A fake Cartier Tank Must Medium is a quartz copy of the steel Cartier Tank Must. The case measures 33.7 mm long by 25.5 mm wide. Cartier calls that size Large. Replica sellers call it Medium. Real Tank Must cases made after 2021 use a synthetic spinel cabochon, not sapphire. Replica prices run from $80 to $450.

Real Tank Must specs to compare

Cartier lists two case sizes in the Tank Must line. Small is 29.5 mm by 22 mm. Large is 33.7 mm by 25.5 mm. Case thickness is 6.6 mm on the quartz time-only models. Lug width on the Large is 19 mm. The dial is silvered opaline with black Roman numerals and blued steel sword hands. There is no date window. The case back is solid steel with a serial number and model number engraved.

What "Medium" means in listings

Cartier does not use the word Medium for the Tank Must. Sellers use it to describe the 33.7 x 25.5 mm case. Some listings give 31 mm or 32 mm and call that Medium. Those numbers match no Cartier reference. Measure the case before you buy.

Movement

The real Tank Must runs on a Cartier quartz caliber. Battery life is about 8 years. A Solarbeat version uses a photovoltaic dial and needs no battery change. Replicas use a Miyota 2035 or 2025 quartz, or a Chinese quartz. Some listings offer an automatic movement. Cartier does not put an automatic in the Tank Must. An automatic is a sign of a fake.

Points to check

  • Case: 33.7 x 25.5 mm, 6.6 mm thick. Use digital calipers, not a seller photo.
  • Cabochon: synthetic spinel, rounded, set into the crown at 3 o'clock. Color is dark red, not bright pink.
  • Dial print: Roman numerals are thin and sharp. Replica print looks heavy or soft at the edges.
  • Hands: blued steel, not painted blue.
  • Case back: engraving depth and font. Serial numbers repeat across replica batches.
  • Strap: 19 mm calfskin, or a steel bracelet with quick-release pins.

Price and listing patterns

Quartz replicas sell from $80 to $180. Copies with a steel bracelet or a box and papers sell from $200 to $450. The phrases "1:1" and "Swiss movement" state a seller claim, not a verified fact. Most replica Tank Must watches ship from China. Shipping to the US runs 10 to 25 days.

Legal status in the US

Counterfeit watches are illegal to import and sell in the US. 18 U.S.C. § 2320 sets criminal penalties. 19 U.S.C. § 1526 lets Customs and Border Protection seize and destroy the goods. The personal-use exemption does not cover trademark counterfeits. A single watch can be seized.