Strange Cartier!!

[ohenry2]

Hi there, I would really appreciate some help here.. I bought this watch in the Caribbean 1980 for $250 ( approx $1000 today) from a guy who was losing his money on the crap table..Never really thought about it & wore it occasionally,, then it stopped so got a jeweller there to change the movement..Back in England on holiday dropped it into Cartier Bond St & asked them to tell me what I had..They sent it back saying it was 18K gold with a bronze insert.. Didn't really help but I was leaving the country so didn't pursue it..worked fine up until 2 years ago then it stopped again so a month ago I sent it off to a jeweller who had restored my Beuche Girod... He told me that it was a good movement & a beautiful watch.. which surprised me!! I decided to do a little research.. here's where things get hinky.. 1st off no case number..looks like a Ceinture but crown is not inserted in case..doesn't have blue steel hands... Cartier logo is lower case which I think denotes electroplated .. Dial doesn't have black marks to denote hours. But for all that it's still a pretty watch in a solid 18K gold case with a sapphire crystal ( I tested it, the water beads) I think maybe someone stole the case from Cartier & added all the rest like I just
added the generic crown..Or is it just an out and out fake??? Tried to upload a photo of the back but the files to big.. will try later if someone is kind enough to reply

[ohenry2]

don't know what happened to my photo will try and upload it here

[ohenry2]

OK that didn't work will do this again tomorrow

[Janne]

Worked.
If Cartier says it is genuine, then it hould be?
Any chance of movement pics?

[panamamike]

Worked.
If Cartier says it is genuine, then it hould be?
Any chance of movement pics?

Looks like you have an earlier example of a Cartier Ceinture Octagonal, probably has an ETA movement or something similar inside. A watch like it is selling on the bay.

Looks like you've enjoyed it over the years.

Regards,

Mike

[ohenry2]

I'm a little reluctant to take the back off.. I seem to remember that it wasn't easy & I put a gouge in the case last time..Although Cartier didn't come out & say it was fake I didn't think they gave me a definite answer as to what I had...To be honest that picture makes it look pretty rough!!!

Yes I have enjoyed it & although it doesn't look so good 10 times its' size it is a very pretty watch.. MY main concern is the lack of a case number & the fact it's got gold hands..All the white dial Cartiers seem to have the blue steel

I'll try & get some better pics uploaded later but in the meantime thanks for your replies

[ohenry2]

OK just spoke with the chap that fixed it & he told me that the movement is an ETA 25 12-1

[Janne]

The hands look a little bit thin and short, so you are right, they were possibly replaced.

[panamamike]

OK just spoke with the chap that fixed it & he told me that the movement is an ETA 25 12-1

When you gouged it, did it look solid? Meaning not a plate job? Considering you've had it for several years it's probably a solid gold watch.

It's strange that it doesn't have numbers on the case back. Does anything appear on the case back? Could it be the serial numbers are on the inside back of the case?

One other thing, I believe Cartier has a no fake tolerance policy. I'd expect they would let you know of simply refuse to service the watch.

Regards,

Mike

[Eeeb]

Assuming this is real, the casing is probably either solid gold (in which case there would be appropriate hallmarking) or vermeil (gold plated silver... usually 20 microns of gold). If either, it is not a fake. If neither, maybe.