Short answer
A replica Cartier chronograph is a watch made to look like a Cartier chronograph. Cartier does not make it. The copies follow five Cartier lines: Santos, Tank, Pasha, Roadster, and Calibre de Cartier. Most replicas run a quartz caliber or a clone of the ETA 7750 automatic. Genuine Cartier chronographs run the in-house 1904-CH MC, an automatic caliber with a column wheel.
Cartier chronograph lines and case sizes
- Santos de Cartier chronograph: 43.3 mm wide, 51.3 mm lug to lug, 12.5 mm thick.
- Tank MC chronograph: 34.3 mm wide, 44 mm lug to lug.
- Pasha de Cartier chronograph: 41 mm round case.
- Calibre de Cartier chronograph: 42 mm round case.
- Rotonde de Cartier chronograph: 40 mm round case.
Square and rectangular cases are harder to copy than round ones. The Santos and the Tank need sharp corners, flat polished flanks, and an even brushed finish. Small errors show at the lugs and the bezel screws. The Santos has visible screws on the bezel. The originals line up the screw slots. Many replicas do not.
Movements in replicas
Three movement types cover most replica Cartier chronographs. Quartz is the cheapest. The hands move in one-second steps, and the subdials at 6 and 9 often work as 24-hour or day and night displays. The Seiko VK series is a meca-quartz hybrid: the chronograph hand sweeps and snaps back to zero. The ETA 7750 and its Asian clones are automatic, beat at 28,800 vibrations per hour, and time 12 hours. The 7750 layout puts subdials at 12, 6, and 9 with the date at 3. Cartier's own layouts differ, so a 7750 inside a replica often shifts the subdials away from the original positions.
What to check
- Case width and lug to lug. A 43 mm copy of a 41 mm Pasha wears wrong on the wrist.
- Subdial position. Compare with photos of the reference, not with other replicas.
- Pusher shape. Cartier uses flat or stepped pushers per line. A generic round pusher is a tell.
- Crown cabochon. Genuine Cartier uses a blue spinel or synthetic sapphire. Copies use glass or plastic.
- Dial print. "Cartier" and "Swiss Made" should sit at the right distance from the center and the edge.
- Weight. Steel chronographs with an automatic movement weigh 120 g to 180 g on a bracelet. Quartz copies weigh less.
Limits
No replica matches the finish of a Cartier caliber, the service network, or the warranty. Water resistance claims on replicas are not tested to ISO 22810. Gaskets, crystals, and bracelets may not match the original specs. Resale value is close to zero. Genuine Cartier chronographs sell from about $7,000 to above $30,000 new, and used prices on the secondary market often sit between $4,000 and $20,000 depending on the reference and condition. Replica prices run from about $80 to $800.