A replica Cartier Santos 100 is a watch built to look like the Cartier Santos 100 and made without permission from Cartier. Cartier does not make it, does not sell it, and does not service it. In the United States, selling or importing one is illegal under 18 U.S.C. § 2320 and 19 U.S.C. § 1526.
What the Cartier Santos 100 Is
Cartier released the Santos 100 in 2005, one hundred years after Louis Cartier designed a wristwatch for the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. The line keeps the square case, rounded corners, exposed bezel screws, Roman numerals, and blue sword-shaped hands.
- Medium: about 33 mm wide by 44 mm lug to lug.
- Large: about 38 mm wide by 51 mm lug to lug.
- Metals: stainless steel, 18k yellow gold, 18k rose gold, titanium, and two-tone versions.
- Movement: automatic in most steel references. Cartier 049 and 1847 MC calibers appear across the range.
Measurements shift by reference number. Cartier publishes case size, thickness, and water resistance for each model on its own product page. Exact figures for every reference are not listed here.
What Replica Means in the Trade
Sellers use labels such as AAA, 1:1, mirror, and super clone. No standards body defines these terms. They are seller labels, and the same watch can carry different labels on different sites.
A watch that carries the Cartier name, logo, or protected case design is a counterfeit when sold as a Cartier product. A square steel watch with no Cartier marks is a separate matter. The trademark makes the item illegal, not the shape alone.
Legal Status in the US
- 18 U.S.C. § 2320 covers trafficking in counterfeit goods. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine for an individual.
- 19 U.S.C. § 1526 bars import of goods that carry a counterfeit mark. CBP can seize and destroy a shipment.
- Customs publishes seizure totals each year. Watches and jewelry appear in the numbers.
Buying for personal use is a different charge than selling, but the item can still be seized at the border, and the buyer loses the money paid.
Reported Differences Between a Replica and a Genuine Santos 100
- Movement: replicas use quartz or generic automatic movements. Finishing and beat rate differ from a Cartier caliber.
- Metal: gold-plated brass or steel in place of solid 18k gold. Plating wears at the lugs and case back.
- Crystal: sapphire on the genuine watch, mineral glass on lower tiers.
- Weight: a solid gold Santos 100 weighs more than a plated copy of the same size.
- Engraving: case back text, serial numbers, and hallmarks are copied, absent, or mismatched.
Service, Warranty, and Parts
Cartier service centers do not work on counterfeit watches and do not issue papers for them. Independent watchmakers may refuse the job. Parts do not interchange with genuine Cartier components, so one repair can cost more than the watch itself. There is no manufacturer warranty on a replica.
How to Check a Watch Offered as a Santos 100
- Read the reference number on the case back and compare it with the Cartier catalog entry.
- Take the watch to a Cartier boutique or an authorized service center. Cartier does not run a public serial number lookup online.
- Check hallmarks on gold models. Swiss hallmarks appear on genuine pieces.
- Compare dial print under magnification. Genuine print has crisp edges.
- Ask for the invoice, box, and warranty card. Sellers can fake all three, so treat them as a check and not as proof.
Price
Genuine steel Santos 100 watches trade on the secondary market in the low thousands of US dollars. Gold models cost more. Replica listings ask about $100 to $500. Prices change with reference, condition, and date, so check recent auction results for a specific model.