Cartier Santos Galbee, authentic / unpolished?

razuuu · May 7, 2026

Hi there,

I'm looking at a cartier Galbee and could use some help.

It's in pretty banged up shape but that puts it within my budget. The seller claims it's unpolished and I actually don't mind the condition.

My question is, does it look authentic? It looks good to me but I'd love to get another opinion.

Any help much appreciated

ErichKeane · May 7, 2026

Not a Cartier guy, but a comparison against this photo(https://watchbase.com/cartier/caliber/87) makes the movement look right.

Looking at photos of similar ones, I have some slight concerns with the case back engraving (the ones I saw like that have different 'depth' of stamping between the serial and model number, but I'm not particularly sure that means anything. Also, whatever is going on with that 'V' in 7.

BUT i don't really see anything that strikes me as fake at least.

Waltesefalcon · May 7, 2026

The movement looks good.

razuuu · May 8, 2026

Thanks for all your help. Yeah I figured the movement would be hard to fake, especially in the older model. Here's a couple more pics where the watch seems unpolished. Hard to tell but I'm going to pick it up today, so fingers crossed

padders · May 8, 2026

It looks perfectly legit, which is to say it looks pretty low rent. In the main Cartier watches are not made to a particularly high standard, often using off the shelf ETA movements. Of course were you to try to obtain a new crown (because the blue cabochon stone is damaged) or send it for official service, you'd find their costs are those of a high end jewellery brand ie steep.

The text in the V of the seven is a common Cartier trope, if it weren't there I'd be suspecting fake.

Waltesefalcon · May 8, 2026

padders
It looks perfectly legit, which is to say it looks pretty low rent. In the main Cartier watches are not made to a particularly high standard, often using off the shelf ETA movements. Of course were you to try to obtain a new crown (because the blue cabochon stone is damaged) or send it for official service, you'd find their costs are those of a high end jewellery brand ie steep.

The text in the V of the seven is a common Cartier trope, if it weren't there I'd be suspecting fake.

I get the feeling that Cartier survived the quartz crisis by ignoring their horological roots and embracing their status as high fashion. Hence modern (post 1960s) Cartier being essentially fashion watches.

ErichKeane · May 8, 2026

padders
It looks perfectly legit, which is to say it looks pretty low rent. In the main Cartier watches are not made to a particularly high standard, often using off the shelf ETA movements. Of course were you to try to obtain a new crown (because the blue cabochon stone is damaged) or send it for official service, you'd find their costs are those of a high end jewellery brand ie steep.

The text in the V of the seven is a common Cartier trope, if it weren't there I'd be suspecting fake.

Oh! Thats intentional/text! It looked like some weird dial damage in the first pics.

razuuu · May 8, 2026

Waltesefalcon
I get the feeling that Cartier survived the quartz crisis by ignoring their horological roots and embracing their status as high fashion. Hence modern (post 1960s) Cartier being essentially fashion watches.

Agree, I would always think of them as jewellery over anything else

Cartier Santos Galbee, authentic / unpolished?

razuuu

ErichKeane

Waltesefalcon

razuuu

padders

Waltesefalcon

ErichKeane

razuuu

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