Short answer
A "fake drive 42mm blue" is a replica of the Cartier Drive de Cartier with a blue dial. Cartier lists the steel Drive de Cartier Automatic at 40 mm across the cushion case, with a case height near 11.3 mm. Listings that quote 42 mm either measure the cushion corner to corner or sell a case cast larger than the original. The blue version uses a sunray dial, Roman numerals, a date at 3 o'clock, and the 1904-PS MC automatic.
Specs on the genuine watch
- Case: steel, cushion shape, 40 mm, water resistance 30 m
- Movement: Cartier 1904-PS MC, automatic, 27 jewels, 28,800 vph, 48-hour power reserve
- Dial: blue sunray finish, Roman numerals, sword-shaped hands, date at 3
- Crown: fluted, set with a blue spinel cabochon
- Crystal: sapphire, front and back
Where replicas differ
- Case size: 41 mm to 42 mm castings show up in place of the 40 mm original.
- Movement: most builds use a Miyota 9015, a Seagull ST21, or an unmarked clone. Rotor engraving reads wrong. Beat rate can be 21,600 vph instead of 28,800.
- Dial: flat blue paint replaces the sunray brushing. Roman numerals sit thicker and closer to the edge.
- Crown stone: glass or dyed plastic in place of a spinel.
- Caseback: shallow engraving and a serial that does not match the reference.
Price tiers seen in listings
- Under $100: alloy case, mineral glass, quartz or a low-grade automatic.
- $150 to $350: 316L steel, sapphire crystal, Miyota 9015 or Seagull ST21.
- Above $400: closer case finishing and a movement with a cloned bridge layout.
Prices move with batch and seller. No tier matches the 1904-PS MC.
Checks before payment
- Ask for caliper photos of the case across the widest point.
- Request a photo of the crown at 3x zoom to see the stone.
- Ask for the movement model and a photo of the rotor.
- Weigh the watch. Steel Drive models run near 80 g on a leather strap. Alloy cases run light.
- Compare the date window shape and the font weight of the numerals to catalog photos.
Legal position in the US
Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. 2320. Customs and Border Protection can seize shipments. The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry reported seizures of more than 1 million fake watches in a single year. The OECD puts the global trade in counterfeit goods in the hundreds of billions of dollars.
What stays unknown
Replica factories swap parts between batches without notice. The same listing can ship a different movement or case next month. No factory publishes a stable spec sheet for these watches.