Short answer
A fake Cartier Ruban is a copy of a Cartier watch whose bracelet takes the form of a ribbon. Cartier uses the French word ruban for ribbon. The real watch is a jewelry piece with a flexible band and a small case. Copies turn up at flea markets, on social apps and on replica sites. Most copies fail on the bracelet, the case back stamps and the crown.
Cartier Replica Ruban de Cartier: How to Judge Build Quality
What the Ruban is
Cartier is a French jewelry and watch house based in Paris. The Ruban sits with the jewelry watches. The band is the main feature. Case sizes are small. Dials are plain, with Roman numerals or no numerals. Cartier fits quartz and mechanical movements in its small watches, so movement type alone does not prove a watch is real.
Check the bracelet first
- Link edges: real ribbon bands have rounded edges. Copies show sharp corners and tool marks.
- Flex: the band should fold without gaps between links.
- Clasp: look for a signed clasp with a clean cut, not a stamped plate.
- Weight: solid gold bands feel heavy. Plated brass feels light.
Check the case back
Cartier stamps reference numbers, serial numbers and metal marks on the case back. On the Ruban the engraving follows a set pattern. Copies use shallow laser etching. Look at letter spacing and cut depth. Reference numbers on fakes often match no published Cartier model.
Crown and stone
Many Cartier crowns carry a blue cabochon. On copies the stone is glass or plastic, set high, with a glue line at the edge. The real stone sits flush in a metal seat.
Papers, box and price
Cartier ships a warranty card, a booklet and a box. The card serial must match the case back. Ask for one photo of the card beside the case back. A low ask price is the strongest signal. Genuine Ruban watches sell for large sums on the secondary market. Compare any ask against recent auction results and dealer stock.
What photos cannot show
A photo cannot confirm the movement, the gold content or the stone. Take the watch to a Cartier boutique or to an independent watchmaker with a bench and test gear. Ask for a written statement.
Legal note
Counterfeit watches are illegal to import and sell in the US and the EU. A buyer of a fake gets no warranty and no service path through Cartier.