices change. Check the brand catalog for current figures.
The yellow question
Two things get called yellow on a Tank Must. First, the strap. Cartier offers the Tank Must with calfskin straps in several colors, and yellow is one of them. Second, gold plating. Replica sellers use yellow to describe a gold tone case. Genuine Tank Must cases are steel. Cartier uses yellow gold on the Tank Louis Cartier, the Tank Française, and the Tank Américaine. If a listing claims a solid yellow gold Tank Must, the reference number will not match Cartier's catalog.
Understanding the Luxury Appeal of Fake Cartier Tank Must Yellow Watches
Replica grades and prices
- Budget, $40 to $120. Alloy case, mineral glass, printed dial, Chinese quartz, no spinel cabochon.
- Mid, $120 to $300. 316L steel, mineral or sapphire glass, quartz or a generic automatic, engraved caseback.
- High grade, $300 to $700. 316L or 904L steel, sapphire, Swiss quartz or an ETA clone automatic, case dimensions within 1 mm of the original.
No grade is genuine. None carries a Cartier warranty, a service history, or a serial number in Cartier's system.
How copies differ from the real watch
- Caseback engraving. Font weight, depth, and spacing run off on most copies.
- Crown cabochon. The genuine stone is a blue synthetic spinel with a dome and a defined seat. Copies use glass or plastic. The color runs purple or black.
- Dial printing. The Cartier script thickens. Roman numerals lose their serifs.
- Secret signature. Cartier hides the word Cartier inside a Roman numeral on many Tank dials. Copies print it in the wrong numeral, or skip it.
- Movement. Quartz copies tick once per second. The XL automatic sweeps.
- Weight. Steel cases carry more mass than alloy copies.
Legal status in the US
Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 2320. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine for an individual. Trademark owners can sue under the Lanham Act for damages and profits. US Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit imports under 19 CFR Part 133. The personal use exemption does not cover counterfeit items. One watch can be seized. Richemont, Cartier's parent company, enforces the Cartier, Tank, and Must marks.
What buyers should know
A replica Tank Must is not a Cartier watch. Resale is limited. Repair shops often refuse the work. No authorized dealer will service it. For the Tank shape at a lower price, the secondary market for genuine steel Tank Must quartz models starts near $2,000. For the yellow gold look, Cartier's steel models with a yellow calfskin strap are the closest catalog match.