Short answer
A "Cartier Astrotourbillon 1701 replica" is a counterfeit copy of Cartier's Astrotourbillon, a high-complication watch whose movement carries the balance wheel and escapement inside a rotating carriage. The number 1701 is not a Cartier reference. In the replica trade, four-digit tags like this usually point to a factory or a batch, which means two sellers can advertise the same 1701 watch and ship very different objects. Vet the watch itself, not the code in the listing.
Top Best Guide to Finding Duplicate Cartier Astrotourbillon 1701 Replica Watch Online
Before you shop
- Pull the genuine reference data from Cartier so you know case size, dial layout, and movement name.
- Check your country's rules on counterfeit goods. In the US, import of counterfeit watches is illegal and seizures are routine.
- Decide your ceiling price. A real Astrotourbillon sits in six figures; any listing far below that is a replica, and the price should reflect a copy, not a genuine piece.
How to vet a 1701 Astrotourbillon replica, step by step
- Ask the seller for the case dimensions and compare them with the official Astrotourbillon spec, which is close to 47 mm. Copies that come in at 42 mm or less are a different watch wearing a Cartier dial.
- Request a video of the running watch, not stills. Watch the carriage. On the genuine caliber the escapement rotates once per minute; most replicas show a decorated bridge or a spinning fake plate that does not hold the balance.
- Look at the dial printing at high zoom. Check the Cartier signature, the Roman numerals, and the rail track for blur, thick ink, or misaligned indices.
- Confirm the crystal material. Sapphire with a proper anti-reflective coating should show almost no glare and no rainbow halo under a lamp.
- Inspect the caseback engraving and the reference text. Compare letter spacing to official photos, since this is where cheap builds fall apart.
- Ask what movement is inside. Sellers who cannot name the base movement, the jewel count, or the power reserve are reselling stock they have never opened.
- Ask for a timestamped photo of the exact watch you will receive. Stock photos mean you are buying a promise, not a unit.
- Pay with a method that offers chargeback rights, and keep the listing text and chat logs until the watch arrives and passes inspection.
Red flags
- Factory codes used as a substitute for specifications.
- Claims that the watch is "1:1" or "identical" with no measurements to back it up.
- No return window, or returns accepted only for store credit.
- Pressure to pay by wire, gift card, or crypto with no recourse.
Legal and practical risk
Counterfeit watches are infringing goods. US Customs can seize and destroy them at the border, and trafficking carries federal criminal exposure. Beyond the law, a replica Astrotourbillon has no service network and no parts supply. If the carriage or the automatic winding fails, the watch becomes a paperweight. Treat the purchase as a novelty buy with no resale value and no warranty, and price it that way.