Honestly, it’s a jungle out there. These counterfeiters are getting craftier by the minute. Forget looking for misspelled words – those days are long gone. They’re onto more sophisticated stuff.
First thing I’d do? Check out the crystal. Now, this is where it gets kinda counterintuitive. You’d *think* a real fancy-pants Cartier would have a crystal that’s crystal clear, right? Nope! Apparently, the real Ballon Bleu crystals, because of the thickness and the *quality*, actually give you a bit of distortion when you look through them at an angle. The fakes? Usually just…clear. Like, boringly clear. Go figure.
Then, you gotta get up close and personal with the case. Remember those screws? The real deal has flush, perfectly integrated screws. What you dont want to see is anything that looks like an imprint of screws, meaning those screws are not the real ones on the case. Its a major red flag if the screws look like they’re just stamped on.
And while you’re at it, peek at the dial. I mean, you probably were already, because it’s kinda the whole point of a watch, right? But look CLOSE. See if the printing is crisp and perfect. Fakes often have slightly fuzzy or uneven printing. Also, check how the screws are placed.
Now, here’s my personal opinion: if the price was too good to be true, it probably IS. I mean, come on. Real Cartier watches ain’t exactly bargain-basement finds. If you scored one for what seems like a steal, there’s a pretty high chance it’s a fake. (Sorry, but better to know now than later, right?)
