STEEL FELINE

Created in the 1980s, the Panthère de Cartier has gradually become a mainstay in the Cartier watchmaking collections. A genuine icon to be worn with pride, generally by women, it includes the brand’s aesthetic signatures, such as the design of the dial and the shape of the case, which are easy to spot even from a distance.

Available in different sizes (small or medium-sized models), different metals (yellow, grey or pink gold) and with different decorations (jewelled case or bezel), the steel Panthère de Cartier is resplendent in its simple elegance.

This classic model by Cartier has a square case with extended lugs forming a 27x37mm rectangle on the medium-sized model and 22x30mm on the smaller model. The crown is guarded by two lateral protections and features a blue synthetic spinel. The two pieces are powered by a Swiss-made quartz movement, driving the hour and minute functions.

The dial is light in colour with silvery tints contrasting with the dark hour rim, which is made up of black Roman numerals that seem to rest on the “rail-track” minute circle, which is also black and placed near the centre. At the heart of this silver square dial, two blued steel sword-shaped hands display the hours and minutes. The watch does without a second hand.

The Panthère de Cartier is worn with a steel-link strap.

Price: 3 850 EUR (small model) – 4 450 EUR (medium model)

By Sharmila Bertin

Cartier capitalizes on its incredible savoir-faire

Since 2007, Cartier has accustomed us to virtuosity beyond compare : to date, it is the only fine watchmaking company ever to have developed the capacity to achieve such far-reaching ambitions! In just ten years, this La Chaux-de-Fonds-based watchmaker has imagined, created and manufactured an amazing 45 different calibres. A remarkable demonstration of prowess, designed to secure indisputable legitimacy in the timepiece market, in record time. And, although Louis-François Cartier’s sons were the masterminds behind a few iconic pieces, such as the Santos in 1904 and the Tank in 1919, the brand has never hushed the fact that, for years, it has been calling on third parties to provide it with movements.

And, it goes without saying, the mysterious movements are definitely a part of Cartier’s DNA. The first pendulum to embrace this highly-particular architecture, where the mechanism appears to have vanished, was the 1912 work of the watchmaker Maurice Coüet, Cartier’s exclusive partner. The double tourbillon in this piece appears to hover at the heart of an aperture set at 10 o’clock. The carriage rotates around itself in 1 minute, whilst the sapphire disc that embeds it has a 5-minute rotation period. This high-powered development features in the Rotonde Mysterious Double Tourbillon presented in 2013.

After a crazy period of creativity, it seems that Cartier has now reached the ‘ age of reason ’.

By Fabrice Eschmann

THE ESSENTIALS OF TIME

As is the case at the beginning of each year for the SIHH, the Parisian company has presented a whole host of new timepieces, including an ultra-slim and elegant version of the Drive model.

Let’s be honest: despite campaigns strongly (not to say solely) aimed at men, Cartier’s Drive model is in fact a watch that would adorn a woman’s wrist as much as a man’s. As someone who wore one when it was first launched in 2016, and again this year for the Salon International de Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), I can confirm that the Drive is completely unisex. And I don’t exactly have a massive wrist.

For this 27^th SIHH, Cartier has designed a slim, pure version of this piece, simply baptised Drive Extra-Flat. Its cushion-shaped case is 38mm by 39mm and under 7mm thick, and is available in white gold (limited to 200 pieces) or pink gold. The case contains the 430 MC calibre, a manual winding movement driving the hours and minutes, while providing a power reserve of about 40 hours.

On the silver dial with satin and sunburst finishes, the black minute track is displayed in the centre, where the two sword-shaped blue-tinted hands show the hours and minutes. They move across an hour marker featuring black Roman figures, in characteristic Cartier style. There’s no second hand – simply the essentials of time.

Price: 14,600 CHF (Rose Gold) and 15,700 CHF (White Gold)

By Sharmila Bertin

A CRIMSON RIBBON

Marking the end of 2016, the Parisian maison draws on its invaluable expertise to introduce a luxury watch laced with rubies and diamonds.

In India, the raspberry pink to very nearly brown burgundy corundum, or ruby, is considered the “king of precious gems”. Its occasionally fiery orange hue evokes an inextinguishable flame and the crimson red “blood of Christ” closely associated with Catholicism. Love, loyalty, passion…its symbolic significance is as far-reaching as its palette of colours is extensive. Cartier has had a soft spot for the ruby since the start of the 20^th century, crafting dazzling corundum adornments for maharajas and a royal ruby tiara for the sublime Princess Grace of Monaco (1929-1982) to creating today’s sumptuous Trait d’Eclat timepiece.

Bridging the gap between a bracelet and a secret watch, the Trait d’Eclat crimson ribbon of rubies encircles the wrist in a loving embrace. Fifteen red oval-cut Mozambique rubies, totalling 24.93 carats, trace out a number 6 in a looping flourish that is almost calligraphic in form. Sinuous rectangular baguette diamonds wind around this band of burgundy gems to complement the numeral, all supported by a flexible white gold bracelet swathed in additional diamonds.

The coiling lace of rubies and diamonds enfold the dainty teardrop watchcase. And, resembling a pear-shaped diamond itself, the faceted crystal protects the diamond-sheathed dial. Two black sword hands in the centre discreetly display the time, powered by manually wound Calibre 101 mechanical movement.

Price available upon request

By Sharmila Bertin

If there’s one big trend to spot in 2016, it’s blue’s big comeback. It may often be dropped for more popular, mainstream and easy to match colours like black, white and silver but blue has popped up in collections over the last few years. It keeps a low profile but it’s definitely here, often in the small details. Now it’s back and coating men’s and women’s watches ready to sail the high seas, walk the earth and travel the Milky Way as it washes over the straps.

Blue may be seen as cold in graphic art but it’s a colour that’s full of tone and life. Here are four examples to prove it.

Sea blue

When you think of blue, you naturally think of the ocean, the deep sea and whales. The colour whisks you off the coast to play at being an adventurer on or under the water which is exactly what Eterna’s Super KonTiki chronograph is made for. Its solid steel case (45mm diameter, 16mm thick) is topped by a rotating blue bezel; it houses the self-winding 3916A calibre which provides a 65-hour power reserve and the time, date and chronograph functions. The blue dial is dotted with luminescent triangular markers with the hours, minutes and chronograph seconds in the centre. Two blue counters at 9 and 3 o’clock display the seconds and chronograph minutes.

By Sharmila Bertin

Introducing the Rotonde de Cartier Astromystérieux

Sheer magic

Discussing the secrets behind a mysterious movement is like revealing a magic trick. Cartier’s first mystery clock was actually inspired by the ones designed by the iconic illusionist and father of modern magic, Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin (1805-1871). This piece, Model A, was made in 1912 by watchmaker and Cartier’s exclusive supplier, Maurice Couet. It used Houdin’s original idea of fitting the hands onto two glass discs with a serrated metal edge. The discs were fuelled by the movement (usually in the clock’s base) and turned with the hours or minutes taking the hands with them. A century has passed and nothing’s changed. Almost nothing. Just that the clock has become a wristwatch. As we’re sure you’ve guessed, this small detail has a big impact.

It works by sheer magic. Four sapphire discs are layered on top of each other. The top one acts as the cage’s lower bridge and is linked to the second disc that powers the hour hand. The third is part of a patented barrel winding system which also has a floating pinion that only comes to life when the crown is turned. Last but not least, the fourth fixed disc at the bottom of the movement enables the crown, once pulled out, to come loose and set the time.

The limited edition Rotonde de Cartier Astromystérieux (100 available) and its manual wind 9462 MC calibre comes in a 43.5mm 950 palladium case.

By Fabrice Eschmann

Cartier – Drive de Cartier

One of the brand’s specialities is playing on and reinventing shapes which are immortalised in unique and instantly recognisable silhouettes. That’s what has happened with all Cartier’s cases be they round (Ballon Bleu), square (Tank), barrel-shaped (Tortue) or oval (Clé).

This year the brand is putting its own signature spin on the cushion shape. The result? Drive de Cartier is impeccably designed from the case (40x41mm, steel or rose gold) to the dial (available in three colours: white, grey or black).

Cartier has also played with the finish on this timepiece’s dial: flinqué engraving to showcase the spear-shape hour and minute hands, circular grooves to adorn the small seconds (at 6) and a sunburst pattern beneath the minute track and Roman hour numerals. The time and date functions (date at 3) are brought to life by the self-winding 1904-PS MC calibre.

Price: 5,850 CHF (steel) – from 18,100 CHF to 18,400 CHF (red gold)

By Sharmila Bertin

Lounging leisurely among the silvery stalks of grass, against a diamond-besprinkled black backdrop, Cartier’s emerald-eyed panther appears pensive. Her white gold body is covered with a 270-diamond-bejewelled coat, set off with lacquered black spots. Just above her shoulders, off-centred at 10:30, two tiny, sword-shaped, gilded steel hands display the hours and minutes discreetly. They are prompted by the 9915 MC calibre housed in a white gold case of around 43 mm diameter set with 314 diamonds. This automatic movement offers over three days’ autonomy, featured on the dial in an incredibly poetical style: by pressing the diamond-set crown, the wearer can contemplate the hummingbird (colibri in French) ascend into the sky whilst a golden panther cub emerges from under its mother. The height at which the bird stops indicates the power reserve. The Panthères et Colibri wristwatch is also proposed with a diamond-paved bracelet. Price upon request. Sharmila Bertin

The fusion of a century old complication and the latest collection to be unveiled this year has made uncovering the Clé de Cartier L’Heure Mystérieuse a moving visual experience. Like watching the perfect magic trick, it’s spellbinding. But there’s no need for illusion here, just expertly mastered mechanical knowledge. The curve is tight, the angles have disappeared, the bezel is round and the lugs are smooth. The slightly elongated case (41mm) presents harmonious features. Two spear-shape hands on the openwork dial spin in the heart of off-centre sapphire discs brought to life by the famous manual wind 9981MC movement and the mysterious hour and minute display (48-hour power reserve). The assorted Roman numerals and minute track reflect the brand’s signature features. Operating the crown harks back to a time when winding a watch was a ceremony in itself. Whether it be in palladium or rose gold, this timepiece is a feat of design. Price: 60,000 CHF (gold) – 64,500 CHF (palladium). Dan Diaconu

The Paris brand oozing creativity has dazzled everyone once again at the 2015 SIHH. A new collection was unveiled among the simply magical timepieces on show. You’ll fall head over heels for the smooth, sophisticated and subtle curves whose slim 40mm case hugs the wrist and is available in white or rose gold. The “key” to its success lies in the winder topped with a sapphire that works like a key! The silver-tone dial surrounded by a slim bezel is reminiscent of a guilloché keyhole with its date display at 6 o’ clock. The true blue hour, minute and central seconds hands glide above the blue Roman hour numerals. The time functions are brought to life by the self-winding 1847MC calibre. Price: 17,500 CHF (white gold)