Short answer
A fake Cartier Baignoire 2717 is a copy of a small oval gold watch that Cartier sold with a quartz movement. Replica sellers build it from a plated steel case, a printed dial and a third-party quartz calibre. The real watch has an 18k gold case with stamped hallmarks, a Cartier-signed dial, a sapphire cabochon crown and a movement Cartier will still service. Case metal, hallmark stamps, weight and caseback engraving separate the two.
What the 2717 number means
Cartier stamps reference numbers on the caseback. The 2717 code points to a case type, not one single model. Baignoire cases sold across the 1990s and 2000s carry it. Records that tie the number to a single production year are thin, and Cartier archives need the full serial to confirm a build date.
The Baignoire shape is an elongated oval. Cartier dates its first oval watch to 1912. The name comes from the bathtub outline of the case.
Common traits seen in auction listings and dealer stock:
- 18k yellow gold case, some pieces in white gold
- Case size near 22 x 33 mm to 24 x 34 mm
- Quartz movement
- White dial, black Roman numerals, blued steel hands
- Sapphire cabochon set into the winding crown
- Leather strap with a gold pin buckle
Where replicas fail
- Metal. A plated steel case weighs grams less than solid gold. A kitchen scale shows the gap against a known gold weight.
- Hallmarks. Real cases carry a 750 stamp plus a national mark. Swiss gold uses the St. Bernard head. French-made cases use the eagle head. Copies print a shallow logo and skip the marks inside the caseback.
- Cabochon. Genuine crowns hold a cut sapphire. Replicas use glass or dyed plastic, and the dome looks flat under a loupe.
- Dial print. Replica Roman numerals sit thick and the minute track closes up at the oval ends.
- Caseback. Engraving on a replica is shallow and laser-cut. Cartier stamps deeper and adds the serial and reference in a set layout.
- Movement. A watchmaker opening the case finds a Miyota or Ronda unit in a replica. Cartier quartz calibres carry Cartier markings.
Checks in order
- Weigh the watch head on a scale.
- Look at the caseback under a loupe for hallmark depth and layout.
- Turn the crown and test the cabochon with a fingernail. Sapphire resists a scratch.
- Have a watchmaker open the case and read the calibre.
- Ask for the serial and confirm it with Cartier.
Price and limits
Genuine Baignoire 2717 watches trade in the thousands of US dollars on the secondary market. Replica listings sit in the low hundreds. A replica carries no Cartier service, no gold value and no resale market. Water resistance is unstated on most copies, so keep them away from water.