8240029 is not a Cartier reference number. Cartier uses two reference formats: letter codes for current models, such as WSTA0041, and four-digit case numbers for vintage pieces, such as 3167 or 2715. The string 8240029 fits neither format. It appears on replica listings as a seller SKU, a marketplace item ID, or an inventory tag. Treat it as a listing code, not as proof that a real model exists.
Reference formats Cartier uses
- WSTA: steel Tank Must and Tank Francaise, current production.
- WGTA: gold Tank Louis Cartier.
- WJTA: gold and diamond Tank models.
- Four-digit case numbers: vintage Tanks built from the 1970s to the 1990s.
Cartier publishes the current reference list on its own site. A code that does not appear there needs a second source before you trust it.
Markers on a replica Tank
- Case size. The large Tank Must measures 33.7 mm by 25.5 mm. Replica cases run 1 mm to 2 mm wider.
- Thickness. The Tank Must case is 6.6 mm thick. Replicas read 8 mm or more on calipers.
- Crown. Real Tanks carry a blue or red spinel cabochon set into the crown. Replicas use glass or plastic, and the color drifts to purple or orange.
- Dial. Cartier prints the brand name in a serif face with tight letter spacing. Replica dials show wide spacing, heavy strokes, and a misplaced SWISS MADE line.
- Caseback. Serial and reference numbers are engraved into the metal. Replicas use laser etching at shallow depth, or a printed sticker.
- Movement. Steel Tanks use quartz. Gold Tanks use the manual-wind 1917 MC. Replicas use generic quartz or a Seagull automatic.
Price and weight signals
A steel Tank Must on leather sells in the low thousands of dollars at US retail. Gold Tank Louis Cartier models sell for several times that. A listing priced at $150 to $400 is a replica. Retail prices change each year, so check the brand site for the current figure. Weight data for specific replicas is not published. Ask the seller for a scale photo with the watch on it.
Legal position in the United States
Counterfeit watches are illegal to import and illegal to sell. 18 U.S.C. 2320 sets a first-offense penalty of up to 10 years in prison for trafficking in counterfeit goods. US Customs and Border Protection can seize and destroy shipments. Personal-use exemptions do not cover counterfeit items. Cartier holds registered trademarks on the Tank name and logo.
Checks before you buy
- Ask for a caseback photo. Read the reference and the serial number.
- Search the reference on the brand site. No match means the code is a seller label.
- Ask for caliper photos of width and thickness.
- Ask for a macro photo of the dial text and the crown cabochon.
- Ask for a movement photo if the seller claims a mechanical caliber.
- Compare the asking price to the retail price on the brand site.
No public database maps the code 8240029 to a Cartier model. If a seller claims it does, ask for the caseback photo and the reference that appears on the metal.