Short answer: The Clé de Cartier in steel comes in three case sizes: 31mm, 35mm, and 40mm. Cartier showed the line in January 2015. The name is French for "key," and the crown is shaped like a key head at 3 o'clock. Replica steel versions sell from about $120 to $700. Movement, case thickness, and bracelet finishing set the price.
Sizes and the genuine baseline
Cartier built the steel Clé around the caliber 1847 MC, an automatic movement with 23 jewels, 28,800 vibrations per hour, and a 42-hour power reserve. The 40mm model carries a date at 3 o'clock on most references. The 35mm and 31mm versions use the same dial code: Roman numerals, a rail-track minute ring, and a sword hand set.
Check the reference code stamped on the caseback and match it to the case size and dial variant. A replica that mixes a 35mm dial into a 40mm case reads wrong on the wrist.
Movements inside replicas
- Miyota 9015: 24 jewels, 28,800 vph, 42-hour power reserve. Common in mid-tier builds.
- Seagull ST2130 and ETA 2824-2 clones: 28,800 vph, 38 to 40 hours. Parts are easy to source.
- Decorated 1847 MC copies: rotor and bridges engraved to copy the Cartier finish. Timekeeping comes from the base movement under the plate.
A rotor that spins at a light touch and stops fast points to a low-grade bearing. Ask for a timegrapher reading before shipping. A rate inside plus or minus 10 seconds per day is a fair target for these movements.
Case, crown, and crystal
The key crown is the part replicas get wrong. On the genuine watch the key head sits flush and turns to wind and set. On some replicas the crown is fixed, or it sits 1mm proud of the case side. Ask for a side profile photo with the crown at rest.
Genuine steel Clé watches use sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating. Replicas at the low end use mineral glass, which scratches. A pointed sapphire test tool tells the two apart. Water resistance on genuine steel models is 30m. Treat any replica claim above 30m as unverified unless the seller pressure-tested the case.
Bracelet and weight
Steel Clé bracelets mix brushed links with polished center links. Replica bracelets with folded links rattle and lose shape at the clasp. Solid end links sit tight against the case with no gap. Weigh the head and bracelet. Hollow links and a thin case read lighter than the genuine piece.
Price bands
- $120 to $250: quartz or basic automatic, mineral glass, folded bracelet links.
- $250 to $400: Miyota 9015 or a 2824 clone, sapphire crystal, solid links.
- $400 to $700: decorated movement, case thickness closer to genuine, sharper dial printing.
Before you buy
Ask for photos of the caseback, the crown side, the clasp, and the movement. Ask for a timegrapher printout. Ask about the return window. Import rules and duties on replica watches differ by country, and customs seizures happen. Confirm the seller's policy on a package held at customs. Stock photos prove nothing about the watch you will get.