Finally, we get to the matter of “collecting” the Basculante. Swiss made replica Cartier discontinued the model in the mid-2000s and hasn’t produced it since, which means it’s only gotten harder to find.
For a while, the perfect fake Cartier Basculante puttered along, and then somewhat suddenly, prices for a standard steel Basculante 2390 jumped from $4,000 or so at the beginning of 2021 to $10,000 at market peak about a year ago. Since then, prices have come back a bit. Meanwhile, many of the limited editions now sell for prices in the low 20s.
Of course, this rise coincided with the general “hype” in 1:1 replica Cartier watches, but it’s easy to see why the Basculante also has a certain appeal all its own. Flipping the Basculante upside down and right side up again does make for a nice little social media clip and even some fun photographs (shoutout to Isa, who took some great ones for this article!).
But beyond that, the Basculante does have some of the fundamentals you look for that make an aaa quality fake Cartier enduring beyond any hype. The cabriolet case is unlike anything else around. It’s also a little larger than the standard Tank size, making it appeal more to modern tastes while maintaining a thin profile.
Meanwhile, Odets’ positive 2002 review of the Basculante Mechanique sits in my mind: the case has about half the parts of a Reverso (benefits: longer lasting and better water resistance), the manual F. Piguet movement is impressive, and its stamped C motif (as opposed to engraving it) is its only real cost-saving measure. Even still, it might feel like a bit of a novelty, not that there’s anything wrong with that. If you’re merely Swiss movement replica Cartier Basculante-curious and just want something to play with, the quartz version is there for about half the price. An expensive fidget spinner, sure, but at least it’s one with classic appeal.
While I personally might be partial to a vintage gold mechanical Cartier Tank Louis fake for sale for the price a standard steel Basculante is going for nowadays, I understand the appeal of the Tank Basculante. And if best quality replica Cartier were to introduce a modern Basculante (it’s only a matter of time, right?), I have to think it will cost more than the price of a steel 2390. While the Basculante might not represent the value it was a few years ago, it still represents real top super clone Cartier craftsmanship.