Replica Cartier Clé de Cartier
A replica Cartier Clé de Cartier is a copy of a watch model Cartier released in 2015. The copies are not made or sold by Cartier. Prices for these copies run from about $40 to $300. The genuine watch starts near $5,000 in steel and passes $30,000 in gold with diamonds. The two products share a shape. They do not share parts, materials, or service support.
What the Genuine Model Is
Cartier named the line after the crown, which is cut to look like a key, or clé in French. Case sizes include 31 mm, 35.5 mm, and 40 mm. The 40 mm and 35.5 mm automatic versions use the in-house 1847 MC movement, an automatic calibre with a 42-hour power reserve. Cases come in stainless steel, 18k pink gold, yellow gold, and white gold. Some references carry diamond-set bezels. The cabochon in the crown is sapphire.
What Replica Versions Contain
Most replica cases use 316L stainless steel with gold plating. Crystal is mineral glass on lower-priced units and sapphire on higher-priced units. Movements are quartz on many small sizes and unbranded automatic calibres on others. Plating thickness varies and wears through at the lugs and caseback.
Legal Status in the United States
Cartier is a registered trademark. Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 2320, with penalties of up to 10 years in prison for a first offense. Civil claims fall under the Lanham Act, where statutory damages for willful counterfeiting reach $2,000,000 per counterfeit mark per type of goods sold. CBP can seize shipments at the border.
Points Used to Tell the Two Apart
- Caseback engraving depth and font. Genuine engraving is crisp and centered.
- Crown action. The key-shaped crown turns and sets with resistance. Copies feel loose.
- Movement finish. The 1847 MC has Geneva stripes and a rotor with engraving.
- Weight in the hand. Gold references weigh more than plated steel.
- Serial and reference numbers, which appear on the caseback and match Cartier records.
Buyer Risks
Customs seizure is a documented outcome for counterfeit watch shipments. Copies carry no manufacturer warranty and no service network. Resale value is close to zero. Payment disputes are hard to win when the seller ships from another country and the listing states the item is a replica.