Answer

A fake Drive de Cartier is a watch built to copy the Cartier Drive de Cartier, a cushion-shaped model Cartier released in 2016. Cartier does not make it. The copy takes the case shape, the dial layout, and the Cartier name without a license. Counterfeit watch sales are illegal in the United States. U.S. Customs and Border Protection can seize a shipment, and the buyer gets no warranty, no service contract, and no parts from Cartier.

What the genuine model is

  • Case: cushion shape, 40 mm by 41 mm on the three-hand version, with a curve that follows the wrist.
  • Crown: fluted, set with a blue sapphire cabochon.
  • Movement: Cartier caliber 1904-PS MC, automatic winding, on the three-hand model.
  • Dial: Roman numerals, a minute track, and a date window at 3 o'clock. Other versions in the line added moon phases, a chronograph, or an extra-flat case.

Checks that separate real from fake

  1. Reference number. The caseback carries a reference and a serial. Compare the reference against Cartier's own listing. Copies carry a reference from another model, or one serial that repeats across many units.
  2. Caseback engraving. Cartier stamps deep, with defined serifs. Copies laser etch a shallow mark with soft edges.
  3. Movement finish. Counterfeit cases hold third-party movements. Look at the rotor, the jewel count, and the surface finish under a loupe.
  4. Case metal. Cheap copies use brass or a plated alloy. A magnet test and a weight check show the difference against steel or gold.
  5. Cabochon. Genuine crowns use a sapphire. Copies use glass or plastic, set with glue, with a flat top.
  6. Box and papers. Genuine sets include a Cartier warranty card with a dealer stamp and a date. Copies ship with printed cards, wrong fonts, and no dealer name.
  7. Price. A genuine steel Drive de Cartier trades in the thousands of US dollars. A listing at a few hundred dollars is a copy.

Where the risk sits

Cartier service centers do not repair counterfeit watches. Parts are not sold to the public. Resale value on a copy is zero in the legal market. A customs seizure removes the item and the money paid for it.

What is not public

Cartier does not publish production totals for the Drive de Cartier line. The number of genuine pieces still on the secondary market is not known.