AF (sometimes written AFF) is a label that appears on Cartier references. In our sample every listing carrying it is a Cartier, mostly the 28mm Ballon Bleu in quartz, alongside Tank and Santos references. It is one of the labels that only appear on brands outside the Rolex line, which is why a Cartier buyer sees a different set of names from a Submariner buyer.
On this page
Is AF Factory still making watches?
The AF label appears in dealer catalogues on Cartier references in our sample. We could not confirm current production or who runs it. This profile carries 1 reported brand line, 1 signature reference and 1 cited source, with 3 open questions listed below.
What is AF Factory known for?
This page records 2 points of note for AF Factory, alongside 1 reported brand line and 1 signature reference, while what the trade repeats without a dated public document is kept separate further down the page.
- Cartier references, the smaller Ballon Bleu sizes in particular in our sample
- Quartz references, which most Rolex-line labels do not cover
Which brands does AF Factory build?
The trade associates the AF Factory label with 1 brand line, listed below; the source for the mapping is cited at the foot of this page.
- Cartier — every listing we sampled under this label
Which models is AF Factory known for?
This profile lists 1 signature reference for AF Factory, seen across 2 model familys in a snapshot of 25 listings, each resting on a listing observation or a cited test, with its basis noted beside it and its sources at the foot of the page.
Model families under this label in the listing snapshot (25 listings): Cartier Tank 3 · Cartier Santos 1
- Cartier Ballon Bleu 28mm — The reference the label is most often attached to in our sample, all quartz and steel at this size (Factory labels on third-party dealer listings in our dated sample, snapshot 2026-10-01)
Which name gets confused with AF Factory?
Commonly conflated here: AF Factory and ARF Factory, separated by the checks in the table below, whose sources are cited at the foot of this page.
| Name | Name it gets confused with | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| AF Factory | ARF Factory | Two different labels with overlapping letters, and both appear on dealer listings. Part of the case for reading any label as what that seller calls the build rather than as a registry name. |
What has not been verified?
The following is commonly repeated about AF Factory in the trade, and none of it is documented in public, so this site leaves it as unknown. 3 points are carried below as open questions, each one waiting on a dated source before it can be stated as fact:
- Production status and ownership
- Movement supply for the Cartier references sold under this label
- Whether the label covers one workshop or several
Sources on this page
This profile rests on the 1 source listed below, dated and linked where an original exists, and any claim about AF Factory without a dated public source is carried above as an open question.
- market observation · 2026-10-01 · Factory labels on third-party dealer listings in our dated sample, snapshot 2026-10-01
Reviewed 2026-10-01. If a source here is wrong or has been superseded, the correction is published on this page. See About.