I am always extremely curious when replica manufacturers announce a new release of Cartier replica watches. First of all, replica Cartier watches are highly sought after by watch hobbyists. Second, I’m dying to see what improvements the manufacturers have made in the new iteration.
In general, the Cartier brand enjoys an impeccable reputation among watch lovers with the most sophisticated tastes. The brand knows how to meet exquisite and ambitious demands. Each of the brand’s releases is nothing but a horological statement of the highest standard.
As for the replica industry, I remember that the previous iteration did not delight me much. The design of the replica watches showed a pretty good execution. However, I expected a stronger technical profile because the public is already fed up with Asian mechanisms in Cartier imitations. Let’s see what the latest release has to offer. In this context, today we are talking about the Cartier Pasha Chronograph which comes with some improvements according to the manufacturer’s promises.
Cartier Pasha W31085M7F watch
Before evaluating the replica watch, let’s see what values the authentic model comes with. First of all, we are talking about a watch that appeared for the first time in 1942. And that suggests a rich history behind the model. This watch is a real guilty pleasure for the older audience, as well as for the youngest. Cartier has always known how to combine the modern with the classic to suit the taste of those who appreciate Haute Horology.
In addition to the combination of modern and classic, this watch also suggests a harmonious combination of elegance and luxury. However, it is impossible to not note how versatile the model is, perfectly complimenting a formal look as well as a casual and nonchalant one.
The watch is available in a diameter of 42 mm and comes in a complex chronometer architecture. It is a watch ready to steal the glances of those around it both with its delicate refinement and its imposing personality.
What does the replica industry offer us?
The authentic model of this Cartier has set such high standards that a replica watch would hardly reach them. But, let’s give it a try and see how close the fake watch is to the authentic one. First of all, I inform you that the Cartier imitation is still not ideal. After just a few minutes of visual inspection, I found some errors. If these are critical errors or not, it’s put to you to decide. However, it is certain that the replica manufacturers still have to work on impeccable execution. Let’s see exactly what the execution errors are in the current iteration.
Writings
In most cases, the intruder that reveals a fake watch is the inscription on it. In particular, I am referring to the inscriptions on the movement, and not those on the dial. The inscriptions on the dial seem to be ok in the latest replica watches’ releases. But those on the back of the replica watch always have errors suggesting that the watch is a fake one.
The caseback of this Pasha replica watch is solid. In such circumstances, it gets harder to see the writings on the movement as I have to disassemble the caseback. It’s much easier when it’s a watch with a transparent caseback, isn’t it?
Either way, I carefully removed the caseback plate and did not find any inscription of the serial number on the movement. The manufacturers’ decision seems quite wise to me and I will explain the reason.
In the previous iteration, the inscription on the movement was of very poor quality. Manufacturers do not have the necessary tools to engrave inscriptions on stainless steel as accurately as they appear on authentic mechanisms. In this context, the engraving in the previous replica watches looked very bad. With this iteration, the manufacturers decided not to engrave anything. And they decided well. Better without any inscription than with an awful-looking one.
Replica watch weight
I am glad to see that this imitation has the same weight as the genuine watch. That’s because the manufacturers used 904l stainless steel in this iteration. I want to mention that the previous Pasha replica watch was a few grams lighter than the authentic model. It’s normal, considering that the imitation was made of 316l stainless steel. In fact, it is not only the grade of stainless steel that matters, it’s also its density. If the manufacturers reduce the density of the material, it will be lighter. It seems that this time, the replica factory got it right both with the quality material and with its density. The weight of the fake watch is therefore exactly the same as that of the authentic watch.
Replica watch crystal
Another gratifying aspect of this Pasha replica watch is that it features a sapphire crystal. Thanks to it, the dial looks much more transparent and clearer. I want to mention that the previous Pasha knockoff had a mineral crystal that lacked shine and anti-reflective properties. I’m not sure if the manufacturers made this Pasha replica watch 100% scratchproof, but the crystal is visibly much better quality than the one on the previous replicas. I actually tested this sapphire crystal with a drop of water. The drop rolled, which speaks of a quality crystal. So the sapphire crystal is another improvement of this replica watch model.
Replica watch cabochon
The cabochon is particularly that precious stone attached to the crown of the watch which is extremely representative of Cartier watches. I find this cabochon attached very securely to the crown, and the edges do not go outside it. The luster of the cabochon looks quite ok and does not imply that it is made of plastic or similar cheap materials.
What frustrates me a little about this cabochon is the too-dark shade of blue. In the original model, I see a more playful and vivid blue. Contrasting with it, the replica watch cabochon is of a heavier and more solid blue. The crown to which the cabochon is attached rotates back and forth quite firmly and securely. The sound of the crown while winding it gives me a feeling of comfort and accuracy. I am quite content with the execution of the crown and the attachment of the cabochon to it, except for the color.
Replica watch dial
I am impressed by the sector dial scheme of the genuine watch. I would not forgive mistakes in the execution of the replica watch dial. From what I can see in the fake watch, the dial has an execution that is surprisingly close to what I find in the authentic dial. The only difference that catches my eye is the less pronounced texture of the central rectangular area of the replica watch. In the authentic model, this central wavy texture is more expressive.
However, I do not find this error very serious. I like that the second and hour hands have the same font and silhouette. I like that the manufacturers executed all the markers quite carefully and similarly to the authentic model. Sadly, I can’t say much about the functionality of the 3 chronographs of the replica watch, because I didn’t have time to test them. But their design, at least, looks good.
Final words
As far as I could tell, the manufacturers did not really make technical changes. The replica watch runs on the same Asian mechanism as the previous replicas. It seems that the manufacturers’ focus was specifically on improving the aesthetic aspect of the watch. And they did it successfully. I hope that the next iteration, however, will include technical improvements as well.