Answer first
No version of the fake Cartier Baignoire 2717 is best in a way you can verify. There is no public teardown, no timing data, and no parts comparison for the units sold under factory codes. The codes change every few months. What you can compare is the seller: photos of the actual unit, a case weight in grams, the movement type, and a return window. Pick the listing that answers those four points in writing.
What reference 2717 is
The 2717 is a caseback stamp on a Baignoire. The oval case shape dates to 1912. Cartier adopted the Baignoire name in 1973.
Fake Cartier Baignoire 2717: What Buyers Should Know
Listings for the 2717 describe an 18k yellow gold case, a quartz movement, a blue cabochon crown, and a leather strap or a gold bracelet. Case width runs near 22 mm. Length runs near 31 mm. Cartier does not publish a reference archive, so those numbers come from auction lots and owner photos. Read the stamp on the caseback, not the listing title.
Five checks that sort the versions
- Case curve. The Baignoire case is an oval with a curve that follows the wrist. A flat case, or an oval that reads as a circle from above, marks a low-tier build.
- Cabochon. The crown takes a blue cabochon. Glass shows bubbles and a mold seam under 10x magnification. Dyed spinel holds color in surface cracks.
- Dial print. Check the Cartier script, the Roman numerals, and the word Swiss at 6 o'clock. Crooked numerals and thick script show up on cheap units.
- Hands. The hands should sit close to the dial and point at the minute track. Loose hands and a wide gap point to a thin movement spacer.
- Caseback. Look for the reference, the serial, and gold marks such as 750 or Au750. Deep stamped marks beat shallow laser marks.
Movement
The genuine 2717 runs a quartz movement. Most replicas do too, so the usual automatic-versus-clone argument does not apply here. Ask which quartz calibre sits inside. A quartz seconds hand ticks once per second. A smooth sweep means a mechanical movement was fitted into a quartz-design case.
fake cartier baignoire 2717 question
Weight and metal
Gold is dense. A solid 18k case of this size weighs more than a plated brass case of the same size. Ask for the head weight in grams before you pay. Sellers quote plating of 3 to 5 microns on standard units and 10 microns on heavy-gold units. Treat those as claims. Plating wears at the lugs and the caseback edge first.
US law on buying and shipping
Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. 2320. CBP officers seize counterfeit watches at ports and in mail. CBP treats these items as prohibited merchandise, and a personal-use claim does not make the import lawful. A seizure notice can arrive while the parcel is held, and the goods are destroyed.
Questions for the seller
- Head weight in grams, measured on a scale
- Photos of the actual unit, dated
- Quartz calibre name and seconds-hand behavior
- Cabochon material
- Return window in days and who pays return shipping
What is not known
No independent test compares 2717 replicas side by side. Factory codes are marketing labels, not standards. A 1:1 label is a seller statement, not a measurement. Measure the case, weigh the head, and read the engraving before you decide.