Short answer
The Cartier Pasha is a round watch Cartier released in 1985. Gérald Genta is credited with the case design. Replica Pasha watches come from factories in China and sell for about $60 to $450. They copy the round case, the screw-down crown cap with its small chain, and the dial layout. They do not use Cartier movements. Their case back numbers do not match any genuine Cartier record. Import into the United States is illegal under 19 U.S.C. Section 1526. Customs and Border Protection can seize the parcel and destroy it.
What the genuine watch is
Cartier built the Pasha as a sports watch with a dress profile. Key traits:
- Round case, 35 mm, 38 mm, 41 mm, and 42 mm versions
- Screw-down crown cap on a short chain
- Optional grid grille over the crystal on some references
- Sapphire crystal on current models
- Automatic 1847 MC movement, 4 Hz, about 40 hours of reserve
- Water resistance rated to 100 m on most references
Older Pasha references used the ETA 2892 base. Cartier also made quartz Pasha models in the 1980s and 1990s.
What replica versions change
Case metal is the first gap. Genuine Pasha cases use steel, 18k gold, or titanium. Replica cases use 316L steel, sometimes with gold plating that measures under 5 microns. Plating wears through at the lugs and crown cap within months of daily use.
Crystal is the second gap. Cheaper replicas use mineral glass. Mid-tier replicas use sapphire, often without the anti-reflective coating Cartier applies to both faces.
Movement is the third gap. Budget replicas run quartz. Mid-tier replicas run a Seagull ST2130 or a Hangzhou 6300, both copies of the ETA 2824-2. Top-tier replicas use a decorated clone marked as a Cartier 1847 MC. None of these carry a Cartier service history.
Water resistance claims of 30 m to 50 m appear on most replica listings. These numbers come from the seller, not from a pressure test. Gaskets on replica crown caps are the first point of failure.
Price tiers
- $60 to $120: quartz, mineral glass, plated case, stamped clasp
- $150 to $280: automatic clone movement, sapphire glass, solid link bracelet
- $300 to $450: decorated movement, closer case profile, better dial printing
No tier reaches the finishing of a genuine Pasha. Dial printing on replicas shows thicker text and uneven lume plots under magnification.
Legal status in the US
19 U.S.C. Section 1526 bans import of goods bearing a counterfeit trademark. The personal-use exemption that applies to some gray-market items does not apply to counterfeit marks. CBP can seize the shipment and issue a penalty. The Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 1114, also allows Cartier to sue sellers and, in some cases, buyers who resell. Penalties for a first seizure can reach the value of the goods plus a fine.
Resale inside the US carries more risk than import. Offering a replica as genuine is trademark infringement and can also count as wire fraud when payment moves across state lines.
Points to check
Genuine Pasha case backs carry a reference number and a serial number that Cartier can verify. The crown cap chain on a genuine watch moves with resistance and sits flush. The grille on genuine Pasha Grille references locks at a fixed angle. Replica grilles sit loose or rotate past the stop point. Cartier does not sell parts to third parties, so a genuine service record is the main proof of origin.