Answer
A fake Cartier Tank Chino is a counterfeit of the Cartier Tank Chinoise, a 1922 design with brancards that sit above and below the case. Replicas sell for $50 to $500. Genuine examples are vintage pieces or Collection Privee Cartier Paris re-editions. The gap shows in case proportions, brancard shape, dial printing, and movement type. Sellers shorten the model name to "Tank Chino" in listings.
What the Tank Chinoise is
Louis Cartier introduced the Tank Chinoise in 1922. The case follows the shape of a Chinese pailou gate. Two horizontal bars, called brancards, extend past the case sides and frame the dial. The design came after the Tank Normale (1917) and the Tank Cintree (1921). Production runs were small. Cartier re-issued the model through the Collection Privee Cartier Paris line in the 2000s and in later anniversary editions.
Reference numbers differ by edition, and some were never printed in one catalog. Confirm a specific reference with Cartier or an auction archive before you rely on it.
Where replicas fail
- Brancards: on genuine pieces the bars are separate curved parts that follow the wrist. Replicas cast or weld them into one case block.
- Case size: fakes run 1 to 3 mm off on length or width. The lug-free case leaves that error in plain view.
- Dial print: Cartier uses a set serif script for the name. Fakes use a heavier or wider font, and numerals at VII or XI sit off center.
- Cabochon: genuine crowns carry a sapphire or synthetic spinel dome. Fakes use glass or plastic that reads milky under light.
- Caseback marks: reference number, metal, and serial are stamped, not laser printed. Fake engraving is shallow with burred edges.
- Movement: Cartier fitted the Chinoise with hand-wound calibers. Quartz versions come from replica factories.
Materials, size, movement
Genuine pieces come in 18k yellow gold, rose gold, or platinum. Case sizes across editions land near 25 by 32 mm for small versions and near 30 by 39 mm for larger ones. Check each figure against the reference in front of you. Hand-wound Cartier calibers built on Piaget base movements appear in the CPCP editions. Replicas use Chinese or Japanese quartz, low-grade automatic movements, and gold plating over brass or steel.
Price and legality in the US
Listings for fake Cartier Tank Chino watches sit between about $50 and $500. Genuine vintage and CPCP examples trade in the four to five figure range at auction. Metal, dial, condition, box, and papers set the value.
US law treats the sale and import of counterfeit watches as a crime. 18 U.S.C. 2320 sets a first-offense penalty for an individual of up to 10 years in prison and a $2,000,000 fine. 19 U.S.C. 1526 lets Customs and Border Protection seize and destroy counterfeit goods. The $800 personal exemption for imported goods does not cover counterfeits. Trademark holders can also sue for damages under the Lanham Act.
Checks before you buy
- Ask for the reference number and match it to a documented edition.
- Request photos of the caseback, crown, and brancard profile at an angle.
- Confirm the movement. A hand-wound model with a quartz seconds hand is a fake.
- Weigh the watch. Solid gold cases read heavier than plated brass.
- Have a watchmaker open the case. Movement finish and case hallmark settle the question.