Cartier does not sell a 47mm Clé de Cartier. The line runs 31mm, 35mm, 40mm, and 41mm. Cartier launched the Clé de Cartier in 2015. A listing for a fake Clé de Cartier 47mm is a replica, and the case size is the first mismatch.
Why 47mm Shows Up in Listings
Replica sellers use round numbers. A 47mm case fits generic movements and generic bracelets. It also reads as a large watch in photos. The Cartier 41mm Clé is the widest size the brand makes. No catalog reference exists at 47mm.
Movement Inside a 47mm Clé Replica
Most oversized replicas use Chinese automatic calibers. Two common ones are the Seagull ST2130 at 28,800 vibrations per hour, and the cheaper DG2813 at 21,600 vph. The genuine Clé de Cartier uses Cartier's in-house 1847 MC, also 28,800 vph. Count the seconds hand. A 21,600 vph movement ticks 6 times per second. The 1847 MC ticks 8 times per second.
Crown, Crystal, and Case
- Genuine crown: key shape. Clé is French for key. The crown is fluted and set with a blue cabochon on gold models.
- Replicas: crown shape too round, cabochon made of glass instead of sapphire.
- Genuine crystal: sapphire. Many replicas use mineral glass. It scratches and shows a blue tint at the edge.
- Case metal: 316L steel with gold plating or PVD. Plating wears through at the lugs and clasp in months. Cartier gold models are solid 18k.
- Water resistance: replicas are not tested to the number printed on the caseback.
Price and Legal Facts
Genuine Clé de Cartier steel models start near $6,000. Gold models run past $20,000. A 47mm replica sells for $80 to $300. US law does not allow personal import of counterfeit goods. Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. 2320. Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit watches and can destroy them. No personal-use exception exists.
Quick Checks
- Measure the case. 47mm is off catalog.
- Read the caseback. Genuine engravings are deep and sharp. Replica engravings are shallow.
- Weigh the watch. Solid gold Clé models are heavy. Plated steel is not.
- Ask for the reference number. A 47mm Clé has none.
Current specs and reference numbers are listed on Cartier's own site. Nothing there measures 47mm.