Crafted in palladium and measuring 41 mm, this Clé de Cartier reference WHCL0003 houses Cartier's in-house Manufacture caliber 9981 MC, a manually wound mechanical movement composed of 158 parts and 27 jewels. The movement operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and offers a power reserve of approximately 48 hours, with dimensions of 31.9 mm in diameter and 4.61 mm in thickness.
The dial presents a mysterious hour and minute display complication, rendered through a silvered openwork grid with a sunray effect. Rhodiumized steel sword-shaped hands appear to float without any visible mechanical connection, while the palladium crown is set with a sapphire — a detail that speaks to the key-shaped design philosophy at the heart of the Clé collection. Both the crystal and the case back are sapphire, and the case measures 11.25 mm in thickness with water resistance to 3 bar (approximately 30 meters / 100 feet).
The watch is worn on a black alligator skin strap secured by a double adjustable folding buckle in 18k white gold, lending a refined contrast to the cool tones of the palladium case.
