Quick answer

A replica Cartier Tank Allongée is a copy of a Cartier watch that Cartier did not make. It carries the Cartier name and the Tank Allongée design. In the United States it is a counterfeit good. Federal law bars its import and its sale.

What the Cartier Tank Allongée is

The Tank Allongée is a Cartier Tank model with an elongated rectangular case. The case has curved lugs and a thin profile. Cartier lists the model in its Tank collection. Exact case sizes, metal options, and movement numbers change by reference. Cartier's own catalog is the source for the current list. This article does not sell watches and has no tie to Cartier.

What "replica" means in the watch trade

Sellers use several labels: replica, clone, super clone, 1:1, and AAA. The words describe the same product. A replica Cartier Tank Allongée comes from a workshop in China, most often in Guangdong province. Guangdong holds Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Dongguan. These cities host case makers, dial printers, and movement assemblers.

Price bands run from about $80 to $900. Price tracks four parts:

  • Case metal. Cheap units use 316L steel with gold plating. Plating runs 3 to 10 microns. Solid 18k gold cases cost more than the rest of the watch.
  • Movement. Quartz units sit at the low end. Mid-range units use a Chinese automatic. High-end units use a decorated Seiko or Miyota base.
  • Dial and hands. Printed dials cost less than applied indices and blued hands.
  • Crystal and caseback. Mineral glass costs less than sapphire. An engraved caseback adds labor.

How a replica differs from the genuine watch

  • Case metal. Cartier uses solid 18k gold or platinum. Replicas use steel with plating. Plating wears at the lugs and crown.
  • Weight. A solid gold case weighs about twice a plated steel case of the same size. A gram scale settles the question in seconds.
  • Movement. The genuine watch uses a Cartier calibre. A replica uses a stock Chinese movement or a modified third-party movement.
  • Finishing. Genuine cases get hand polishing at the lugs and bevels. Replicas show tool marks and soft edges.
  • Numbers. Cartier engraves a serial and a reference on the caseback. Replica numbers repeat across units.
  • Papers. Cartier ships a warranty card, a manual, and a box. Counterfeit papers copy the layout with print errors.

Legal status in the United States

19 U.S.C. § 1526 bars import of goods that carry a counterfeit trademark. U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes such goods at ports and mail centers. There is no personal-use exemption for counterfeit items. One watch can be seized.

18 U.S.C. § 2320 covers trafficking. Selling, distributing, or transferring counterfeit goods is a federal crime. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison. A second offense carries up to 20 years. Fines follow 18 U.S.C. § 3571.

State law adds claims. Cartier and its parent company, Richemont, file civil suits for trademark infringement. Damages can reach statutory limits per counterfeit mark.

Points buyers check

  1. Weight on a gram scale.
  2. Magnet test on the case. Gold and platinum do not pull. Steel does.
  3. Caseback engraving depth and font.
  4. Movement photos through a caseback window or with the back removed.
  5. Serial number search for repeats across listings.

Unknowns

Cartier does not publish production numbers. No public data set counts replica Tank Allongée units. Factory names in the replica trade are seller labels, not registered firms. Treat any claim about a specific factory as unverified.