Why this page is not a counterfeit buying guide
A listing that calls itself a Cartier Tank 2370 is selling a counterfeit. This guide will not tell you how to buy one. Counterfeit watches are illegal to import and to sell in the United States, the reference numbers sellers attach to them often match nothing Cartier has catalogued, and the buyer carries nearly all of the risk: no manufacturer warranty, no service from Cartier, no resale value, and no recourse when the watch arrives with a plated case or a movement that stops within a year. The same research effort is better spent learning to separate a genuine Tank from a fake one, which is what follows.
The short answer
Decide first what you actually want. If you want a watch with history and a serviceable movement, buy a genuine pre-owned Tank from a dealer who accepts returns or from an auction house that guarantees authenticity. If you want the rectangular look at a low price, buy a legal homage from a brand that does not copy Cartier's name, logo, or dial signature. Avoid anything marketed as a super clone, 1:1, or Swiss made replica. Those listings are where the money and the legal exposure both sit, and they are also where the quality claims are least true.
What to check on a genuine Cartier Tank
Case and reference numbers
Cartier engraves the case reference and a serial number on the caseback, and both must match the accompanying paperwork. Genuine engraving is crisp and cut into the metal. Fakes tend to show shallow laser etching, mismatched numbers, or a reference that does not appear in Cartier's own catalogue. Check proportions as well. The Tank is a rectangle with straight, parallel sides and integrated lugs, and copies usually get the lug angle and the crown wrong.
Dial, hands and crown
Dial printing should be sharp under magnification, with even spacing on the Roman numerals and a clean signature. Blued steel hands on many Tank variants show a distinct colour and finish, and the cabochon set into the crown sits flush and is held by a setting rather than glue. On a counterfeit, the cabochon is often glass, the crown is plated brass, and the hands look flat and painted.
Movement
Most genuine Tanks run on a Cartier calibre, frequently based on a Swiss ebauche, and the movement is finished and signed. A competent watchmaker can open the case in minutes and confirm the calibre and the finish. Counterfeits typically use a generic unbranded automatic or quartz movement with no markings that match the brand. If a seller will not allow an inspection, that refusal is your answer.
Box, papers and provenance
A genuine Tank normally comes with a guarantee card, a numbered certificate, a fitted box, and a service history that can be traced. Ask for the original invoice, service receipts, and the name of the dealer who sold it. Photocopied cards and box only sales are common in the counterfeit market, because the paperwork is the hardest part to copy convincingly.
Pitfalls
- Reference numbers such as 2370 that appear only on marketplace listings. Cross-check any number against Cartier's own catalogue before treating it as real.
- Sellers who show photographs of a genuine watch but ship something else. Insist on dated photos of the exact serial number you are buying.
- Prices far below the pre-owned market. Nobody sells a real Tank at a fraction of the going rate.
- Payment by wire, gift card, or crypto with no escrow and no return policy.
- Customs risk. Counterfeit shipments are seized at the border, and the buyer simply loses the money.
- Service refusal. If a Cartier service centre or an independent watchmaker declines to work on the watch, treat that as a definitive warning.
FAQ
Is the Tank 2370 a real Cartier reference?
The Tank line has carried many references over the decades, and counterfeit sellers reuse plausible looking numbers. Treat any number you cannot find in Cartier's own catalogue or on a printed guarantee as unverified.
Can Cartier authenticate a watch?
Cartier boutiques and authorised service centres can inspect a watch, confirm the case and movement, and service it. Their willingness or refusal to work on a piece tells you a great deal.
What is the legal position in the United States?
Importing, selling, or trafficking in counterfeit goods is illegal and carries civil and criminal penalties, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit shipments. Ordering from an overseas replica site does not remove that risk.
What should I buy instead?
A pre-owned genuine Tank Must or Tank Solo from a reputable dealer, or a rectangular watch from a brand that does not trade on Cartier's name and dial signature.