What the phrase means
"Baignoire" is a Cartier watch shape: an oval case with a flat profile. "2020" is a production marker used by sellers, not a Cartier reference number. In the replica market the year labels a mold version and a run of movements. A replica Baignoire 2020 is a copy built from tooling that sellers date to that year.
The genuine watch
Cartier put the Baignoire shape into production in 1912. The name comes from the bathtub curve of the case. The line now includes the Baignoire de Cartier and the Baignoire Allongée, plus a Mini bangle model added in 2023.
Features on the original:
- Small Baignoire de Cartier: roughly 31 mm x 24 mm, height near 8 mm.
- Case in 18k yellow, rose, or white gold.
- Crown set with a sapphire or spinel cabochon.
- Silvered dial, Roman numerals, blue sword hands.
- Quartz caliber 057 in the small size, mechanical calibers in others.
Cartier lists no "2020 edition" of the Baignoire. The year in the search term points at the copy.
What a 2020 batch changes
Replica batches differ in three places: case tooling, movement, and finish.
- Tooling: older molds carry a thicker bezel and a softer curve at the lugs.
- Movement: small sizes take a quartz copy, larger sizes a hand-wound or automatic clone.
- Dial: numeral shape at VII and VIII is a common failure point on copies. Ask for a macro photo.
- Caseback: engraving depth and font weight vary by batch.
Numbers to request before payment
- Case length and width in millimeters.
- Case thickness.
- Crystal material.
- Movement type and stated origin.
- Weight in grams with the strap fitted.
Gold is dense. A solid 18k Baignoire of the same size weighs 20 to 40 grams more than a gold-plated or steel copy.
Prices
Listing prices for Baignoire copies observed on seller pages sit between $120 and $400, with quartz versions at the low end. Sellers who claim Swiss movements ask $500 and up. A gold Baignoire de Cartier starts near $10,000 at retail.
Legal status in the US
Counterfeit watches are illegal to import and to sell in the United States. 18 U.S.C. 2320 covers trafficking in counterfeit goods. US Customs can seize a shipment at the border. Passing a copy off as genuine adds fraud exposure on top of that.
What is not known
Factory names used by sellers change often. No public registry verifies a 2020 batch. Seller photos and stated measurements are the sole evidence you hold before payment.