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I keep saying the same thing on this board; call Cartier and describe the watch to them, you could also take digital photos of it & email them. They are always going to be your best resource for vintage or any other type Cartier watches. You can Google their number. Having said that, your watch seems like it may be a REPLICA ( meaning, fake, I'm sorry) 'Cartier' Argent, which may be worth around $250. It is not a real Cartier. There's no way even a charity shop would sell an authentic Cartier for anything under $1,000. I am sorry to disappoint you, and if you don't feel you can count on my say-so, you are welcome to call Cartier & verify what I've said.
I know this is an old question, but a definitive answer is that the questioner’s watch is fake because I have just discovered amongst a box of broken cheap watches I must once have picked up as a joblot, the same watch as described AND with the same serial number! Also, even before realising the above-mentioned howling coincidence, I had already suspected the 933 apparent silver fineness was a rather odd number - one that even as a collector of worldwide silver coins of many variable finenesses, I felt was completely unfamiliar and unlikely.
To look up the steel ligter serial number is very easy ,I specialize in buying and selling Cartier watches. I've seen fakes with
all the correct marks and a serial number, but that doesn't mean they
are legitimate. If the watch was registered by Cartier when it was sold
or if it has been sent in to Cartier for service Cartier will be able to
verify it is authentic, but be aware that if the watch was not
originally sold in North America or was not registered when sold (fairly
common) it can still be authentic. Some sellers offer the Cartier
quartz model for sale and only state that the watch has a quartz
movement, but fail to mention if it has a Cartier quartz
movement. If it has a replacement movement in it the watch is
technically authentic, but not original and is not worth as much as one
with an original or a genuine Cartier replacement movement. The biggest
mistake I've seen amateur Cartier buyers make is using the Cartier
micro-script signature on the Roman numeral to verify authenticity.
Indeed this is a good indicator, but not the best indicator as there
were many Cartier watches produced prior to the technology required to
make the micro-script possible and not all Cartier watches have Roman
numerals for the dial to have the micro-script signature. Furthermore,
the micro-script is not always located at the same place and if the dial
has been refinished it may not appear at all. Another common problem is
actually caused by language differences, i.e. "all original versus
"authentic". A watch can be authentic without being all original. Unless
someone has owned the watch since it was new and it has never left
their sight it is impossible for them to state the watch is "all
original" as a part could have been replaced at some point in time --
even without their knowledge. Your best bet is to buy from a reputable
seller even if you have to pay slightly more money. --
Cartier_Specialist
If you can't find a used reservoir tank on eBay then you'll have no choice but to have Cartier service the lighter. Nobody sells new ones other than Cartier.
The reservoir tank can be the bane of existence for a Cartier lighter owner. Unlike most butane lighters which have gas tanks integral to the lighter, Cartier utilizes a user removable tank. Cartier only warrants the tank for two years. I've also seen tanks that say 12 months. New Cartiers come with one spare tank. I've seen spare tanks come up on eBay from time to time, for $30 - $50. If not, picking up a beat-up Cartier on the cheap just to remove and use its tank is an idea. Cartier does not sell spare parts of any kind (other than flints), so if your lighter needs a new tank they will probably insist you get a complete maintenance service, which can cost up to $300.
Generally you have to open the watch to see the movement but a lot of fakes are plain workmanship flaws. A real Cartier will not be made from base metal. It will be made from stainless steel or precious metal. A real Cartier will most likely be built with screws in the band instead of cotter pins. When you pull the crown to set there will be no play in the set lever. In other words when you spin it, it will begin to turn the hand immediately and there will be a slight resistance. It will not feel loose. As stated, the best way to tell is to look at the movement. Cartier uses a high grade Swiss movement most likely marked ETA.
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