The top pick for most buyers is a steel Baignoire 2717 replica with a curved two-body case, a quartz movement, and a properly domed cabochon crown, because that combination reproduces the silhouette people recognize at a price that stays in replica territory. The criteria below are what separate a wearable piece from a costume watch: case curvature, dial print and numeral geometry, crown size and stone, movement and caseback work, and overall finishing. Everything else, including the box and the paperwork, is packaging.
What the Baignoire 2717 Is Supposed to Look Like
The Baignoire is Cartier's oval watch, named for the bathtub curve of its case. The shape is the whole point. The case is an elongated oval with softly rounded ends, a slim bezel, and a profile that arcs so the watch sits against the wrist instead of hovering above it. Dials carry Roman numerals, a railroad-style minutes track, and thin hands. The crown is fluted and topped with a domed stone, traditionally a sapphire cabochon.
Reference 2717 covers a set of Baignoire variants rather than one single watch, so case size, metal, and movement can differ between examples. Ask the seller for measured dimensions in millimeters and a straight-on photo of the caseback engraving before you compare anything else.
Criterion 1: Case Curvature
This is the first thing to inspect and the most common failure point. A correct replica has a case that bends along its length, so the back is concave and the watch wraps the wrist. Cheap examples machine a flat oval and bend nothing.
- Pros of a curved case: sits flat on the wrist, correct side profile in photos, no gap at the lugs, feels like a watch rather than a badge.
- Cons of a flat case: visible daylight under the ends, a slab-like side view, sharp inner edges at the wrist, and a silhouette that reads wrong from arm's length.
View the watch from the side before you buy. Any listing that shows only top-down shots is hiding the profile.
Criterion 2: Dial, Numerals, and Hands
Roman numerals on the Baignoire are printed or applied with a specific weight and spacing. Numerals that crowd the minutes track, a font that looks bolder than it should, or a minutes track that runs too close to the crystal edge are signs of a low-tier dial. Some references include a small hidden signature worked into one numeral, so check reference photos of the exact variant you want.
- Pros: crisp numeral edges, even spacing at 12 and 6, hands that reach the track without overlapping it, a clean print at the small seconds or center hand as applicable.
- Cons: fuzzy print under magnification, numerals of uneven thickness, hands that sit too low or scrape the crystal.
Criterion 3: Crown and Cabochon
The crown is small, so it is easy to get wrong and easy to check. Look for a fluted crown with a domed stone set into the end, not a flat plastic dot glued on top. Resin and dyed glass show up in budget replicas; they look cloudy and pick up scratches.
- Pros: a domed, clear stone with a smooth surface, crown fluting that matches the case finish, and a crown that turns without wobble.
- Cons: a stone that sits proud of the crown, visible glue, a crown that spins freely, or a stone color that shifts to purple in daylight.
Criterion 4: Movement and Caseback
Small Baignoire cases have used quartz movements, so a quartz replica is not automatically a bad sign. What matters is which quartz and how it is mounted. A metal movement holder and a properly seated dial ring keep the hands aligned and the watch quiet. Caseback engraving should be cut, not lasered onto the surface as a pale gray shadow.
- Pros: a named quartz calibre, a metal holder, deep engraving with legible reference and serial text, a caseback that seats flush.
- Cons: a plastic holder, a caseback that snaps unevenly, engraving that rubs off, or a seller who will not show the movement.
Criterion 5: Finishing and Weight
Case finishing on the Baignoire is mostly polish, which is harder to fake than brushing because flaws show in reflected light. Ask for a photo taken under a hard light source. Wobbles in the reflection mean an uneven surface.
- Pros: even polish with no ripples, clean transitions between bezel and case band, lugs that match the case in tone.
- Cons: orange-peel texture, rounded case edges from over-polishing, a case that feels light and hollow.
Which Version Fits Which Buyer
- Dress wear and small wrists: pick the smaller case size in steel with a quartz movement. The oval shape already reads as jewelry, so size down rather than up.
- Daily wear: spend on the case curvature, the crystal, and the crown. Those are the parts you touch and look at every day.
- Occasional use or a gift: an entry-tier example with a good dial is enough, since the watch will spend most of its life in a box.
- Resale in mind: buy nothing. Replica watches have no resale market and no manufacturer service.
Legal and Practical Reality
Counterfeit watches that carry another company's trademark are illegal to sell in the United States, and shipments can be seized at the border. Buying one for personal use does not give you a warranty, service support, or parts, and a jeweler may refuse to work on it. Treat the purchase as a disposable accessory and price it that way.
Five Questions to Ask Before You Pay
- What are the exact case dimensions in millimeters, measured with calipers?
- Can you send a side-profile photo of the case curve?
- Which movement is inside, and can you photograph it?
- Is the crown stone domed and set, or glued?
- What is the return window, and who pays return shipping?