Short answer

A fake Pasha steel is a counterfeit Cartier Pasha with a stainless steel case and bracelet. Cartier launched the Pasha in 1985, designed by Gerald Genta. Steel versions include the Pasha C line from the 1990s and the current Pasha de Cartier at 35 mm and 41 mm. Genuine steel Pasha watches sell from about $2,000 used to $8,000 new. Counterfeits sell from $45 to $900. No counterfeit carries a Cartier movement. Cartier does not sell movements or cases to outside parties, and Cartier service centers refuse counterfeit watches for repair.

Design parts that get copied

  • Round case, flat bezel, four Arabic numerals at 12, 3, 6, and 9.
  • Screw-down crown cap on a small chain. The cap covers the crown and threads onto the case tube.
  • Cabochon set in the crown. Cartier uses a synthetic spinel on steel references.
  • Steel bracelet with a hidden clasp on some references, leather strap on others.
  • Date window between 4 and 5 o'clock on many Pasha C references.
  • Grille dial over the crystal on some versions.

Fake price tiers

  1. $45 to $150. Quartz movement, mineral glass, stamped caseback, folded steel links. The crown cap does not thread.
  2. $180 to $400. Asian automatic movement, sapphire glass on some units, chromed brass or low-grade steel case.
  3. $500 to $900. The top tier. 316L or 904L steel case, a clone of an ETA or Cartier movement, correct dial fonts on the best units.

Prices move. Sellers rename tiers to dodge platform filters. The label "Swiss made" on a counterfeit does not mean the watch was built in Switzerland. Swiss law requires 60 percent of watch production costs to sit in Switzerland for that label.

Checks that expose a fake

  • Crown cap. On a genuine Pasha the cap threads onto the case tube and sits flush. On many fakes it press-fits or sits above the case line.
  • Chain. Genuine links are separate and move. Fake chains are often one soldered piece.
  • Dial print. Look at the Cartier wordmark. Fakes show thick strokes, uneven spacing, or a wrong serif shape.
  • Date position. A window at 3 o'clock on a reference that should carry it near 4:30 points to a fake dial.
  • Caseback. Genuine engraving is deep and even, with a reference number and a serial. Fakes show shallow etching and reused numbers.
  • Weight. Steel Pasha cases weigh more than brass or zinc alloy cases with chrome plating.
  • Movement. With the caseback open, Cartier steel Pasha watches show signed or ETA-base automatic movements with finishing. Fakes use undecorated movements and no maker mark.

Legal status in the United States

Counterfeit watches are illegal to import and sell. Trafficking in counterfeit goods falls under 18 U.S.C. 2320. Customs and Border Protection can seize shipments, and civil claims under trademark law apply to sellers. A buyer for personal use faces lower exposure than a reseller, but the watch can still be seized and has no warranty, no parts supply, and no service path.

What is not known

Factory names and serial ranges for counterfeit runs are not published. Claims of a 1:1 copy come from sellers and cannot be checked from outside. Cartier does not publish Pasha production totals, so no one can confirm how many genuine units exist for a given reference.