There is no official Cartier watch face in Apple’s watchOS gallery. You can add a Cartier-inspired face using a third-party app or by setting a custom image. The method you choose determines how much interaction and personalization you get. Below are the two main approaches, step by step.
Before You Start – What You Need
- An iPhone with the Watch app (iOS 15 or later recommended).
- An Apple Watch running watchOS 8 or newer (Series 4 through Ultra all work).
- One of the following:
- A third-party watch-face app (Watch Faces by Nathan Trautwein, Facer, or Buddywatch).
- A high-resolution Cartier watch image (Tank, Santos, or Ballon Bleu style) saved at native Apple Watch display resolution – 384×384 pixels for 40/41 mm cases, 448×448 pixels for 44/45/49 mm cases. Using a lower-resolution image will make the face look soft or pixelated.
- Time to sync: allow 1–2 minutes for the face to transfer, and keep your iPhone and Apple Watch paired and within Bluetooth range.
Important: These faces are not made or endorsed by Cartier. Use only reputable apps that read and write watch-face data through Apple’s allowed APIs. Free versions may include ads or limited selection; paid versions unlock more styles and complications.
Method 1: Use a Dedicated Watch Face App
This method gives you complications (weather, activity rings, date) and lets you change colors or hands on some designs. Choose this if you want an interactive face that feels closer to a real smartwatch experience.
Step 1: Get a compatible app
Open the App Store on your iPhone and install one of the following:
- Watch Faces – top-rated, many Cartier replicas, frequent updates.
- Facer – large community library; search “Cartier” or “Tank.”
- Buddywatch – curated faces with easy social sharing.
Checkpoint: After installing, open the app and ensure it requests permission to write to the Watch app. If it doesn’t, go to iPhone Settings > Privacy > Bluetooth and toggle the app on.
Step 2: Find a Cartier design
In the app, use the search bar and try terms like:
- “Cartier Tank”
- “Cartier Santos”
- “Cartier Ballon Bleu”
- “Roman numeral watch face”
Look for high-resolution previews and user ratings. Avoid faces with distorted text or mismatched hands. Some free faces have a small watermark in the corner – paid versions remove it. Also check the app’s screenshot gallery: faces that show a perfect square with no cropping are more likely to fit your Apple Watch correctly.
Step 3: Preview and install
Tap the face you like, then tap Install or Add to Watch. The app pushes the face to your Apple Watch via the Watch app. You’ll see a notification on your wrist when it’s ready.
Branch point: If the face installs but shows a blank screen or mismatched colors, don’t immediately restart. First, try deleting the incomplete face from the Watch app (Face Gallery > tap the face > scroll down > Remove) and then reinstall from the same app. If it still fails, try a different app – some third-party apps have compatibility issues with watchOS 10 or later.
Step 4: Customize (optional)
On your Apple Watch, force-press the new face to enter edit mode. You can change accent colors, add complications (date, timer, battery), or adjust the dial style if the design allows it. Note that not all third-party faces expose complication slots – face designs that emulate classic watches often limit slots to one or two to preserve the look.
Success check: The face appears correctly on your watch within 60 seconds. Complications update as expected when you tap them.
Method 2: Create a Custom Face from an Image
Use this approach if you want a specific Cartier photo (such as a watch dial you found online) and don’t need complications. This method is simpler and always free, but you lose the ability to add widgets or interactive elements.
Step 1: Find or create a square image
Find a Cartier watch dial photo at least 384×384 pixels (for 40/41 mm watches) or 448×448 pixels (for 44/45/49 mm watches). Square or nearly square works best. Vertical photos will be cropped awkwardly. If the image has a white background, the watch face may show an unnatural border – choose a photo with a dark or blended background. You can crop the photo to a 1:1 aspect ratio using the iPhone Photos app edit tool or a free app like Snapseed.
Step 2: Save the image to Photos
Download the photo to your iPhone Photos app. If you’re using a desktop image, AirDrop it to your iPhone to preserve full resolution.
Step 3: Set the face via Apple Watch
1. On your iPhone, open the Watch app.
2. Tap Face Gallery at the bottom.
3. Scroll down to Photos and tap it.
4. Tap Choose Photos… and select your Cartier image.
5. Tap Add to create the face, then tap Set as Current Watch Face.
You can also do this directly on the watch: open Photos, tap the image, force-press, and select Create Watch Face.
Success check: The image fills the screen without distortion. If it’s blurry or pixelated, try a higher-resolution source image or resize it in an editing app to exactly the required pixel dimensions. If the edges look cut off, re-crop the photo to a perfect square before applying.
Common Problems and How to Fix Them
| Issue | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Face appears blank after install | App didn’t complete the write process | Close the third-party app, go to Watch app > Face Gallery, delete the incomplete face, and add it again. If the problem persists, restart both iPhone and Watch, then reinstall. |
| Image is cropped unevenly | Photo isn’t square or Apple Watch cut off edges | Use a square image or edit it in Photos to a 1:1 aspect ratio before applying. |
| Complications don’t show | The third-party face doesn’t support them, or they need enabling | In edit mode, tap a complication slot and choose one from the allowed list. Some faces limit complication slots to two. |
| “This face is not available” error | watchOS version too old or unsupported region | Update watchOS to the latest version; some apps require watchOS 9+. |
|
| Face disappears after a few hours | Third-party app revoked or expired | Reinstall the face from the app; paid versions are more stable. If the app itself disappears, you may need to re-download it. |
| Watermark or “free” text overlay | Free version of the app | Upgrade to the paid version (typically $2–$5) to remove watermarks and unlock higher-quality textures. |
| Face looks blurry despite high-res image | Image not scaled to exact watch dimensions | Use a photo editor to resize the image to 384×384 or 448×448 pixels; setting a larger image that gets downsampled can cause softness. |
FAQ
Is it legal to use a Cartier-inspired Apple Watch face?
Yes – as long as you are not distributing copyrighted images or using apps that pretend to be official Cartier products. Personal use of a watch dial photo as a wallpaper is low-risk, but commercially selling these faces violates trademark law.
Will a third-party app drain my battery faster?
Some apps run background processes to keep the face active. If you notice battery drain, switch to a static custom photo face (Method 2) or restrict the app’s background activity in iPhone Settings.
Can I get the exact look of a real Cartier watch?
Only up to the pixel level. Apple Watch screen shapes and sizes differ from a physical Cartier watch, so the hands, crown details, and sub-dials won’t match exactly. Most third-party apps recreate the aesthetic but not the mechanical movement.
Do I need to pay for a good Cartier face?
Free versions often have watermark overlays or limited styles. For $2–$5, you can unlock an ad-free library with more accurate Roman numerals and realistic textures. Check reviews before purchasing.
Once your face is installed and syncing correctly, you’re all set. If you run into a persistent issue, the quickest fix is to delete the face, restart your watch and phone, and reinstall from the same app or image source.
The We Know Watches editorial team brings together over 40 years of combined watch collecting, trading, and repair experience. Our editors have owned and handled watches from every major brand — from entry-level Seiko 5s to Rolex, Omega, Patek Philippe, and independent Swiss watchmakers. We’ve bought and sold at auction, worked with authorized dealers, visited manufacturing facilities in Switzerland and Japan, and serviced hundreds of movements ranging from the Seiko 7S26 to the Longines L888. Every guide and review we publish is based on hands-on experience, original research, and consultation with professional watchmakers. We do not accept payment for reviews, and we clearly disclose when we use affiliate links.
