Quick answer
A Tumbaga de Cartier clone is a replica of a Must de Cartier watch, the line Cartier introduced in the 1970s. Genuine cases used vermeil or tumbaga, a gold and copper alloy. Clones use brass or 316L stainless steel with gold plating. The case shape, dial layout, and hand set match the original. The metal, the weight, and the hallmarks do not. Auction houses sell genuine examples in the four-figure range. First copy versions sell for $80 to $300.
Where the name comes from
Cartier did not print "Tumbaga de Cartier" on a dial. Auction catalogs and dealers use the term for Must de Cartier cases made from tumbaga, a gold-copper alloy that pre-Columbian metalworkers used. Vermeil is the other common Must case metal: sterling silver with gold plating. Photos of the two look alike. The weights differ.
fake cartier tumbaga de cartier clone
What a clone uses
Most first copy Tumbaga de Cartier watches have a brass case with gold plating. Some use 316L steel with gold plating. Plating on clones runs about 2 to 5 microns. Plating on Cartier vermeil references is listed at 20 microns in dealer notes. Thin plating wears through at the lugs and caseback. A brass case also weighs less than silver or a gold-copper alloy of the same size.
replica cartier tumbaga de cartier
Checks on the case and dial
- Caseback: reference numbers, "Swiss Made", and assay marks. Compare depth and font against a known genuine photo.
- Hallmarks: French assay marks appear on genuine gold and silver cases. Clones carry none, or carry a stamped copy that sits on the surface.
- Dial print: "Must de Cartier" text, Roman numerals, and the Cartier secret signature inside a numeral on some dials. Clone print breaks under a loupe.
- Crown: blue cabochon. Genuine examples use a stone. Clones use glass, plastic, or painted resin.
- Movement: manual wind built on ETA ebauches, or quartz in later production. Many clones use a generic quartz module.
Size and weight
Small Tank Must cases measure near 23 mm by 30 mm. Larger cases run near 25 mm by 33 mm. A scale is a faster check than a ruler. Vermeil and tumbaga cases weigh more than plated brass at the same dimensions. Ask for a weight in grams before you buy.
Prices
Genuine Must de Cartier Tanks with vermeil or tumbaga cases sell at auction between about $800 and $2,500, based on size, condition, and box and papers. First copy watches sell for $80 to $300. A price under $60 points to base metal and a mineral or plastic crystal.
Legal note for US buyers
A clone is not a Cartier product. It carries no Cartier warranty and no Cartier service. The Lanham Act covers trademark claims on counterfeit goods. 18 U.S.C. 2320 makes trafficking in counterfeit goods a federal crime. US Customs and Border Protection can seize shipments of counterfeit watches.