Buy the case proportions before you buy the strap. On a replica Cartier Tank Must cor de chasseur, the two things that decide whether the watch reads as correct at arm's length are the case dimensions and the depth of the green leather. Get a large model at roughly 33.7 mm by 25.5 mm with a hunter green, brown-undertoned calf strap and you are most of the way there. Buy a 36 mm case with a bright emerald strap and no amount of dial detail will save it.
What to look for
Case and proportions
The Tank Must is a slim, flat watch. The large model measures about 33.7 mm across the brancards, 25.5 mm vertically, and sits close to 6.6 mm thick. The small model is about 29.5 mm by 22 mm. Replica cases often run one to two millimeters wide, which flattens the rectangle into a square and kills the silhouette. Ask for caliper photos, not wrist shots. The brancards should be vertical, polished, and meet the lugs at a sharp corner.
Dial and crown
Roman numerals should be crisp and evenly inked, with the Cartier secret signature worked into the VII numeral. Hands are blued sword shape, no seconds hand on this reference. The crown carries a blue spinel cabochon, and on cheap builds it is either oversized, glued crooked, or a flat plastic dot. Caseback engraving should be shallow and sharp, not deep and blurry.
Strap and hardware
Cor de chasseur is a deep mossy green with a brown base, not a saturated green. Genuine straps use grained calfskin, tone on tone stitching, and a signed pin buckle in steel or gold finish. Look for a strap that tapers from the lug width down to the buckle, usually in the 18 mm to 16 mm range on the large model. Check that the leather back is unlined and smooth.
Movement
The genuine Tank Must runs on quartz. If a listing pushes an automatic movement as an upgrade, it is a mismatch with the reference, not an improvement. A clean quartz build with a correctly aligned two hand layout is the accurate choice.
Parameter bands
- Budget tier: printed dial with soft numerals, oversized case, flat cabochon, generic green strap.
- Mid tier: correct case width within half a millimeter, decent leather, unsigned or lightly signed buckle.
- Top tier: caliper matched case, sharp secret signature, grained cor de chasseur strap with tone on tone stitching, properly set cabochon.
Pitfalls to avoid
- Strap color that photographs green but arrives teal or olive grey under indoor light.
- White contrast stitching instead of tonal stitching, which is an instant tell.
- Thick aftermarket spring bars that bow the leather at the lugs.
- Listings that hide the caseback, the crown, or the buckle in every photo.
- Water resistance claims without a stated rating, since a slim dress case is not a dive watch.
FAQ
Can I buy the cor de chasseur strap on its own?
Yes, many sellers offer the strap separately, which is useful if you already own a Tank Must and want to swap leather. Confirm the lug width before ordering.
Small or large model?
Wrists under about 15.5 cm usually suit the small model. The large model reads better on wrists above that and gives the strap more room to show color.
How should I care for the leather?
Keep it away from prolonged water and direct sun. A neutral leather conditioner applied twice a year keeps the green from drying toward grey.
What should I ask a seller first?
Ask for caliper measurements, a crown macro shot, and a daylight photo of the strap against the dial. Those three images answer most of the questions above.