Short answer
No single watch is a Rolex and a Cartier. Rolex SA in Geneva and Cartier, owned by Richemont, are two companies. Tumbaga is a gold and copper alloy. Cartier used gold-plated cases on Must de Cartier watches starting in 1977, and resale listings use tumbaga for those cases. A listing that reads fake Rolex tumbaga de Cartier joins two products: a counterfeit Rolex and a Cartier Must watch with a plated case. Treat the phrase as a search label, not a model name.
Buy Fake Cartier Tumbaga: A Comprehensive Buying Guide
What tumbaga means
Tumbaga is an alloy of gold and copper. Metalworkers in Central America and the Andes used it for ornaments before 1500. The copper cuts the cost of the gold and raises hardness. In watch listings the word describes a case made of base metal with gold plating. No standards body defines the term for watches. Sellers use it in a loose way.
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Cartier Must cases and tumbaga
Cartier launched Must de Cartier in 1977. The line sat below the solid gold Tank in price. Many cases were vermeil: sterling silver with heavy gold plating, stamped 20M for 20 microns. Other cases were gold plating over brass. Listings call the brass version tumbaga. Cartier catalogs from that period do not use the word for these cases. The hallmark decides the metal.
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- Silver case: stamp reads 925, ARGENT, or VERMEIL.
- Brass case: no silver stamp. Marks may read PLAQUE OR G, meaning gold plated.
- Solid gold case: stamps read 750 or 18K, and the caseback carries a gold hallmark.
Must watches used quartz and hand-wound movements across the run. A watchmaker can name the caliber after opening the caseback.
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What a fake Rolex is
A fake Rolex is a watch that copies Rolex design without a Rolex movement or a Rolex case. Counterfeiters copy the Submariner, Datejust, GMT-Master, and Daytona most often. Rolex states that its watches move through official retailers and that it does not authorize online sales.
Where the two terms meet
Sellers combine Rolex and Cartier words to reach buyers of both brands. The page text then lists one watch. Check the photo against the words. A caseback stamped Must de Cartier belongs to a Cartier. A dial with a crown at 12 and a date window at 3 belongs to a Rolex copy. One case cannot carry both marks.
Grades in the replica trade
No official grade system exists for copies. First copy, AAAA, and mirror grade are seller words. They describe finish, movement, and material. A first copy in this trade means a replica that matches the case size and uses a quartz or automatic movement. No agency verifies the claim. Ask for photos of the caseback, the clasp, and the movement before you pay.
Checks on a Cartier Must case
- Caseback stamp. 925 or ARGENT means silver. A blank back or PLAQUE OR G means plated base metal.
- Weight. Silver is denser than brass. Weigh the case against one you know.
- Dial text. Look at the letter shapes in the Cartier signature at 10x. Copies show uneven spacing and thick strokes.
- Hands. Many Tank Must models use sword hands in blue steel. Plated copies show chrome or painted steel.
- Strap and buckle. Must watches came on leather with a plated or steel buckle. A gold buckle on a plated case is a mismatch.
- Movement. Early Must watches used hand-wound ETA calibers. Later ones used quartz. A watchmaker can identify the caliber.
Checks on a Rolex copy
- Movement. Copies use ETA clones or Chinese automatic calibers. Rolex uses in-house calibers.
- Case metal. Rolex uses 904L steel, 18k gold, or platinum. Most copies use 316L steel or plated brass.
- Dial print. Check the crown at 12 and the text under it. Copies show blur and rounded corners.
- Serial and model numbers. Genuine numbers sit between the lugs or on the rehaut, by model year. Copies often use laser etching that sits on the surface.
- Price. A new stainless Rolex sports model lists in the thousands of dollars. Rolex publishes current prices on its own site. A copy at $150 shows the gap.
Legal status in the US
18 U.S.C. Section 2320 makes trafficking in counterfeit goods a federal crime. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine for an individual. Customs and Border Protection can seize counterfeit shipments at the border. Selling a replica as a genuine watch is fraud under state law as well. The rules cover the marks on the dial, case, and clasp.
Questions
Did Cartier ever make a watch called Tumbaga?
No public record shows a Cartier model line named Tumbaga. The word describes a metal mix in listings.
Is tumbaga gold?
Tumbaga holds gold and copper. The gold share varies. Plated cases carry a thin gold layer over brass.
Can a watch be a Rolex and a Cartier?
No. The marks and the caseback cannot belong to both companies.
How much do copies sell for?
Prices run from about $30 to $300 for common copies. Copies with an automatic movement cost more. Prices change.