Metro

Time’s up for used luxury watches: suit

Two luxury jewelers charge that everything old is new again at a Diamond District watch shop.

Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels are suing Motion in Time for allegedly peddling used and refurbished models of their pricey timepieces — including one offered for nearly $85,000 — while claiming that they’re “brand new.”

The suit seeks to have Motion in Time surrender its entire inventory of Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels used watches “for destruction,” and also pay unspecified damages for unfair competition, false advertising and trademark dilution.

Court papers say an undercover agent went to the West 47th Street store and bought a purportedly new Cartier Tank Francaise ladies’ steel watch in August.

Although the watch came “in the distinctive Cartier red leather box,” complete with a manufacturer’s warranty card, an inspection revealed that it “was not new, but was instead used, damaged and refurbished,” according to the Manhattan federal court filing.

“In particular, Cartier’s inspection revealed that the crystal was glued into the case using a method or materials that differ from those used by Cartier,” the lawsuit claimed.

A Motion in Time employee declined to comment yesterday.