At January's Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) Cartier presented a host of new timekeeping marvels including a sleek redesign of its signature watch: the Tank
Cartier has long been the flagship luxury watch brand of the Richemont Group, organisers of SIHH.
Much of the brand's popularity stems from an ability to create timepieces that seamlessly marry the desire for understated, elegant jewellery with the pursuit of precision timekeeping. In Asia in particular, this has yielded legions of adoring fans who value the beautiful aesthetic and craftsmanship.
The launch of this year’s collection at SIHH saw the watchmaker solidify its position at the more opulent end of the market. Equally, though, Cartier also revealed ambitious new timepieces that demonstrated a real determination to be considered among the great technical watchmakers.
At this year’s event for example, Cartier unveiled a minute repeater timepiece, the Rotonde de Cartier Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon. It’s the first time such a complication has been produced by Cartier and is essentially a small chime that audibly indicates the time. In this particular watch the sound can be set for regular intervals and can also be activated on command.
The watch is capable of marking the time down to the precise minute by using a series of different tones to denote the hours and minutes. Only a truly exceptional watchmaker has the skill to craft such a complication on the scale required to fit within a 45mm watch case. The ability to also include it in the same timepiece as a flying tourbillion, however, is tantamount to engineering sorcery.
Having been in development by Cartier for approximately five years this timepiece is a landmark release. Just 50 of these watches will be produced.
As exciting as this watch is, it was overshadowed by the Grand Complication Skeleton Pocket Watch. A unique novelty, it was launched as part of Cartier’s fine watchmaking series. This timepiece is an exciting blend of vintage form and contemporary function.
In the late 19th century Cartier was famed for making exquisite pocket watches. Measuring 59.2mm in diameter the watch is large, but not an oversized example of the style. Its appearance is initially surprising because, unlike other pocket watches this example lacks a case. The dial is permanently exposed and carries a perpetual calendar, chronograph and a tourbillion which is elegantly positioned beneath a Cartier C-shaped bridge.
Skeletonised roman numerals perforate the outer edges of the timepiece and really draw the eye. Punched out of solid white gold they have a rugged machismo that compliments the overall art deco aesthetic. Just 10 of these pieces will be made available with five encrusted with diamonds for buyers seeking an additional ‘wow’ factor.
Such a limited run means that the pocket watch will be almost impossible to buy. Thankfully, Cartier, keen to grant the ingenious flying tourbillon its rightful place, also unveiled the Rotonde de Cartier Cadran Lové Tourbillon wristwatch which has a less restrictive, though still exclusive run of 100 editions.
Cut, or rather chiseled, from the same cloth as the limited edition pocket watch this new piece has strikingly similar features. Familiar roman numerals are carved from the same white gold, for example, but form a crescent around perimeter of the bold 46mm case. Similarly, the flying tourbillion is encased by the same C-shaped bridge that can be found on the dial of the pocket watch.
The ‘flying’ aspect of the tourbillion means that the rotating cage is suspended over the main dial of the watch and appears almost weightless. Although enhancing the appearance, naturally this decision can reduce the movement’s ability to withstand shock.
The architects behind the design had to pay particular attention to the setting in order to achieve the perfect balance of beauty and function. Their efforts have already been rewarded and the complication is embellished with the most prestigious marking of precision approval: the Geneva Seal. This official stamp is only awarded to the most accurate of movements.
As well pushing at technical boundaries Cartier also entrenched its stake in timeless design by releasing an entirely new range of the popular Tank watch. As the quintessential Cartier timepiece the square shape of the Tank is immediately recognisable by anyone with even so much as a passing interest in watches.
The newest iteration of the Cartier Tank collection is the Tank Anglaise which sees Cartier continue to explore international design sensibilities. Following on from the classic Tank Française and 2009’s Tank Américaine, the Anglaise is now the largest in the whole collection. With a height of 47mm and a width of just over 36mm it is a much more masculine edition. In a first for the collection, the winding crown is recessed into the case. The sapphire cabochon – a small jewel atop the winding crown and a Cartier signature embellishment – is still included. The new design means, though, that the jewel is more discreet in order to achieve a sleeker, square silhouette.
Alongside some brand new additions to the Tank family, this year also saw the release of number of interesting technical improvements to the collection.
Most significant is the Tank Louis Cartier XL which features a brand new ultra-thin hand wound movement courtesy of manufactures Piaget. Previously, this edition used a quartz-powered movement which, among aficionados, is much less desirable. The newly redesigned wristwatch is now fully mechanical and the thinnest timepiece in the entire Cartier range.
Such milestones consistently emerge from Cartier’s watchmaker’s studio and year after year the brand continues to capitalise upon its prominence within the annual SIHH showcase.
This year proved to be no exception and Cartier took its place at the heart of the exhibition to launch typically lavish timepieces and challenging high-tech works. Cartier ably demonstrated years of experience in masterful watchmaking, while setting its sights square on the future.
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