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Cartier · Family: Clé de Cartier

Cartier Clé de Cartier WSCL0018

The Cartier Clé de Cartier ref. WSCL0018 is a 40mm steel automatic dress watch, with a key-shaped crown set with a synthetic spinel cabochon, part of the collection Cartier introduced at SIHH 2015. It runs the in-house Caliber 1847 MC, with 42 hours of power reserve. Cazador has no verified price observations yet for this reference. Its stand-out detail: the collection's very name — 'clé' is French for 'key' — references the crown's shape, designed to be turned or adjusted without pinching it between two fingers as with a conventional crown.

Specifications

Case diameter
40 mm
Thickness
11.76 mm
Material
Stainless steel
Crown
Key-shaped, synthetic spinel cabochon
Movement
In-house Caliber 1847 MC, automatic
Jewels
23
Frequency
28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve
Approximately 42 hours
Water resistance
3 bar (30 m)
Crystal
Sapphire, scratch-resistant
Case back
Transparent
Dial
Silvered flinqué (sunray guilloché), blued-steel sword hands, Roman numerals
Strap
Black alligator leather, steel folding buckle
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds, date at 6 o'clock

Price & trend

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Insufficient data: 0 price observations recorded as of today. Cazador does not estimate or infer a range without our own verified market data.

History

Cartier was founded in 1847 in Paris, when Louis-François Cartier took over his master Adolphe Picard's workshop, and over the 20th century became one of the most influential houses in fine jewelry and watchmaking, with designs like the Santos (1904) and the Tank (1917) that redefined the men's wristwatch.

The Clé de Cartier collection debuted at the SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) in Geneva in 2015, with a round, soft-profiled case aimed at a middle ground between the brand's more geometric lines (Tank, Santos) and a classic dress-watch silhouette. Its most distinctive trait is the crown: instead of the usual fluted bezel, it takes the shape of a key set with a cabochon, a direct nod to the collection's name ('clé' means 'key' in French) and to Cartier's own history as a fine jewelry house, where the keys to cabinets and display cases have been a recurring decorative element for generations.

Reference WSCL0018, in 40mm steel, runs the in-house Caliber 1847 MC, an automatic movement with 23 jewels and 42 hours of power reserve that Cartier developed specifically for this collection. The silvered dial with flinqué finish (a sunray guilloché that produces radial reflections) and the blued-steel sword hands reinforce the piece's classic look, while the transparent case back reveals the movement's finishing.

This is the first Cartier reference outside the Santos, Tank, and Ballon Bleu/Pasha/Panthère families Cazador adds, extending brand coverage in the catalog toward one of its most recognizable contemporary dress collections.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the Cartier Clé de Cartier WSCL0018 cost?

Cazador has 0 verified price observations recorded for this reference as of today, so we don't publish a range or estimate. Once we have our own verified market data, we'll update this page.

Why is this collection called 'Clé de Cartier'?

'Clé' means 'key' in French, referencing the watch's crown shape, set with a cabochon and designed to be turned without pinching it between two fingers as with a conventional crown.

Since when has the Clé de Cartier collection existed?

It debuted at the SIHH in Geneva in 2015, as a round-case proposition blending Cartier's more geometric catalog lines with a classic dress-watch silhouette.

What movement does the WSCL0018 run?

The in-house Caliber 1847 MC, an automatic movement with 23 jewels, 28,800 vibrations per hour, and approximately 42 hours of power reserve, developed specifically for this collection.

Is the Clé de Cartier water resistant?

Up to 3 bar (30 meters), a basic rating typical of a dress watch, not intended for diving or water sports.

What material is the crown's cabochon made of?

A synthetic spinel, set into the key-shaped crown that gives the collection its name.

Since when has Cartier existed?

Since 1847, founded in Paris by Louis-François Cartier. The house became a major force in the 20th century with designs like the Santos (1904) and the Tank (1917), which redefined the men's wristwatch.

Related references