Short answer
A replica Cartier Tank Must is a copy of the Cartier Tank Must, a steel quartz watch Cartier released in 2021. The copies match the case shape, the dial print, and the crown. Most run quartz movements. Prices run from about $40 to $400. Cartier does not make, sell, or service them. US federal law bars importing and selling counterfeits.
Genuine reference points
- Large model: 33.7 mm wide, 25.5 mm tall, 6.6 mm thick.
- Small model: 29.5 mm wide, 22 mm tall, 6.6 mm thick.
- XL model: 41 mm wide, 31 mm tall, automatic movement.
- Steel case, sapphire crystal, quartz caliber on the standard models.
- Retail price for the steel quartz models sits between $3,100 and $3,700.
Those numbers matter. A copy that lists a 35 mm width or a 9 mm thickness does not follow the real case.
What copies get right and wrong
Case proportions are the easy part. A CNC milled case can hold the 33.7 mm by 25.5 mm footprint. Dial print is harder. The Cartier script at 12 o'clock and the Swiss Made line at 6 o'clock need fine pad printing. Copies show thicker strokes and uneven spacing. The blued sword hands and the crown also vary. A synthetic spinel sits in the crown on most copies. The real cabochon is sapphire.
Movements inside copies
Most Tank Must replicas run a Japanese or Chinese quartz caliber. A quartz copy ticks one time per second. The genuine quartz Tank Must also ticks one time per second, so the tick rate separates nothing. The Swiss label on replica listings points to an ETA or Sellita clone, and that clone sits in other models, not in a Tank Must copy. Ask for a photo of the movement and a timegrapher readout. Without those two items, the Swiss claim is unverified.
Price tiers
- $40 to $90: quartz, mineral glass, plated case.
- $120 to $250: quartz, 316L steel, sapphire glass.
- $300 and up: claimed Swiss movement, better dial print.
Legal status in the US
18 U.S.C. 2320 makes trafficking in counterfeit goods a federal crime. CBP can seize counterfeit watches at the border under 19 U.S.C. 1526. Buying a copy for personal use is not a federal crime in most cases, but a seized parcel is destroyed and the buyer loses the money. Cartier, owned by Richemont, holds the Tank trademark and enforces it.
Questions to ask before buying
- What movement is inside, and who made it?
- Is the glass sapphire or mineral?
- What is the case thickness in millimeters?
- Are the photos of the actual watch, not stock images?
- What is the return policy if the parcel is seized?
Resale and service
No Cartier boutique or authorized service center will touch a replica. Independent watchmakers can swap a quartz battery for about $20 to $40. Resale value is near zero. Listings for used copies sit unsold on marketplaces for months.