Short answer: a "fake Baignoire 2020 new" is a replica of the refreshed Cartier Baignoire that started appearing in listings around 2020 and 2021. The oval case is the hard part, and it is where most fakes fail first. The curve flattens near 12 and 6, the lugs sit too thick, or the crystal is flat sapphire instead of domed. Fix the case and the rest is workable. Get it wrong and no dial upgrade will save the watch.
What the 2020-era Baignoire actually is
The Baignoire shape goes back to 1912, but the references people call "2020 new" are the ones Cartier pushed back into the spotlight in that period: the small yellow gold model on an alligator strap, the stretched Baignoire Allongée, and the mini case on a slim bangle. Same oval idea, very different proportions. Before you compare anything, decide which reference you are chasing, because the small model and the Allongée share almost no dimensions.
Rough numbers: the small Baignoire runs about 31 by 23 mm, the Allongée about 47 by 21 mm, the mini about 24 by 18 mm. Treat those as starting points only. Verify against the exact reference, since Cartier adjusted sizes across the run.
The case: where the money goes
An oval case is harder to machine than a round one, and it shows. I look at the silhouette against a straight edge in a side photo. A good case keeps an even curve all the way around with no flat spots where the CNC cut got lazy. The lugs should follow the case line and taper, not sit on top like blocks.
Fake Baignoire 2020 Auction: Separating Saleroom Lots From Replica Listings
- Case profile: continuous curve, no flattened top or bottom arc.
- Lug thickness: cheap fakes are visibly chunky from the side.
- Crystal: domed sapphire on the original, so a flat slab is an instant tell.
- Finish: polished case with crisp edges, not soft and washed out.
Dial, hands, and the cabochon
The 2020-era dials follow the curve of the crystal, which gives them a slight dome. Look for Roman numerals with clean, sharp printing, a fine rail track, and blue steel sword hands that reach the track without overshooting it. Cartier hides a tiny secret signature inside one of the numerals, usually the VII or the X. Most replicas skip it entirely, or print it so thick it reads as a smudge.
The crown cabochon is the other quick check. Real ones are a faceted blue stone set flush and even. Fakes use glass or resin with a dull top and a visible glue line. Under a lamp, the good ones have depth to the color, not a flat plastic blue.
Movement: quartz is not automatically wrong
This trips people up. The small gold Baignoire on a strap is a quartz watch, calibre 057. So a replica running a Swiss quartz or a decent Japanese quartz is not a red flag on that reference. What is a red flag is an automatic movement stuffed into a case that was never automatic, or a hand-wind movement in the quartz model. Match the movement type to the reference first, then judge quality.
On the Allongée, the manual-wind calibre is the correct family. A replica with a rough winding feel and a rotor that should not be there is a sign the builder never looked at the real watch.
Strap, bracelet, and clasp
Alligator straps on replicas are usually embossed calf. That is fine at the low end, but check stitching density and whether the strap tapers correctly into the lugs. The buckle should carry a clean hallmark, not a blurry stamp. Gold plating wears fastest at the lugs and the buckle tongue, so look at those spots on any used replica before buying.
What to ask for before you pay
- Macro shot of the case side, with the crystal dome visible.
- Close-up of the crown and cabochon.
- Dial at 10x, so you can find or fail to find the secret signature.
- Movement photo, and confirmation of quartz or mechanical.
- Weight in grams, which hints at solid gold versus plated steel.
Price tiers
Under $150 you get a flat case and a printed dial that looks wrong in daylight. Around $200 to $400 the case profile usually improves and sapphire shows up. Above $500 the good builders match the reference dimensions and get the dial curvature close. None of them are the real watch, and Cartier is the only place that sells the real one. A replica is a different product at a different price, so judge it on its own terms.
Bottom line
For the 2020-era Baignoire, case shape decides everything. Get front, side, and crown photos before you commit, confirm the movement type matches the reference, and walk away from flat crystals and chunky lugs. Everything else you can live with.