Short answer
The Cartier Clé de Cartier medium is a 35.2 mm round watch with an automatic movement and a crown shaped like a key head. Genuine examples use Cartier caliber 1847 MC. Replica versions copy the case size and the key crown. They do not use Cartier movements. Specs change by factory and by batch. A replica is not a Cartier product, and US law bans importing one.
Genuine specifications
Cartier released the Clé de Cartier line in 2015. "Clé" is French for key. The crown sits flush with the case until pressed, then turns like a key to wind and set the watch.
- Case diameter: 35.2 mm (medium)
- Case thickness: about 10 mm on steel automatic references
- Movement: Cartier caliber 1847 MC, automatic
- Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
- Power reserve: about 42 hours
- Crystal: sapphire, front and back on most references
- Water resistance: 30 m on steel references
- Dial: silvered opaline, Roman numerals, blued steel sword hands
- Metals: steel, pink gold, yellow gold, white gold
Reference numbers differ by metal, dial, and strap. Check the exact number in the Cartier catalog before comparing a listing.
What replica listings claim
Case and crown
Most medium replicas quote a 35 mm to 35.5 mm case. Weight is the common tell. Genuine steel medium models on a bracelet run heavier than replica cases, which use thinner steel or a plated alloy. Plated gold replicas wear through at the crown and lugs.
The key crown is the hard part to copy. On the genuine watch the key head holds a synthetic spinel cabochon, and the crown locks into the case. On replicas the cap sits above the case line, and the lock action is absent or loose.
Movement
Replica listings name quartz, Miyota 9015, Seagull ST2130, or a clone of the ETA 2824-2. None of these are Cartier calibers. Some sellers call a decorated 2824 clone a "Swiss ETA". A product photo does not verify that claim.
Dial and crystal
Mineral glass appears at the low price end, sapphire at the top. Roman numerals on replicas are printed. Genuine numerals are applied and sit above the dial. Date window position and font shift between replica batches.
Price bands
Medium Clé de Cartier replicas sell in three bands: about $120 to $200 for quartz or low-grade automatic with mineral glass; $200 to $350 for sapphire glass and a Miyota 9015 or ST2130; $350 to $600 for a decorated clone marketed as "Swiss" or "super clone". Price does not confirm movement type. Ask for a photo of the movement with the case back off.
Sizing and fit
The medium sits between the 31 mm small and the 40 mm large. A 35.2 mm case reads small on a wrist over 7.5 inches. Replica bracelets ship with fewer links than the genuine bracelet, so confirm spare links are included. Lug width varies by seller. Confirm it before ordering a strap.
Legal status in the US
Counterfeit watches are illegal to import into the United States. 19 U.S.C. 1526 and 18 U.S.C. 2320 cover import and trafficking of counterfeit trademarked goods. US Customs and Border Protection can seize and destroy shipments. There is no personal-use exemption for counterfeit goods. Domestic sales carry seizure risk and civil claims from the trademark owner.
What to check before ordering
- Case diameter stated as 35.2 mm, not "about 35 mm".
- Movement named, not described as "high grade".
- Crystal material stated as sapphire or mineral.
- Case back photo with the reference engraving visible.
- Water resistance figure in the listing.
- Return window and payment method in writing.
If a listing omits case diameter, movement, crystal, and water resistance, treat the specs as unknown.