Short answer
A replica Cartier Baignoire 2717 is a copy of the Cartier Baignoire case stamped with reference number 2717, a curved oval dress watch Cartier built in solid 18k gold from the 1990s into the 2000s. No replica matches the original. The gaps that matter are case metal, weight, crystal curvature, dial printing, and the movement inside. In the United States, counterfeit watches are illegal to import or sell, so the watch also carries legal exposure and no resale value.
What reference 2717 actually is
Cartier stamps a case model number on every caseback. That number identifies the case shape, not the full watch, so two Baignoire 2717 cases can leave the factory with different dials, movements, and straps. The Baignoire line itself dates to a curved oval case Louis Cartier drew in 1912. The name, French for bathtub, arrived in 1958. A typical 2717 case measures roughly 22 to 24 mm wide and 30 to 33 mm long, depending on the size code. Many run a quartz movement. The crown carries a faceted blue cabochon, and the strap is leather with a gold ardillon or folding clasp.
Before you start
- A jeweler scale that reads to 0.1 g
- A 10x loupe
- Access to a jeweler who runs XRF or acid tests
- The seller written description and return terms
Claims you will see in the replica market
- Swiss movement: often a generic quartz module or a decorated automatic
- 1:1 copy: usually means the seller worked from photos, not from a genuine watch
- Solid gold: plating measured in microns over steel or brass
- Sapphire crystal: frequently mineral glass with a different refractive look
- Same weight: a solid 18k gold Baignoire weighs far more than a plated copy
How to check one before you spend money
- Weigh the watch head alone on a jeweler scale and write the number down.
- Ask a jeweler to run an XRF or acid test on the caseback edge.
- Read the caseback stamping under the loupe and confirm the reference and serial cut deep and clean.
- Compare the crystal profile against photos of a genuine curved Baignoire crystal.
- Measure the case width and length with calipers and compare to the size code.
- Examine the crown cabochon for shape, color, and the way it sits in the metal.
- Have the caseback opened and photograph the movement and its finish.
- Inspect dial printing under 10x magnification for bleeding edges and uneven letter spacing.
- Get the seller to describe the watch in writing and state the return window before you pay.
Legal and practical risk in the US
Counterfeit watches are illegal to import into the United States, and customs officers can seize them at the border. Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime, and trademark owners can sue sellers and distributors. The practical side is just as blunt: no authorized service center will work on the watch, no auction house will quote it, and an insurer will value it at zero. If the curved gold case is what you want, buy a genuine Baignoire from a dealer with papers, or look at legally sold vintage dress watches from other makers with the same silhouette.