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A replica Baignoire 2020 is a copy of an oval-case Cartier watch sold in 2020. The real watch uses an 18k gold or steel case, a Cartier-signed dial, and a quartz or hand-wound Cartier movement. A replica uses gold-plated steel or brass, an unsigned dial, and a generic quartz or automatic movement. Used prices for a genuine Baignoire in steel sit near $4,000 to $12,000. Replicas sell for $100 to $400.
What the 2020 Baignoire was
Cartier introduced the curved oval case in 1912. The company applied the name Baignoire, French for bathtub, in 1973. By 2020 the line held several sizes. Case lengths ran from about 24 mm to about 37 mm. Most references used quartz movements. Straps were leather or alligator. Cartier does not publish 2020 production counts, so no total build number is public.
How to check a 2020 replica
- Weigh the watch. Solid 18k gold cases feel heavy. Plated cases are light.
- Read the case back. Real Cartier case backs carry a reference number, a serial number, and a gold or steel hallmark.
- Check the crown. Cartier fits a blue or black cabochon. Copies use glass or plastic.
- Look at the dial print. Cartier prints SWISS MADE at 6 o'clock. Thin or doubled letters point to a copy.
- Open the case. A quartz Baignoire holds a Cartier caliber with signed plates. Copies hold unbranded movements.
Movements and parts
A quartz Baignoire runs on a battery. Service means a new cell and a gasket every 3 to 5 years. Replica quartz movements take the same cell sizes, so a local jeweler can swap them. Automatic copies add a rotor and cost more to service. Parts for copies come from the same factories that build them. Cartier will not service a replica and will not supply parts.
Price and resale
Replica prices track case metal and movement type. Gold-plated quartz copies sit at the low end. Two-tone and automatic copies cost more. Resale value for a copy is near zero. Genuine Baignoire values track gold prices and auction results.