The short answer

Reference 2717 is one of the case numbers that turns up on gold Cartier Baignoire models from the 1990s and early 2000s. The Baignoire is Cartier's oval "bathtub" watch: a stretched ellipse, a thin bezel, a small dial and very little else to hide behind. A first copy Baignoire 2717 is a replica built to match that case from the outside. It will not match the original in weight, hallmarking, dial printing or movement, and the gaps are easiest to see at the case profile and the crown.

Why this reference gets copied at all

Most replica demand lands on the Tank and the Santos, because a rectangular case forgives sloppy work. The Baignoire does not. There is no bezel to mask a bad curve and no busy dial to pull the eye away. An oval either reads as Cartier or it reads as a cheap dress watch, and that is exactly why the better first copies of this model cost more than a generic quartz Tank lookalike. The shape is the whole watch.

Four checks that decide it

1. Case shape and proportions

A small Baignoire sits near 22 by 30 mm, while the Allongée runs longer and narrower. On replicas the oval is normally too wide across the top, or the curve flattens near the lugs so the silhouette goes slightly egg-shaped. Run a fingertip along the side of the case. The original is one continuous arc from lug to lug, with no flat spot where the tooling changed.

2. Dial and the secret signature

Cartier hides its name inside one of the Roman numerals, most often the VII on this model. Copies either skip it or print it so large that you can read it from across a table, which defeats the point. The numerals should be crisp with clean serifs, the minute track should be even, and the hands should be blued steel swords rather than painted black sticks.

3. Crown and cabochon

The crown on a genuine Baignoire is fluted and capped with a blue sapphire or spinel cabochon. Replicas use glass, dyed plastic or a flat-cut stone. Look at the color in daylight, check whether the stone is domed, and check whether the crown sits centered on the case band. Off-center crowns show up all the time on budget copies.

4. Caseback, hallmarks and weight

• Solid gold cases carry hallmarks. French-made pieces use the eagle's head, Swiss pieces the St. Bernard head or a 750 stamp. Many replicas have none at all, or an engraving so shallow it vanishes in raking light.
• Engraving should be cut into the metal, not printed on it. Reference number, case number and the Cartier stamp all need real depth and a correct font.
• Weight is the fastest tell. Gold is dense. A plated steel replica at the same dimensions feels light in the hand and does not sit on the wrist the way the real thing does.
• Caseback screws and spring bars should be slotted and finished, not stamped from sheet metal.

Movement, strap and clasp

Several Baignoire references are quartz, which makes them simpler to copy because a cheap quartz caliber still keeps time. Open the back and the difference shows: genuine Cartier quartz movements are signed and finished, while replicas run a generic Chinese caliber or a Miyota. On the strap, the embossed alligator pattern on a first copy is usually printed flat rather than raised, and the folding clasp is cast instead of engraved. A real Cartier clasp closes with one clean click and lines up flush.

Realistic prices

A first copy Baignoire is not a $40 item, because the case is the expensive part to get wrong. Expect roughly $150 to $400 depending on whether it is plated steel, gold-filled, or gold-plated over a decent quartz movement. No replica at this price uses solid 18k gold. The metal alone would cost more than the watch sells for, so any listing claiming solid gold at replica pricing is not telling the truth.

The legal side

In the United States, selling counterfeit goods is trademark infringement, and importing them can get a shipment seized by Customs and Border Protection. Buying one for personal use carries less exposure than reselling, but it is not a clean act, and passing a fake off as genuine is fraud. That is worth knowing before you start comparing prices.

Common questions

Is a replica Baignoire 2717 waterproof?

Assume no. Most copies rely on a thin rubber gasket and a snap-on back. Keep them away from showers, pools and hand washing.

Will it hold value?

No. A replica loses value the day it ships. A genuine gold Baignoire at least retains its metal value when the market moves.

Can a jeweler spot it?

Yes, often in seconds, from the caseback alone.

Bottom line

The Baignoire is a shape-driven watch, so a replica lives or dies on the oval. Check the case profile first, then the crown and cabochon, then the dial printing and secret signature. If those three pass, the rest is detail. If they do not, no movement upgrade or upgraded strap will save it.