Cartier Mysteries, Tourbillons and Traveler’s Watches – The Cartier Fine Wacthmaking Collection at the SIHH 2013

Cartier has unveiled half a dozen new timekeepers from its Fine Watchmaking series at the SIHH 2013 show. As far as looks are concerned, the most interesting pieces are the ones with “mystery” floating components. The effect of floating hands displayed in some of Cartier’s iconic clocks from the past is used on Rotonde Mysterious Hours piece. Rotonde Mysterious Double Tourbillon looks even more impressive, since the “mysterious” component is actually a tourbillon with double axis of rotation which has no apparent connection to the rest of the movement. Furthermore, it is a watch whose caliber bears the Geneva seal of quality. This distinguished certificate is likewise visible on the movement of Ballon Bleu Tourbillon traveler’s watch.

As far as the other novelties are concerned, Cartier has also shown a piece in Rotonde-styled casing which combines a perpetual calendar and a chronograph and thus represents an important landmark for the brand. Additionally, Cartier novelties also include another traveler’s watch with multiple time zones (this one is made with the large Tortue styled tonneau housing and an interesting dial with the map of the world) and Calibre Chronograph which we have recently written about. Apart from six novelties, Cartier is also displaying Astrotourbillon Carbon Crystal timekeeper. The watch which was unveiled in July is based on Cartier ID One technology and has an astroturbillon complication made from modern materials which eliminate the need for the servicing of the watch.

Rotonde de Cartier Mysterious Hours

The Mysterious sub-category by Cartier includes pieces with an effective visual identity. As it has been mentioned, these timekeepers are inspired by the iconic Cartier clocks. Since 1912, the brand nas been involved in the production of chic clocks which have dials with hands that looked as if they were unattached from the mechanism. This feature is replicated in Rotonde Mysterious Hours timekeeper and this is performed exceptionally successful. Secretive rhodium-plated sword-shaped steel hands hands are combined with a distinguished white galvanized dial with interesting looking black Roman numerals and silvered openwork with sunray motif.

Cartier Rotonde Mysterious Hours Watch White Gold

Set in the round Rotonde casing which has the diameter of 42 mm and the thickness of 11.6 mm is available in pink (the model W1556223) and white gold (the Reference number W1556224).

Cartier Rotonde Mysterious Hours Watches

Water resistant to 30 meters, Rotonde Mysterious Hours timepiece runs thanks to hand-wound 9981 MC caliber which consists of 158 parts, including 27 jewels. It oscillates at the frequency of 21,600 vph and includes a power storage that lasts for two days. The watch with a prominenet sapphire cabochon crown is paired with a black or a brown alligator strap with double deployant buckle.

Rotonde de Cartie Mystery Double Tourbillon

While the watch with mysterious hours looks pretty cool, the next timekeeper is simply stunning since it puts a vale of mystery on a double tourbillon. Its tourbillon rotates on two axis (one takes one-minute, while the other one last four times longer) and it can be seen from both sides of the case.

Cartier Rotonde Mysterious Double Tourbillon Watch Detail

Regardless of the point of view, it looks completely detached from manufacture manually-wounded caliber 9454 MC used in the watch. The movement that bears the Geneva seal of quality is 35 mm wide and 5 mm thick and made from 242 parts (25 of which are jewels). Beating at the same frequency of 21,600 vph as the previous newcomer, this watch has a power reserve that lasts for 52 hours.

Cartier Rotonde Mysterious Double Tourbillon Watch Calibre 9454-MC

Rotonde de Cartier Mysterious Double Tourbillon bears the reference number W1556210 and comes only with a platinum casing. The round housing is 45 mm wide and 12.45 thick. On the front of the case and on the exhibition case back is sapphire. Speaking of dial, it is slate-gray galvanized and decorated with guilloche pattern with visual features fairly similar to the previous piece (with silver openwork and peculiar Roman numerals. Similarly, water resistance is once again 30 meters. The watch likewise has a distinct sapphire cabochon crown and a strap made from alligator leather.

Cartier Rotonde Mysterious Double Tourbillon Watch

Tortue XXL Multiple Time Zones

Since we have recently written about the other timekeeper with the Geneva seal insiginia – Ballon Bleu Tourbillon with dual time zone and jumping hours features, as well as about Rotonde de Cartier Perpetual Calendar Chronograph and Calibre Chronograph, we shall move on to the next watch among the brand’s newcomers. It is a distinguished looking traveler’s watch named Tortue XXL Multiple Time Zone timekeeper.

Cartier Tortue XXL Multiple Time Zones White Gold Watch

It is a charming worldtimer watch dominated by a delicate map of the world that graces its multilayered face (resembling the ones featured on a Breguet Hora Mundi or Breitling Transocean Chronograph Unitime watches). Equipped with an in-house envisioned and constructed automatic movement – caliber 9914 MC – the watch includes a lateral city disk which facilitates switching through time zones, as well as 24-hour representation of the time in the home time zone, an automatic switching to winter and summer time and day and night indication. The caliber Cartier used in this watch integrates 238 parts (27 jewels), beats at the frequency of 4 Hz, and has a power reserve of two days.

Cartier Tortue XXL Multiple Time Zones Watch Caseback

Cartier Tortue XXL Multiple Time Zones is quite a large watch as it names suggests. It has a chunky tonnau-shaped gold housing with the width of 45.6 mm and the length of 51 mm. The housing can be either pink gold (for the W1580049) or white gold (the model W1580050).

Cartier Tortue XXL Multiple Time Zones Watch Side

Either way, it is water proof to 30 meters. As it has been mentioned, the watch sports quite a delicate and complex multi-segmented dial. It includes white galvaniazed guilloche section, openworks, as well skillfully made continents set on a blue background.

Cartier Tortue XXL Multiple Time Zones Pink Gold Watch

Rotonde Astrotourbillon Carbon Crystal

Apart from six newcomers, Cartier is using SIHH 2013 event to present its Rotonde Astrotourbillon Carbon Crystal timekeeper. The watch which first came about in July is using the technology premiered for the ID One concept watch and it is in fact a very modern timekeeper, despite its classical appearance. Since the watch has its tourbillon cage and escapement made of carbon crystal flawlessly assembled, it does not require any servicing or additional lubrication. Its case (47 mm wide and 15.5 mm thick) is also made form a futuristic niobium-titanium alloy while its crown looks lovely with a black spinel cabochon.

Cartier Rotonde Astrotourbillon Carbon Crystal Watch

The basis of its functioning is in-house hand-wound caliber 9460 MC which shows off the astrotourbillon complication. This means it includes an escapement mechanism that rotates the tourbillon carriage around the dial and that the tourbillon cage sevres as a second hand which is to say the least pretty neat. Calibre 9460 MC integrates 249 components and 17 jewels, while its balance oscillates at the frequency of 21,600 vph. The supported power reserve of the timekeeper with water resistance to 3 bar is 48 hours. Made with a slate gray dial and black alligator strap with white gold buckle, the watch is constructed in a limited edition of 50 pieces where each copy is individually numbered.

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